PM, Egypt counterpart chair 30th Joint Higher Committee meeting

AMMAN — The Joint Higher Jordanian-Egyptian Committee on Monday held its 30th meeting under the presidency of Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Bisher Al Khasawneh and Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

Khasawneh stressed that Jordan and Egypt are "being targeted by evil forces that pursue dark ideology over the two countries unwavering commitment to national issues”.

The prime minister said that "such targeting takes many forms, sometimes through the media, and others through leaks by suspicious parties and organisations, such as the 'Pandora documents'."

During the meeting, Jordan and Egypt signed a number of memoranda of understanding and executive programmes in the fields of logistics, plant quarantine, higher education, youth work, and media, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Later on, Khasawneh and Madbouly signed the meeting minutes that was attended by several ministers and officials from the two countries. 

In a speech during the meeting, Khasawneh highlighted the "distinguished relations" between Jordan and Egypt, which were founded and further developed under the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.

The Jordanian-Egyptian relations are “strategic and historic", Khasawneh said, noting that the two countries see eye-to-eye on various regional issues and challenges.

The prime minister underlined the firm stances of Jordan and Egypt towards the Palestinian cause, which, he stressed, is a priority for the two countries' leaders and peoples, who have made great sacrifices for the conflict over the years.

The two countries have also made great contributions to sustain the political path to peace, which would lead to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the pre-1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital, to live alongside other countries in the region in peace and security.

The premier also said that "our policies are always compatible with Egypt in matter of not interfering in countries' internal affairs, a constant principle in international relations".

He also expressed the Kingdom’s solidarity with Egypt and full support to its rights related to the legal and historical framework governing the use of the River Nile.

He pointed to their cooperation and coordination in the face of challenges and threats affecting the region, including any possible military escalation between Russia and Ukraine that might contribute to tensions and hikes in the prices of basic commodities imported by the two countries.

On Lebanon, the prime minister highlighted Jordan and Egypt's swift response by taking measures to help the country address its energy crisis so that it will not be "an arena for settling regional accounts".

He stressed the importance of the trilateral mechanism of economic cooperation between Jordan, Egypt and Iraq in achieving economic integration, noting that as soon as a new Iraqi government is formed, a set of projects will be placed under implementation, including the oil pipeline and industrial and logistical cities.

The outcomes of a recent visit of HRH Crown Prince Hussein to Egypt will be followed up through a tourism integration project in the Red Sea and Sinai Peninsula, and linking it with Aqaba, Petra and Wadi Rum.

The Egyptian prime minister highlighted the "unique" relations between Amman and Cairo and commitment to holding the meetings of the Joint Higher Committee, the oldest among Arab countries, on a regular basis and come up with outcomes that serve bilateral ties.

The session, he pointed out, is being held at a time where the region and the world are experiencing major challenges that may affect the Middle East, increasing pressures on countries and their governments.

Madbouly underlined Egypt's commitment to boosting trade and development cooperation and trade exchange between the countries, referring to the Egyptian president's directives to raise the capacity of the electric line linking the two countries and increasing cooperation to include Iraq and Lebanon.

He also stressed Egypt's commitment to meeting Jordan's needs of commodities and foodstuff during the upcoming period, especially as the holy month of Ramadan approaches.

He lauded the Kingdom's concern and attention towards Egyptian workers in Jordan. He underscored the role of businesspeople and the private sector in the two countries in boosting investments and exploring available opportunities and areas of cooperation.

The meeting tackled means to increase trade exchange, in addition to boosting cooperation in the health, medicine, energy, tourism and transport fields.