A Saudi-hosted summit held in the holy city of Makkah on Sunday pledged $2.5 billion in aid to help Jordan overcome its economic crisis.
The aid will be provided through a deposit at the Jordanian Central Bank, guarantees for the World Bank, annual support for the Jordanian government’s budget over the next five years and financing from development funds for projects in the Kingdom.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz had hosted the summit at the Safa Palace in Makkah. It was attended by Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah and United Arab Emirates Crown Prince and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, was also present.
King Abdullah thanked King Salman for his generous initiative to host the meeting. He also expressed his gratitude to Kuwait and the UAE for responding to the call to attend it.
He also thanked all three countries for their aid package “that will help Jordan overcome its crisis.”
Other officials at the summit included Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abduaziz bin Saud bin Nayef, Minister of State and member of Cabinet Dr. Musaid al-Abyan, Jordanian Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah, Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Hamad al-Sabah and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The King of Jordan, Emir of Kuwait and ruler of Dubai had all arrived in Jeddah earlier on Sunday. They were received at King Abdulaziz International Airport by Makkah region governor Prince Khalid al-Faisal.
King Abdullah and the Jordanian Crown Prince later performed the Umrah rituals in Makkah.
Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi later thanked King Salman for hosting the Makkah summit, tweeting: “I appreciate his efforts to bolster Arab solidarity and stances on all issues.”
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi echoed this position, saying his country values King Salman’s help in confronting the economic crisis.
UAE State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Anwar al-Gargash said that King Salman’s gesture embodies Saudi Arabia’s honest role in the Arab world.
