King meets US governors in Salt Lake City, discusses Gaza, bilateral ties

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah met with a group of US governors from the Democratic and Republican parties in Salt Lake City, to discuss developments in the region and the dangerous situation in Gaza, as well as means to bolster economic cooperation between Jordan and their states.

At the meeting, held on Friday on the margins of the National Governors Association 2024 Summer Meeting, His Majesty stressed the need to reach an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, highlighting the international community’s role in pushing towards this, according to a Royal Court statement. 

The King called for increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza and ensuring its continued flow and safe delivery across the Strip, warning at the same time of the dangerous situation in the West Bank, which, if unaddressed, could lead to a wider regional conflict.

Discussions also covered the strategic partnership between Jordan and the United States, and means to expand the Kingdom’s cooperation with the various states by benefiting from the expertise of each one, especially within the sectors at the core of the Economic Modernisation Vision, the statement said. 

The meeting touched on the advantages and opportunities in Jordan across sectors such as agriculture and food security, water management, energy, mining, industry, technical education, tourism, entrepreneurship, healthcare, trade and logistical services, and urban planning.

His Majesty noted Jordan’s resilience and stability, as well as its ability to overcome regional challenges, pointing to global companies that have opened offices in the Kingdom, according to the statement. 

For their part, the governors stressed the deep strategic ties between Jordan and the US, expressing keenness to strengthen them further in service of the two peoples.

The governors of Utah, Spencer Cox; Colorado, Jared Polis; Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt; Delaware, John Carney; Massachusetts, Maura Healey; Wisconsin, Tony Evers; Wyoming, Mark Gordon; Hawaii, Josh Green; and Rhode Island Dan McKee attended the meeting.