UK minister in Jordan to discuss regional developments

Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Tobias Ellwood arrived in the Jordanian capital, Amman, yesterday on an official visit to discuss regional developments mainly in Syria and Iraq.

According to a statement issued by the British Embassy in Amman, the minister will meet senior government officials to discuss Jordan’s role in alleviating the Syrian humanitarian crisis and the threat posed by the Islamic State (ISIS) in the region.

After his arrival, Ellwood told reporters: “The UK greatly values the close and productive relationship that we share with Jordan. I am delighted to visit Jordan for the first time as Minister for Middle East demonstrating the enduring strength of our relationship.”

“We will continue to support Jordan as it faces a range of challenges. I commend the regional leadership that Jordan has shown in tackling the scourge of ISIL [ISIS] and their important role in hosting over 620,000 refugees from Syria.”

According to estimates, more than one million Syrians live in Jordan; 640,000 of them are registered as refugees with the United Nations.

On September 23, Jordan announced that it had joined an international coalition led by the United States to fight extremist organisations in Iraq and Syria.