Khasawneh participates in WEF, affirms Jordan’s plans to modernise national economy

AMMAN — Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh held on Tuesday meetings as part of his participation in the World Economic Forum Davos 2024, currently taking place in Davos, Switzerland, during which he met with political and economic leaders, heads of major international institutions, businessmen and regional and international organisations.

Khasawneh met with Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, at a meeting focusing on discussions regarding the situation in Gaza. The prime minister briefed the UN secretary-general on the intensive efforts undertaken by His Majesty King Abdullah to ensure a cessation of aggression against Gaza, prevent the escalation of conflict in the region and deliver urgent aid sustainably to the people of Gaza, according to a statement released by the Prime Ministry.

Khasawneh and the UN secretary-general emphasised the immediate cessation of hostilities, ensuring the urgent and sustainable delivery of humanitarian and medical aid.

Khasawneh highlighted the crucial role of the United Nations and its organisations in humanitarian response and delivering aid to the people of Gaza amid the challenging circumstances.

He also reiterated Jordan's rejection of any conditions leading to the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank, as well as condemning the violence by settlers in the West Bank. Jordan reaffirmed its rejection of any attempts to separate Gaza and the West Bank, considering them a single geographic unit and the foundation for the unified Palestinian state.

The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of fulfilling legitimate Palestinian national rights, including the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, along the pre-June 4, 1967 borders, within the framework of a two-state solution. This, according to the prime minister, is the only way to achieve peace and stability in the region.

The UN secretary-general commended the efforts of King Abdullah in working towards peace and stability in the region, acknowledging Jordan's respect and appreciation within the international community. The United Nations expressed its commitment to working collaboratively with Jordan to achieve these commendable efforts.

Also on Tuesday, Khasawneh held a meeting with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, focusing on the urgent need to intensify Arab and international efforts to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and prevent the expansion of the conflict in the region.

Khasawneh and Mikati affirmed the stance of both countries, calling for an immediate halt to the Israeli aggression on Gaza and ensuring the sustainable delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. They expressed absolute rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians from their land.

Mikati expressed his appreciation for the positions of His Majesty in supporting and advocating for Arab causes, with the Palestinian issue at the forefront.

The prime minister also met with held a meeting with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, during which he praised the positive partnership between Jordan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the recent approval by the IMF Executive Board of the new National Economic Reform Programme supported by the Fund.

He emphasised that the new national economic reform programme aims to strengthen the resilience of the national economy and enhance growth to create jobs, noting that the programmme follows the same approach as the previous one and does not involve an increase in taxes or the imposition of new taxes. Instead, he said, it seeks to enhance public finance revenues by combating tax evasion and avoidance.

Meanwhile, Georgieva pointed out that the approval of the International Monetary Fund's Executive Board for a new agreement with Jordan, spanning four years under the Extended Fund Facility, with a value of approximately $1.2 billion, serves as evidence of Jordan's success in enhancing its financial and monetary stability. She noted that this success has enabled Jordan to protect its economy from the repercussions of global inflationary recession and regional instability.

Khasawneh also met with Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq Masrour Barzani and confirmed the strength and resilience of the fraternal relations between Jordan and Iraq.

During the meeting, the prospects of cooperation between Jordan and the Kurdistan Region were discussed, emphasising avenues for expansion in various areas, particularly in the economic sphere.

Khasawneh also met with Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel. During the meeting, the two counterparts affirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral relations, both bilaterally and within the framework of the European Union. They also discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza. Khasawneh emphasised Jordan's stance, calling for an end to the war and the sustainable delivery of aid to Gaza.

Khasawneh also held a meeting with CEO of Meridiam Fund Thierry Déau, during which they reviewed the investment opportunities provided by the Jordanian economy.

The premier also met with CEO of A.P. Moller Holding Robert Uggla, discussing ways to enhance the company's investments in Jordan, especially in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone.

Khasawneh also met with Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera, a company specialising in online education and skills development for youth to address unemployment challenges. The Premier highlighted the importance of increasing cooperation between Jordanian universities and the company to produce high-quality educational content, with a focus on artificial intelligence skills.