The official visit of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the accompanying delegation for talks with His Majesty King Abdullah and Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour came at a critical time in the region.
The King exchanged views with the Canadian prime minister on several regional conflicts, foremost among which the Palestinian and Syrian crises.
Harper arrived in Jordan after concluding state visits to Israel, for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other high Israeli officials, and to the West Bank, where he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Harper enjoys excellent relations with Israel; he has been supporting most of Tel Aviv’s views and policies.
This means that he should enjoy measurable clout with Israel and is in a favoured position to convince its leaders to talk peace with the Palestinians in a serious way, for a change.
The Canadian prime minister and officials accompanying him got to see first hand the huge impact the Syrian refugees have on Jordan and how it is taxing the country’s resources to the limit.
It must be the reason Harper announced, during his visit, that his country would contribute $90 million to the effort to sustain more than half a million Syrians living in refugee camps in the north of the country.
Economically, Canada is a rich country that can lend meaningful support to Jordan. Both countries can, and should, benefit from the free trade agreement they signed.
Politically, Canada recognises the special role played by Jordan in the region and its record on democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights.
More support for Jordan would mean more support for the policies of moderation that the Monarch upholds nationally and regionally.
