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Ammon News - The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Jordan on Tuesday celebrated the 55th birthday of King Willem-Alexander. The Dutch King’s birthday celebrations are generally known as King’s Day.

In a statement, the embassy said: "this year’s celebrations take place against the sad backdrop of war and its horrific consequences on our and other continents, reminding us all of the fragility of peace and the suffering of those who are victims of armed conflicts."

"The King’s Day is an opportunity to reflect on the Netherlands deep-rooted relationship with Jordan over the past few decades. Jordan and its Royal House have been long-standing friends and allies to the Dutch royal family and the Netherlands. This decades-long relationship between the two Kingdoms is characterized by successful cooperation and coordination on a number of areas from trade to security, from agriculture to education, to name but a few. The Netherlands actively supports Jordan with hosting refugees and has found its position as one of the its major grant donors," said Ambassador Harry Verweij.

In 2019, the Netherlands designated Jordan as a focus country for development cooperation and pledged to invest 200 million euros to support Jordan with the hosting of refugees, targeting both refugees and their host communities. Since then, the Netherlands and Jordan have enjoyed expanded cooperation in a number of fields, in particular water management in agriculture, vocational training, private sector development, human rights, security and trade.

"Our support to Jordan focuses on pioneering solutions through Dutch-Jordanian partnerships to create long-lasting prospects for youth, women and vulnerable communities," added ambassador Verweij.

On the topic of trade cooperation between the two countries, Verweij noted that the Netherlands is committed to strengthening bilateral trade. A number of Dutch supported projects focus on opening new markets for Jordanian businesses, namely those exporting olive oil, fruits and vegetables, apparel, and cosmetics. Furthermore, these projects also work on promoting investment opportunities for Dutch businesses in Jordan.

On the political front, the two Kingdoms will continue to give their support to the Middle East Peace Process. The Netherlands considers Jordan as a key partner in achieving peace and stability in the region and values Jordan’s humanitarian role in the hosting of refugees.

King’s Day is a Dutch ‘Orange-day’, the color referring to the family name of the Royal House, Orange-Nassau. Everyone who has visited the Netherland during those celebrations will surely remember the festive and relaxed atmosphere all over the country and the creative orange outfits of all who participate in the celebrations. King Willem and his family are part of the festivities themselves, every year in another part of the country.