Amman — Yemen’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Afrah Abdulaziz Al-Zouba expressed her country’s solidarity against any attack on Jordan’s sovereignty, regardless of the party responsible.
اضافة اعلان
She affirmed the depth of the fraternal and historic ties between Jordan and Yemen, as well as the two countries’ commitment to strengthening cooperation and coordination across various fields in a manner that serves their shared interests.
In an interview with the Jordan News Agency (Petra) yesterday, Al-Zouba said her visit to Jordan comes as part of consultations and coordination between the two countries, particularly amid the current phase facing Yemen and the region and the challenges and rapidly unfolding developments it presents.
She added that Jordan and Yemen have agreed to activate the political consultations mechanism between their foreign ministries under a memorandum of understanding signed in 2022, while also discussing arrangements for convening the 15th session of the Jordanian-Yemeni Higher Joint Committee.
Al-Zouba said her talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi addressed the latest developments in Yemen and the repercussions of the escalation on regional security and international navigation. She said her assessment of the level of Jordanian-Yemeni relations is based on the tangible support Jordan has provided to Yemen in the political, economic, health and education sectors, as well as its efforts in capacity-building and support for state institutions.
Regarding bilateral cooperation, Al-Zouba said Yemen sees broad opportunities to strengthen cooperation with Jordan in four main areas: health, higher education, training and capacity-building, as well as encouraging investment and strengthening cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries. This, she said, would allow the scope of partnership to expand when conditions are suitable.
She explained that Jordan serves as a medical treatment hub for Yemenis and that her country looks forward to developing medical referral arrangements and facilitating treatment. Yemen also seeks to renew the two countries’ executive program on higher education, expand university seats and scholarships, and benefit from Jordanian expertise in training state personnel and improving institutional performance.
She added that the Yemeni government seeks to translate these priorities into practical programs with specific timelines, budgets and monitoring mechanisms through the activation of political consultations and the work of the Higher Joint Committee.
Al-Zouba said the Yemeni Embassy in Amman is following up with the relevant Jordanian authorities on matters related to residency, fees and the regularization of status. She appreciated the understanding shown by Jordanian officials on these issues and expressed hope for continued cooperation to overcome difficulties and facilitate the affairs of members of the Yemeni community, as an extension of Jordan’s fraternal positions, which Yemen, both its government and people, greatly appreciates.
On the economic and humanitarian front, Al-Zouba said the Yemeni government’s priorities are “salaries, food, medicine, electricity and water,” in addition to responding to the wave of displacement resulting from the military escalation by the Houthi militia, which has continued since July.
She noted that the number of newly registered displaced people had approached 200,000 by the end of September, increasing the need to provide shelter and urgent assistance to displaced families and support host communities. She said the government had approved a cost-of-living allowance and measures to address suspended settlements and allowances, with implementation underway.
She stressed that Yemen needs support from its Arab brothers and the international community, in addition to humanitarian assistance, to strengthen state institutions, including the budget, the central bank and productive sectors. She noted that this year’s humanitarian response plan continues to face a significant funding gap between the actual amount received and the amount sought.
On the Palestinian issue, Al-Zouba reaffirmed Yemen’s unwavering support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to self-determination and to establish an independent, sovereign state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
She praised Jordan’s role and His Majesty King Abdullah II’s responsibility under the Hashemite Custodianship to preserve the existing historical and legal status quo at the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
Saleh Al-Khawaldeh — Petra
