Spanish Ambassador Highlights Importance Of Royal Visit To Spain

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, July 12 (Petra) -- Spanish Ambassador to Jordan Miguel de Lucas has underscored the significance of the visit by his majesty King Abdullah II and Queen Rania to Spain. The ambassador emphasized the crucial meetings held between King Abdullah and King Felipe, as well as with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
During an interview with the Jordan News Agency (Petra), Ambassador de Lucas discussed the agreements reached during these meetings to strengthen ties between the two countries. One notable highlight of the visit was the meeting in Cordoba, where discussions tackled the Aqaba Meetings. It also included the historic visit of both leaders to the Cordoba Mosque.
The Ambassador emphasized that the relationship between Spain and Jordan extends beyond mere friendship. It is a relationship built on a foundation of high trust, mutual respect, and deep historical ties between the two royal families.
Regarding economic cooperation, the ambassador mentioned the significant increase in Spanish exports to Jordan. In 2022, Spanish exports amounted to approximately $396 million, reflecting a noteworthy 24.6% surge compared to 2021. The key export sectors included live animals, machinery, ceramics, seeds, and perfumes. Additionally, Spanish imports from Jordan reached around $87 million, marking a 28.7% increase compared to the previous year. The main imports consisted of inorganic chemicals, particularly potassium nitrate, fertilizers, and mechanical equipment.
"Spain holds the fifth position among the European Union countries in terms of total exports to Jordan, accounting for 9% of the market share. Similarly, Spain stands as the fifth-largest importer from Jordan, with imports representing 11% of the country's total imports," he added.
The ambassador also highlighted the involvement of Spanish companies in the development of renewable energy infrastructure in Jordan, particularly solar photovoltaic and wind energy stations. This contribution has significantly boosted the share of renewable energy in Jordan, which is expected to reach 35% of the total electricity generation by the end of 2023. Furthermore, Spanish companies played a vital role in the rehabilitation and expansion of the industrial port of Aqaba, inaugurated last year.
In terms of development aid, Ambassador de Lucas outlined the partnership agreement between Spain and Jordan for the period of 2020-2024, noting that Spain's development assistance to Jordan between 2015 and 2021 amounted to €24.4 million. The primary sectors of Spanish development cooperation include health, governance, gender equality, social protection, water, and sanitation.



"In coordination with the EU, we are carrying out the following cooperation projects: Qudra II: "Resilience for Refugees and host communities in response to the protracted Syrian and Iraqi crises", REAYAH: Improving the public health system, Improving access to gender-sensitive prevention and protection services for vulnerable communities in Jordan," he said, noting that other projects also include: Access to Justice in Jordan, NAHAZA: Civil Society Support for Democratic governance, in addition to Spanish NGOs contributing to the implementation of the projects.
The ambassador emphasized the growing tourism cooperation between the two countries, noting that the number of Spanish visitors to Jordan in 2022 exceeded 38,000, approaching pre-pandemic levels. He highlighted the collaborative project "Egiria," which revolves around the historical journey of a Spanish woman who arrived in Jordan in the 4th century. The signing of an agreement between the Jordanian authorities and representatives of the Santiago Camino de Santiago in Spain is forthcoming to facilitate the exchange of expertise for the implementation of the Egiria route.
Ambassador de Lucas also shared Spain's priorities during its rotational presidency of the European Union, which include reviewing recovery plans, resilience, social plans, European work plans for social rights, the European Green Agenda, energy market reforms, and the situation in Ukraine.
"The link between Jordan and the Spanish Presidency of the EU will have two main pillars: the Southern Neighborhood Policy and the Union for the Mediterranean. As you know both have a common origin in 1995 with the launch of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership at the Barcelona Conference," he said.
Concerning the Union for the Mediteranean (UfM), he said that Jordan plays a very important role as a co-chair of the organization showing its deep compromise with the region, indicating that the UfM Regional Forum will take place on 27th November in Barcelona and will gather the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of UfM countries.
Furthermore, he reiterated Spain's firm commitment to the Palestinian cause and the two-state solution, emphasizing the need to support and respect the current historical status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, and highlighting Jordan's crucial role in maintaining stability through its Hashemite guardianship of the holy sites.
The interview concluded with the ambassador expressing gratitude for Jordan's significant efforts in hosting refugees, noting that Spain believes strongly in global solidarity and burden-sharing, demonstrated by its partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). "Spain is the seventh-largest contributor to the UNHCR, providing approximately €11 million annually to support humanitarian efforts," he added.
"We are currently in the process of signing an agreement with La Liga Foundation who are working in UNHCR refugee camps promoting sport as a way of life.

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