Makkah- The 4 leaders of (Saudi Arabia – United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan) to the Safa Palace in Makkah to convene Makkah Summit, to support Jordan Crisis. The comprehensive aid deposit in the Central Bank of Jordan. World Bank Guarantees for Jordan. Support for two years. Financing from development funds for development projects.
The Makkah Summit called by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to discuss support for Jordan’s economy resulted in an aid package totalling $2.5 billion.
A communique issued at the end of the summit early Monday said the aid would be represented in the following:
1) Deposit in the Central Bank of Jordan.
2) World Bank Guarantees for Jordan
3) Annual support for the budget of the Jordanian government for five years.
4) Financing from development funds for development projects.
The Makkah summit to support Jordan comes in the backdrop of the initiatives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to stand by Arab countries that are exposed to crises as well as continuation of the Kingdom’s policy of supporting its allies in hours of need.
Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, contacted King Abdullah II of Jordan in the first days of protests that hit the neighboring country, and offered the Kingdom’s full support to tackle the crisis.
The Kingdom’s initiative to host the summit confirms the Saudi position of quick action on such occasions. The convening of the summit also exceeded the routine custom of showing sympathy with the victim of such crises and went to the level of standing firmly and strongly with Jordan during the critical phase it is passing through with adopting sustainable solutions for the crises.
The success of the Makkah Summit and the positive results achieved through it reflects the cohesion of the four countries and depth of Jordan’s strategic relations with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates that have strong and deep-rooted relations as allies. These countries did not hesitate to come out with full support to Jordan so as to help it to overcome the crisis.
Saudi Arabia did not suffice with taking usual initiatives to stand with its allies in their crises and not abandoning them, but went beyond that level by inviting Kuwait and the UAE to take the same position. The rapid response on the part of the Saudi leadership to host the Makkah summit, and its initiative with practical steps so as to help Jordan come out of the economic crisis, reflects the Kingdom’s perception about the danger that surrounds its allies.
The quick reaction of the UAE and Kuwait to the invitation of King Salman also reflects the great respect shown by these countries to the monarch and their full conviction with his keenness to stand with Jordan in coming out of the crisis. Jordan shares with Saudi Arabia political, economic and social interests as the two enjoy deep strategic ties. Jordan sees Saudi Arabia a key Arab ally, and it depends in part on its aid as well as on the assistance from other Gulf countries that often pass through the Kingdom’s entry points. Jordan is also indispensable for the Saudi market in terms of its workforce.
During the recent visit of King Abdullah to Saudi Arabia, King Salman told him: “Jordan’s security is Saudi Arabia’s security. What matters for Jordan is also a concern for Saudi Arabia and what hurts Jordan is also hurting the Kingdom.” This can be described well as the epitome of the excellent relations between the two countries.