![Jordan King Abdullah bin Al-Hussein (Presidential photo)](https://tempo.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/070918_PRRDJORDAN_PRESPHOTO.jpeg-18-320x423.jpg)
AMMAN, Jordan – Jordan King Abdullah II hopes that he will be able to return to the Philippines and bring private businessmen to see for themselves what the country has to offer.
King Abdullah II, during an official working lunch with President Duterte at the Al Husseiniya Palace on Thursday, said he is confident that Duterte’s visit will further boost the ties between the two Asian countries.
“I am confident that your presence here will really give us a momentum into the future on so many fields. And I believe that this is a new era of cooperation as we have discussed privately that has already been on many levels,” Abdullah said. “A movement in the past year or two between our relations but I think your visit here will now propel us into the next stage,” he added.
Abdullah also said that he is delighted that Duterte brought businessmen with him to explore opportunities in the Arab nation.
The Jordanian royal said that he hopes to do the same in the future. “And I am really delighted that there’s also members of the business delegation here in Jordan because I think the true building of relations between our countries comes when people come more dependent economically together,” the King said.
“And I hope that this is an opportunity for me then to be able to come back and to visit your country, not only with our government officials but to bring Jordanian private sector to also look at the tremendous opportunities that your country has to offer,” he added.
Duterte assured Abdullah that he came to Jordan to “pledge our friendship, our cooperation to you.”
During Duterte’s visit here, two memoranda of understanding and seven letters of intent were signed between private Philippine and Jordanian companies. They are worth at least $60.625 million and will generate at least 432 jobs. (Argyll B. Geducos)