DIPLOMATIC DOINGS

port that the Sultanate continues to provide for our work.”

The evening concluded with delicious Arabic refreshments, library tours, a book sale and Middle Eastern music. —Elaine Pasquini

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Talks Abraham Accords, U.S. Relations

On Sept. 16, the Wilson Center hosted a conversation with Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi in which he discussed Amman’s ongoing political and economic reforms, Jordanian-American relations, the regional implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Middle East “peace process.”

Safadi began by discussing the sevenyear Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the United States and Jordan that was signed earlier that day. Under the agreement, the U.S. will provide $1.45 billion per year in aid to Jordan. “It will play a major role in helping us mitigate the very heavy impact of regional crises on the Kingdom,” he said, noting that Jordan faces pressing challenges such as hosting Syrian refugees, border security, drug trafficking and resource scarcity. He added that “the MOU is going to be central to our development process,” as Jordan is implementing administrative and economic reforms, as well as long-term projects pertaining to water and energy that will create economic growth.

Relatedly, Jordan is working on “legislation that would make investment more attractive,” Safadi said, as well as public administration reforms to ensure “a more efficient and active bureaucracy that can facilitate opportunity.” The availability of jobs is a pressing issue for Jordanians, but “the public sector can no longer offer jobs,” so private sector development is critical to Jordan’s economic development, he explained. Safadi added that the country is also implementing reforms aimed at increasing the participation of women, youth and political parties in the political process.

One of the challenges impacting Jordan is the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The impact has been global, Safadi noted, affecting food security, commodity prices, energy prices and supply chains.

“Jordan supports international law and respects the territorial integrity of nations,” the foreign minister declared. He called for a global effort to mitigate the impact of the war on vulnerable countries and groups, without forgetting about the needs of Syrian refugees and other at-risk groups in the Middle East. “Russia has been a stabilizing presence in the south” of Syria, he argued, and it is necessary to continue engaging with Russia for regional stability, “despite our position on the invasion of Ukraine.”

Safadi described the Abraham Accords, which have contributed to Israel’s integration in the region and increased economic activity between Israel and Arab countries, as a positive development. However, he said the Accords are “not an alternative to a political solution [to the Palestine issue], but an enabler of that political solution.” He added that Palestinians must not be boxed out of economic and political developments in the region. “If we do not solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the conflict will remain with us and will manifest itself in more violence and more tension in the region,” Safadi warned.

The path to a resolution is very clear, he explained: a two-state solution with a sovereign, independent Palestinian state using the pre-1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital. “We believe this is the only path to comprehensive peace,” he said. Safadi called out “unilateral actions” that are undermining the two-state solution, including Israeli settlement expansion, the confiscation of Palestinian land and Israeli encroachment on the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem. Restoring hope in the viability of the peace process is critical because “the most dangerous thing is that people no longer believe the peace process can deliver,” he said. —Alex Shanahan

AMEER AL-MOHAMMEDAWI/PICTURE ALLIANCE VIA GETTY IMAGES Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi speaks at a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 6, 2022.

Palestinian Diplomat Commends Canadian Activists

Chief Representative of the Palestinian Delegation to Canada Mona Abuamara was the featured guest and speaker at a solidarity dinner held on Aug. 24 at a Mennonite church in Winnipeg, MB. Palestinian advocates and allies enjoyed meals catered by two local Palestinian restaurants as Abuamara shared her unique story and gave activists some sage advice on how to move forward with their work.

Palestinians “are all products of the Nakba, no matter if we lived through it or are descendants of those who lived it,” Abuamara explained. She shared a