AMMAN — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong met the leaders of Jordan for talks on regional developments yesterday, as both countries agreed to step up cooperation, including the sharing of Singapore expertise in numerous areas with Jordan.

Mr Lee, who is on the first leg of a week-long visit to the Middle East, was welcomed by Jordanian Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Dr Abdullah Ensour at an official welcome ceremony in the morning before being hosted to lunch by King Abdullah II Bin Al Hussein at the Al Husseinieh Palace.

“Both Prime Ministers agreed to closer cooperation in capacity-building programmes to support human resource development in Jordan,” said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) yesterday.

“Prime Minister Lee said that Singapore would be happy to share our experience in areas such as vocational and skills training, water resource management, public sector leadership and mediation (with Jordan),” said the statement, adding that Dr Ensour also updated PM Lee on economic developments in Jordan and invited Singapore companies to take advantage of Jordan’s free-trade agreements with several countries.

In his meeting with King Abdullah, both leaders reaffirmed the warm and friendly ties between the two countries. “Prime Minister Lee conveyed his appreciation for King Abdullah’s leadership role in promoting the Amman Message and inter-faith dialogue, which has greater salience at a time of heightened religious and sectarian strife,” the PMO statement added, referring to the message issued by the Jordanian monarch in 2004, which calls for tolerance and unity in the Muslim world.

The two leaders had a useful “exchange of views on regional developments, including the need for closer cooperation in countering terrorism such as the Islamic State”, said the PMO.

“They also agreed on the urgent need for Israel and the Palestinians to resume direct negotiations to achieve the two-state solution.”

This is Mr Lee’s first official visit to Jordan. The last high-level visit by a Singaporean leader to Jordan was by then-President S R Nathan in 2006.

Jordan-Singapore ties are warm and friendly, with cooperation on vocational training, trade and education, among others. Jordan was one of the co-sponsors (together with the United Kingdom, Ivory Coast and Malaysia) for Singapore’s application to join the United Nations back in 1965.

“King Abdullah of Jordan has visited Singapore often — 12 times since he became King!” wrote Mr Lee on his Facebook page on Saturday, shortly after arriving in Jordan.

He kick-started his visit with a cultural programme at the ancient city of Petra and met Singapore students studying in Jordanian universities on Saturday, before the official meetings with Jordanian leaders yesterday.

Mr Lee’s day started with a solemn welcome ceremony steeped in tradition. He inspected the guard of honour led by the Jordan Royal Guard. Members of the Royal Guard are typically Bedouins (nomads) and they are tasked to protect the king, royal family and palaces.

Later in the evening, Dr Ensour and Mrs Ensour hosted an official dinner in honour of Mr Lee and his wife, Madam Ho Ching.

Mr Lee will meet Jordan’s Chief Advisor for Religious and Cultural Affairs Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad Bin Talal this morning, before proceeding to Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

In Jerusalem, the Prime Minister will visit the Hebrew University where he will receive an honorary degree and witness the signing of an agreement between Hebrew University and the National Research Foundation to facilitate research collaboration in Singapore.