Paris – Faisal Al-Fayez, President of the Jordanian Senate, emphasized the importance of the Arab World Institute in Paris focusing on Middle Eastern issues related to the impact of conflicts and crises in the region on education at all levels.
This came during his visit to the institute, where he met with the Institute's President, Jack Lang, in the presence of Senators Salama Hamad, Haifa Al-Najjar, and Issa Murad, Chairman of the Jordanian-French Parliamentary Friendship Committee, as well as the Jordanian Ambassador in Paris, Lina Al-Hadid.
Al-Fayez stated that the conflicts in the region have left tens of thousands of displaced people and refugees, depriving many of them the opportunity to continue their education, leaving them vulnerable to ignorance, poverty, homelessness, and crime.
The President of the Senate praised the role of the Arab World Institute in promoting the Arabic language in France and the broader European Union, as well as its role in introducing Arab culture, civilization, and its spiritual and humanitarian values. He also acknowledged the institute’s contribution to enhancing dialogue between cultures and civilizations, and building on the common ground between different peoples.
Al-Fayez called for the institute to play a larger role in educating the French and European communities about the Arab civilization’s contributions to science, knowledge, medical, humanitarian, astronomy, and mathematics fields in Europe. He also highlighted the need to clarify the true nature of Islam, which is based on moderation, tolerance, love, and respect for others and the Abrahamic faiths.
He added that Jordan and France share distinguished relations in various fields, based on mutual respect and joint cooperation that serve the interests of both nations and their peoples. Al-Fayez affirmed Jordan's commitment to enhancing and developing these relations, particularly in parliamentary, political, and cultural domains.
He noted ongoing meetings and communications between His Majesty King Abdullah II and French President Emmanuel Macron, aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and coordinating on regional issues, including the necessity of returning security and stability to the region. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of halting the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, and allowing humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
For his part, the President of the Arab World Institute praised the efforts of King Abdullah II to bring security and stability to the region, as well as His Majesty’s ongoing endeavors to stop Israeli aggression, lift the siege on Gaza’s residents, and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid.
He added that the institute works to raise awareness of the suffering of the Palestinian people due to Israeli aggression through exhibitions, seminars, and various cultural activities aimed at informing French and European society. The institute also seeks to promote the Arabic language in France and highlight the contributions of Arab civilization in various scientific fields, while playing a crucial role in conveying the truth of the conflicts in the Middle East.
During the official visit, the accompanying Senators held separate meetings with the Chairman of the European Relations Committee in the French Senate, the Chairman and members of the French-Jordanian Parliamentary Friendship Committee, and the head of the French Development Agency. They discussed Jordanian-French relations and ways to enhance them, as well as regional and international issues, with a focus on the Palestinian cause and the need to find a just solution based on international legitimacy and the two-state solution as the only way to restore peace and stability to the Middle East.
The Senators praised the distinguished relationship between the two friendly countries, based on mutual respect and joint cooperation to serve their shared interests.
They also discussed the economic challenges Jordan faces due to its surrounding circumstances, the impact of Israeli aggression, and Israel’s expansionist policies. They pointed out that Jordan, as a result of the Syrian crisis, is hosting 1.3 million Syrian refugees, bearing around 80% of the costs of their hosting, after the international community failed to fulfill its promises to support refugees in Jordan. They called on the international community to adhere to the response plan developed by the Jordanian government in cooperation with international partners to support Syrian refugees in Jordan.
The Senators highlighted that Jordan offers an attractive investment environment, with all the necessary components for successful investment, making it an ideal location for investment projects due to its safe and stable environment. Through its investment law and regulations ensuring secure investment, Jordan provides significant incentives and facilities for investors in various sectors, especially in development zones, industrial cities, and free zones across the kingdom.
The Senators expressed Jordan’s desire for more French investments, emphasizing that Jordan is ready to offer facilitative measures to support the implementation of French investment projects. They called on French companies and investors to take advantage of the abundant investment opportunities in Jordan, particularly in high-value-added sectors such as digital economy, transportation, railway construction, tourism, water desalination, sewage networks, dam construction, and exploration for oil, gas, and uranium. They also emphasized the importance of activating bilateral agreements aimed at enhancing cooperation in various fields.
The Chairman of the European Relations Committee in the French Senate, the Chairman and members of the French-Jordanian Parliamentary Friendship Committee, and the head of the French Development Agency all reaffirmed the importance of the role played by King Abdullah II in resolving the various crises in the Middle East and enhancing security and stability in the region. They emphasized Jordan’s role as a key player in peacebuilding and a pivotal state in the region.
They noted that France considers Jordan one of its closest friendly countries, with a long history of bilateral relations based on mutual respect and the service of shared interests. The strength of the relationship is reflected at multiple political, economic, and cultural levels. They also stressed the importance of supporting Jordan's efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
They confirmed France’s continued support for strengthening and developing the strategic partnership with Jordan, as well as the importance of continued consultation and coordination with Jordan to support regional stability. They also indicated France’s interest in increasing its investments in Jordan, particularly in the field of water desalination.
Additionally, the delegation met with several representatives of the General Syndicate of Tourist Guides for Mountain Climbing and discussed the potential to establish a training school in Jordan to train tourist guides in the sport of mountain climbing.
The French representatives confirmed their readiness to set up training centers for mountain climbing guides and emphasized that Jordan, with its many unique tourism sites, is an attractive destination for mountain climbing. They noted that, during their visit to Jordan, especially in Wadi Rum and the Jordanian desert, they found Jordanians to be hospitable and eager to learn the sport.
On the sidelines of the official visit, the Senators visited several French companies involved in the production of high-speed trains, the construction of railway stations, and real estate development. They presented the projects Jordan plans to implement in these sectors and invited the French companies to take advantage of the investment opportunities Jordan offers in various economically viable and investment-heavy sectors.