Crown Prince meets heads of state, delegation, UN chief on sidelines of COP29

AMMAN — HRH Crown Prince Hussein on Tuesday held meetings with heads of state and delegation attending the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) hosted by Azerbaijan in Baku.

His Royal Highness met with Kuwait Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah, Yemen Presidential Leadership Council Vice Chairman Abdullah Al Alimi, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, Finland President Alexander Stubb, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, Rwanda President Paul Kagame, and President of the Spanish Government Pedro Sánchez, according to a Royal Court statement.

The Crown Prince conveyed the greetings of His Majesty King Abdullah to heads of state and delegation, stressing Jordan's keenness to strengthen bilateral relations and expand areas of cooperation.

During his meeting with President Aliyev, His Royal Highness commended Azerbaijan’s efforts in hosting COP29, stressing the importance of prioritising climate efforts in refugee-hosting countries, the statement said.

Discussions at the meetings covered the dangerous regional developments, with His Royal Highness stressing the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, calling for stepping up the international humanitarian response in Gaza by maximising aid and ensuring its uninterrupted flow.

The Crown Prince warned of the unprecedented challenges hindering the work of UNRWA in Gaza and in all its areas of operation.

His Royal Highness stressed that peace and security cannot be achieved without a political horizon for the Palestinian issue, on the basis of the two-state solution, to fulfil the full legitimate rights of the Palestinians, according to the statement.

Also on Tuesday, Crown Prince Hussein met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, and stressed the importance of stepping up the international response to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, according to a second Royal Court statement.

At the meeting, held on the sidelines of COP29, the Crown Prince stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as de-escalation in the region.

Prince Hussein called for allowing international humanitarian organisations to undertake their duties in Gaza and the region, warning of the consequences of the unprecedented challenges hindering the work of UNRWA in Gaza and the West Bank.

His Royal Highness commended Secretary-General Guterres’ diplomatic efforts to achieve stability in the region, and the technical and capacity building support provided by UNICEF and UN agencies operating in Jordan, the statement added.

Also on the sidelines of COP29 on Tuesday, the Crown Prince met with European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) President Odile Renaud-Basso.

The meeting covered cooperation between Jordan and the EBRD, with Prince Hussein underscoring the importance of supporting public-private partnership projects, and key sectors such as green energy, tourism, water, transportation, and high-value industries, according to another Royal Court statement.

The Crown Prince expressed appreciation for the EBRD's support for Jordan's Economic Modernisation Vision, which aims to accelerate economic growth and job creation.

The EBRD president stressed the bank's commitment to supporting development and investment projects in Jordan, including the Aqaba-Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance Project (the National Water Conveyance Project) within the EBRD’s new country strategy for Jordan (2025-2030), noting the bank’s keenness on supporting opportunities for transformation into a green economy.

His Royal Highness also met with Green Climate Fund Executive Director Mafalda Duarte, and discussed means of enhancing cooperation between Jordan and the GCF, the statement added.

The Crown Prince highlighted Jordan as an early pioneer in the region in renewable energy, and its progress in green energy and climate-smart agricultural solutions, despite water-related challenges.

Prince Hussein underscored the need to scale up support for the National Water Conveyance Project, emphasising its vital role in enhancing water security, advancing climate adaptation efforts, and addressing the additional challenges of hosting refugees.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Environment Minister Muawieh Radaideh, Planning Minister Zeina Toukan, and Director of the Office of the Crown Prince Zaid Baqain attended the meetings.