Amman, Nov. 14 (Petra)-- Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam expressed his pleasure at meeting His Majesty King Abdullah II, affirming the deep friendship that binds Jordan and Singapore.

In a post on his official social media pages, President Shanmugaratnam noted that his last visit to Jordan was in 2023, before assuming office, and said he looks forward to making a state visit to the Kingdom in the near future.

The Singaporean president highlighted the special place Jordan holds among the people of Singapore, thanks to its rich cultural and religious heritage, including Petra and Mount Nebo. He emphasized that the modern relations between the two countries are no less significant than their historical ties.

Shanmugaratnam also underscored Jordan’s early support for Singapore, recalling the Kingdom’s backing of Singapore’s bid to join the United Nations in 1965. He stressed that Singapore continues to hold deep appreciation for this historic support.

He added that Jordan today hosts an active community of Singaporean students studying Islamic sciences and the Arabic language in universities in Amman and Irbid, noting that he had met several of them during his recent visit with his spouse.

The president praised Jordan’s leadership in Islamic education and its commitment to fostering interfaith understanding values deeply shared by Singapore.

He also commended Jordan’s leading role in efforts to halt human suffering and destruction in Gaza, ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, and advance prospects for lasting peace.

President Shanmugaratnam pointed out that Jordan has established two military field hospitals in Gaza and launched the "Restoring Hope" initiative to provide prosthetic limbs to amputees. He revealed that Singapore recently supplied specialized prosthetic equipment in support of the initiative and looks forward to strengthening cooperation with Jordan in efforts to rebuild hope.

//Petra// MF