US President Joe Biden on Monday July 19 promised to
"strengthen bilateral cooperation"
between the United States and Jordan during the reception of King Abdullah II, whom he warmly thanked for his
"vital"
role
in the region.
Read also: The keys to understanding the turbulence in Jordan
"We will continue to strengthen our bilateral cooperation,"
said the US president, sitting alongside the sovereign in the Oval Office.
“Thank you for the vital role you play in the Middle East.
You live in a difficult region
, ”Joe Biden told the King, whom he called a
“ good and loyal friend, ”
and shook hands with in front of the cameras, a gesture that has become very rare in the White House due to of the pandemic.
Abdallah II thanked the American president for the
“generosity”
of the United States, which donated 500,000 doses of vaccines to Jordan.
The sovereign also praised
“the leading role”
of the United States in the fight against the pandemic:
“You have set an example to the world.”
Read also: Jordan: the secret story of a crisis that is fracturing the monarchy
The two men also stressed that they had known each other for a long time, Joe Biden recalling that he had met Abdallah II's father, King Hussein, during his career as a senator.
Jordan is viewed by Washington as a key ally in the region.
The two countries, for example, announced in March an agreement favoring the freedom of movement of American forces, their planes and their vehicles on the territory of the kingdom.
Joe Biden is due to receive another leader of the Arab world, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, on July 26, as Iraq is at the heart of heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.