Jordan - Still an Anchor of Stability and a Partner to Shape the New Middle East?

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Roya News

King Abdullah II and former Chancellor Angela Merkel in Al-Husseiniya Palace (Roya News)

Jordan has since long been considered an “anchor of stability” in the Middle East. A staunch ally of the West, but also, at times, a champion of Arab nationalism. The Hashemite Kingdom withstood the waves of war and civil unrest in the region. Indeed, the resource-scare country became a haven for refugees from its conflict-ridden neighbours. But the new geopolitical dynamics, such as the Abraham Accords and the re-orientation of US and European foreign policy (to Asia and, since the Russia-Ukraine War, to Eastern Europe), risk to side-line Jordan that is dependent on international aid. An escalation of the lingering Israeli-Palestinian conflict, that has become more probable with the new Israeli government, could also have negative spill-over effects across the Jordan river.

Internally, the cracks in Jordan’s social contract and the failings in governance have recently become more and more visible. A wave of strikes and protests against rising fuel prices rattled parts of the country at the end of 2022. Youth unemployment is as much increasing as are complaints about corruption and insufficient governmental services. While a royal initiative has promised political reforms to broaden political participation and new legislation strengthens the role of political parties, the security apparatus tightens its grip on civil society and media.

The way forward for the country which has, in the last decade, become a top recipient of German development aid and an important partner of Germany’s Middle Eastern diplomacy, remains thus uncertain. Against that background, KAS and GIGA want to take the pulse of the Hashemite Kingdom, both concerning its foreign and domestic policy. We will also discuss options of how to best adapt German and European policies towards Jordan.