Jordan’s King Abdullah hosted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at a one-day trilateral summit at Amman airport Aug. 25, the third of its kind in 17 months, which was seen by analysts in Jordan as a response to shifting regional geopolitical dynamics. The summit was attended by senior officials on the three sides, including Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein.

In a joint communique released after the meeting the three leaders stressed the need to translate the strong strategic ties between the three countries into cooperation in vital sectors, such as electricity interconnection, energy projects and a joint economic zone, while capitalizing on each country’s potential to achieve an integration in resources, especially to deal with the implications of the coronavirus pandemic on healthcare and food and economic security, according to the Jordan Times.

In an opening statement, carried by the royal court, the king was quoted as saying that the meeting was very important “in light of the current extraordinary conditions in the region and the world.” He also stressed the importance of close coordination and joint action to deal with rapid developments in the region and foreign meddling attempts. The king went on to say that the Palestinian cause remains the core issue in the region, and that Jordan continues to call for a two-state solution that ends the Israeli occupation and leads to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 lines. 

Kadhimi stressed Iraq’s support for the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people’s right to statehood, adding that Baghdad’s vision is based on avoiding conflict and seeking economic cooperation and integration with Jordan and Egypt, according to the royal court statement. The same statement quoted Sisi as saying that he agreed with the king on the Palestinian cause and the importance of reaching a solution, based on the two-state solution, noting that this would have a positive impact on the entire region.