You are here

‘Most welcome step’

Oct 20,2016 - Last updated at Oct 20,2016

The signing of several agreements between Jordan and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday came as welcome news to all of those who believe in greater cooperation and coordination between the two neighbouring countries.

Saudi Arabia and Jordan have much in common in terms of values, aspirations, mutual strategic interests and specific goals. Simultaneously, they have shared challenges and impediments to development.

While the two countries can achieve a lot separately, they could achieve a lot more together.

Each agreement is important. Specific action on a number of fronts has been greatly needed. The more significant development, however, is the establishment of the Saudi-Jordanian Coordination Council (SJCC), which provides a venue for continued follow-up on agreements and issues of concern.

More importantly, the SJCC is expected to carry relations between the two neighbouring states to a much higher level, and here lie its strength and significance.

Since the ominous Arab Spring started in 2011, inter-Arab cooperation in specific and relations more generally have immensely regressed.

It is high time that such cooperation and relations be not only restored but pushed forward.

Jordan’s relations with all Arab Gulf countries, unlike inter-Arab relations generally, have been good for years. In many ways, they have been exemplary. Nevertheless, there is a need, at this point in time, to upgrade and institutionalise these relations even more efficiently and effectively, through councils such as SJCC.

By virtue of proximity, both geographical and political, Jordan and all Gulf countries need to cooperate and coordinate more closely, for the benefit of each individual country and for the benefit of all Arabs.

Such cooperation and coordination need to be expanded to include, besides the political and economic spheres, fields like health, education, culture, etc.

We hope that the SJCC lives up to expectations and is utilised effectively by both countries, and that it will not just gather dust, like some coordination councils or joint committees drawn up among Arab countries. 

 

More importantly, we hope that the SJCC develops and thrives and that, as similar councils with other Gulf countries also develop and thrive, Jordan’s accession to the Gulf Cooperation Council — which is a prime strategic target — becomes a reality soon.

up
34 users have voted.


Newsletter

Get top stories and blog posts emailed to you each day.

PDF