A fruitful brotherly visit

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi’s visit to Jordan for talks with His Majesty King Abdullah may have been short in duration but was long in achievements and purpose.

The King held a one-on-one meeting with Sisi, covering a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, on top of which ways to bolster bilateral relations, to put them on a higher footing and more solid and elevated grounds.

The King unwaveringly stood by Sisi from the very beginning, believing in the need to support the political order this new Egyptian leader would usher in.

During his last visit to Washington, King Abdullah stressed how important it is for President Barack Obama’s administration lend its support to the new political reality in Egypt, in view of the stakes the Arab world and the region have in the development of this most populous Arab country that, for a long time, has had a leading role in the region.

Sisi praised the King and Jordan for the support they accord Egypt and called the relationship between the two Arab countries a “role model between Arab countries”.

He also praised the “honourable” position of the Kingdom, which remained steadfast in its support for a modern Egypt and what it stands for.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially the Israeli threat to the holy shrines in East Jerusalem, were also discussed in depth, with total agreement on how to stand up to them.

There was a meeting of minds also on the Syrian and Iraqi crises, which affect the region and beyond.

There will, no doubt, be a series of follow-up measures and meetings between Jordanian and Egyptian officials concerning all fields of cooperation.

Once peace and security are restored to Sinai, there is always the possibility of resuming the flow of Egyptian gas to the Kingdom.

Its disruption had grave consequences for the country’s economy.

Hopefully the day will come, soon, when Cairo will be able to provide Jordan with at least part of its energy needs.