Relations between Hungary and Jordan had traditionally been excellent and they have improved even further over the past couple of years, Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga said after he had received Jordan’s Minister for Tourism and Antiques Nayef Al Fayez in his office. At the meeting, besides bilateral relations the two ministers discussed issues related to the migration problem.
At the event, Nayef Al Fayez pointed out that the number of Syrian migrants in Jordan has reached 1.4 million, in addition to the high number of refugees from Iraq, Somalia and Sudan. Migrants have been a significant burden on Jordan’s economy and social infrastructure. Providing accommodation for migrants, related administrative tasks, employment, healthcare, education of minors and waste management are posing an almost insurmountable challenge for the country, he added.
Describing the Hungarian Government’s migration policy measures, Mihály Varga said these have been endorsed not only by Hungarians but the majority of Europeans as well. The Government is of the opinion that the migration problem must be tackled at its sources. He stressed that Hungary views Jordan as a pivotal country in terms of the peace and stability of the Middle East. The Government highly regards the moderate, balancing role which Jordan has been playing in this volatile region, he said. Since 2012, he added, Hungary has provided humanitarian aid of EUR 30 thousand for Jordan, through various UN institutions.
Jordan has also been one of Hungary’s major partners in the Middle East. The two countries have a long history of excellent economic and trade relations, while cooperation in the fields of sciences and culture are also becoming tighter. At the meeting, the ministers agreed that they both highly value opportunities provided by the tourism sector. Jordan has a strong presence on Hungary’s tourism market, as 12 hotels in Budapest are owned by Jordanian nationals. The two parties also evaluated the advantages of establishing a direct flight between Budapest and Amman.
In 2014, Jordan ranked as Hungary’s 11th major trade partner among Arabic-speaking countries; Hungary’s trade with Jordan normally shows surpluses, while the volume of transit-trade to third countries is also significant. The two Hungarian trade houses opened in Amman in 2013 and in Aqaba in 2015 are expected to further improve cooperation.
Speaking of Hungary’s steady economic growth since 2013 Mihály Varga said that as the composition of economic growth determinants is expected to become sounder in the forecast horizon, Hungary offers several attractive investment opportunities for foreign investors in various fields. Among the least utilized opportunities they mentioned potential development projects in traditional and nuclear energy, construction, transportation, agriculture, environmental protection and water management sectors. With regard to these issues, negotiations are ongoing within the framework of the Hungarian-Jordanian Economic Joint Committee established in spring 2014.
(Ministry for National Economy)
