4. What about your support to Jordan on the bilateral level and on the international level?
Norway greatly appreciates the hospitality and humanity that Jordan and its people have shown towards refugees. In our support for the Syrian crisis, we early recognized the role of the neighboring countries. A considerable part of our support goes to host communities, and through Jordanian institutions, with the aim of creating more resilience on all levels. Our main focus is education, where we support the multidonor fund that was established to allow Syrian children into the shool system. Recently, in light of the covid 19-crisis, we have been working with the ILO to support the Social Security Corporation in establishing an emergency unemployment fund. We believe that women’s participation is key to realizing Jordan’s potential, and are supporting a wide range of projects, including the Jordanian Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and the building, through NATO, of a training center for female officers. Norway also supports a strong civil society in Jordan, for instance in the fields of media freedom and social cohesion.
5. What about coordination and consultation between the two countries on bilateral issues and issues of common interest? Are there identical views in the visions? Do the two countries support each other in international forums??
Norway and Jordan have close cooperation in international forums, and are working closely together at the UN, both on issues related to UN reform, and as co-chairs of the group of friends on prevention of extremism. Norway will enter the Security Council as an elected member from 2021-2022, and is looking forward to close coordination with Jordan during this period.
6. What about economic and trade cooperation, what is the volume of trade exchange between the two countries, the most prominent exports and imports, and the possibility of increasing cooperation in this aspect?
There is a potential for increasing trade and investment between the two countries. Around 30 representatives of the Norwegian energy, health tech, tourism and seafood clusters participated in the recent State visit. We are now trying to use the momentum that was created. Norway is mainly exporting seafood to Jordan, while we are importing clothes and accessories, chemicals and some fruit and vegetables. Norwegian Seafood export to the Middle East is on the rise, and we see Jordan as an interesting market for healthy and sustainable seafood.
7. Are there investments between the two countries and what is the volume of these investments, and in which areas are they concentrated?
Norwegian investments in Jordan are still limited, but a number of companies are engaged in projects here, for example within the solar and energy field. The foundation Sahara Forest Project is running a pilot plant in the desert north of Aqaba, using solar energy to desalinate water to grow vegetables. Norway has supported the project financially since the inception. A number of Norwegian and Norwegian-owned ships come in to Aqaba every year.
8. What about cultural, scientific and tourism cooperation between Jordan and your country?
There is a potential of increasing the number of tourists, and sustainable tourism was a focus area during the state visit. The number of tourists visiting Jordan was on the increase before the pandemic hit. Both Royal Jordanian and Norwegian have direct flights between Amman and Copenhagen. The state visit was also a good occasion to strengthen cultural and scientific cooperation, building on the cooperation that exists, for example within the music, dance and visual arts scene, and encouraging new cooperation, for example between female artists from both countries.
Source: Jordan News Agency