Brussels – The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and King Abdullah II of Jordan have signed a new strategic partnership between Brussels and Amman. An agreement that – given the doubts that emerged in the relationship with Israel because of the war in Gaza and Lebanon – certifies that at this time, the country on the eastern bank of the Jordan River is the European Union’s most reliable partner in the Middle East.
The EU has put on the plate a 3 billion euro financial package for the 3 years from 2025 to 2027: about one billion in macro-financial assistance, 1.4 billion in investments, and 640 million in grants. “A meaningful increase reflecting the urgency and scale of the challenges in the Middle East,” von der Leyen said, emphasizing the strengthening of an already strong relationship based on an over 20-year association agreement. For the EU leader, “Jordan is a key partner for Europe in the Middle East and the Mediterranean, serving as a pillar of regional stability.”
The agreement is structured around five key pillars: political relations and regional cooperation; security and defense; economic resilience, trade and investment; human capital; and migration, protection, and refugee support. According to von der Leyen, it “focuses on three main goals: supporting Jordan’s stability, contributing to King Abdullah II’s political, economic and administrative modernization vision, and fostering economic resilience.”
In return for supporting the Kingdom’s coffers, Amman will commit to structural reforms that foster growth and employment. The goal is sustainable growth, with investments in key sectors such as digital technologies, green energy, sustainable tourism, mining, fertilizers, and pharmaceuticals. The agreement also includes “a focus” on increasing the presence of European investors.
The EU will continue to support the Jordanian army through the European Peace Facility (EPF). The two partners will strengthen cooperation in combating terrorism, hybrid threats, drug trafficking, and organized crime. The other point – present also in the series of strategic partnerships signed by the European Commission with Mediterranean countries – concerns “cooperation on border management, combating smuggling, and human trafficking.”
There are over 2 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan and about 700,000 Syrians, in addition to Iraqis, Yemenis, and refugees from other countries in the region. The small kingdom, with just over 10 million inhabitants, is the second-largest country in the world in terms of refugee presence relative to its host population. Brussels and Amman will “enhance cooperation on durable solutions for refugees, including complementary pathways for protection and safe, voluntary and dignified returns, also in cooperation with international Agencies,” according to a Commission statement.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
