Spain, Jordan move toward strategic partnership

​​​​​​​By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and King Abdullah II of Jordan agreed on Monday to begin work towards forging a strategic partnership, setting a new course in bilateral relations.

Meeting in Madrid, the leaders signed a joint declaration dedicated to enhancing bilateral ties and collaborating on international stability and prosperity.

“Spain acknowledged Jordan’s pivotal role in Middle Eastern stability, as well as the need to preserve and respect the status quo in holy Muslim and Christian sites in Jerusalem,” read the statement, in which both countries emphasized the need for a two-state solution in Israel.

The leaders of Spain and Jordan also emphasized the need to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis as well as a lasting peace in Ukraine.

Most of King Abdullah’s time in Spain will be spent alongside his Spanish counterpart Felipe VI. On Monday evening, they will fly to Cordoba for a meeting related to the Jordanian royal’s anti-terrorism initiative, the Aqaba Process.

The Aqaba Process, as defined by the UN, serves as a significant tool for understanding the challenges posed by terrorism and devising solutions and networks to mitigate risks.

In the joint statement, Sanchez also recognized its relevance.

Spain and Jordan also inked a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in justice and an international administrative agreement concerning the recognition of maritime navigation certificates. According to the joint statement, these deals will “deepen” the bilateral relationship between the two nations.