PM, Lebanese minister of interior and municipalities talk cooperation

AMMAN — Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawneh on Monday received Lebanese Minister of Interior and Municipalities Bassam Mawlawi, who is on an official visit to the Kingdom to exchange expertise in municipal development.

During the meeting, Khasawneh referred to the "brotherly and historical" relations between Jordan and Lebanon, pointing out that the government, under His Majesty King Abdullah's directives, is working to support Lebanon, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The prime minister also went over His Majesty's efforts, in coordination with the international community, to help Lebanon overcome its challenges. 

Mawlawi voiced appreciation for Jordan's efforts, under the leadership of King Abdullah, to support Lebanon at all regional and international levels. 

He also referred to the economic challenges facing Lebanon, including the financial crisis and electricity and gas shortages.

The meeting also addressed the repercussions of the Syrian refugee crisis on the two countries, which are among the largest Syrian refugee-host countries.

Also on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Local Administration Minister Tawfiq Kreishan met with Mawlawi and voiced the ministry's keenness to cooperate with the Lebanese ministry of interior and municipalities to expand cooperation in municipal work, Petra added.

Kreishan expressed the ministry's readiness to share its expertise with the Lebanese ministry in the local development and the municipal services fields, referring to the importance of benefiting from Lebanese expertise in these fields as well. 

Mawlawi welcomed expanding cooperation between the ministries and Lebanese and Jordanian municipalities, as well as benefiting from the Kingdom's expertise, mainly in helping municipalities to contribute to local development, hold investment projects in cooperation with the private sector, as well to use alternative energy sources. 

Meanwhile, discussions during a meeting between Interior Minister Mazen Faraya and Mawlawi covered Jordanian-Lebanese ties and means to boost them, particularly in the exchange of expertise in the field of security, including the Kingdom’s experience in technical and operational know-how to combat drug smuggling. 

Faraya reviewed Jordan’s experience of logistical preparations and "advanced" equipment that the Kingdom uses at its air, land and marine borders, particularly the northern border that sees daily drug smuggling attempts. 

In this regard, the minister said that the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and security and customs apparatuses deal with such attempts with "high levels" of professionalism to combat drug smuggling. 

The Lebanese minister referred to the stable security condition in his country, noting that the Lebanese government is planning to implement a plan to support all sectors in a way that contributes to overcoming Lebanon’s economic problems, Petra reported.

He noted that this plan cannot be achieved without the support and cooperation of Arab countries, including Jordan.