I am pleased to welcome Their Majesties King Abdullah Il Ibn Al Hussein and Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan to Australia this week from 22-25 November 2016.
Jordan is one of Australia’s closest friends in the Middle East, and our ties date back to the Great Arab Revolt of early twentieth century.
This state visit, at the invitation of the Governor-General, is an opportunity to reflect on the depth of our longstanding relationship. Our countries approach regional and international issues with shared values and perspectives, which is a strong foundation for ongoing future cooperation.
In a significant step forward, His Majesty and I will witness the signing of a Joint Declaration on Enhanced Cooperation to elevate our bilateral cooperation. The Joint Declaration is a framework for enhanced consultation on strategic issues. It will facilitate greater economic ties and strengthen security and defence cooperation, including in the fight against Daesh/ISIL. The Declaration will also improve cooperation to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.
We will also enter into a Memorandum of Understanding on countering money-laundering and terrorism financing.
This week Their Majesties will travel to Canberra and Sydney marking their first official visit to Australia and I look forward to welcoming them.