Foreign Relations Of JordanEdit

Jordan sits at a crossroads of regional politics, security concerns, and economic imperatives. Its foreign relations are built on preserving stability in a volatile neighborhood, maintaining secure borders, and leveraging partnerships with Western economies and regional allies to advance development, energy security, and diplomatic influence. The Hashemite Kingdom has long pursued a pragmatic diplomacy that blends traditional palace diplomacy with modern institution-building, aiming to keep Jordan as a reliable partner for peace, security, and reform in the Middle East.

Across a landscape marked by conflict and shifting alliances, Jordan seeks the middle ground where its interests—security, economic vitality, and international legitimacy—can be safeguarded without sacrificing Moroccan-like discretion in domestic matters. The country’s diplomatic posture emphasizes alliance with the United States and Western partners, cooperative relations with neighboring states, and a steady hand in mediating regional tensions, all while managing the substantial humanitarian and economic pressures arising from refugee flows and limited natural resources.

Core strands of Jordan's foreign policy

Security, stability, and regional mediation
Economic diplomacy and development finance
Energy, water security, and infrastructure
Engagement with Western partners and international institutions

Bilateral relations

United States and Western allies

Jordan maintains a deep, historically rooted partnership with the United States and other Western partners that centers on security cooperation, intelligence sharing, and defense assistance. This relationship supports Jordan’s counterterrorism efforts, border control, and stabilization operations in neighboring theaters, while also underpinning economic aid and investment. The alliance is framed as a stabilizing factor in a volatile region and is used to advance broader reform and modernization agendas at home, including governance and economic openness.United States The relationship also extends to multilateral and regional forums in which Washington participates, reinforcing Jordanian influence in regional diplomacy.

Israel and the Palestinian issue

The 1994 peace treaty with Israel anchors much of Jordan’s foreign engagement, creating a formal framework for security coordination, border management, and shared economic projects in water, energy, and trade. Jordan positions itself as a stabilizing intermediary on the Palestinian issue, while maintaining a clear public commitment to a negotiated two-state solution and the welfare of Palestinian communities. Cooperation with Israel exists alongside sensitivity to public opinion regarding the Palestinian cause, which remains central to Jordanian diplomacy and regional legitimacy. The peace arrangement also shapes Jordan’s stance on regional normalization and security alignments within the broader Arab world. Israel Palestinian Authority West Bank Gaza Strip

Gulf states and regional partners

Jordan has cultivated strong ties with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and other Gulf partners, founded on shared concerns about regional security, energy diversification, and economic investment. Gulf capital and energy partnerships contribute to Jordan’s development programs, infrastructure projects, and balance-of-payments support, while Gulf states seek regional influence and a stake in stability in the Levant. These ties complement broad Arab middle-ground diplomacy and help Jordan coordinate responses to transnational threats and economic opportunities. Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Egypt GCC

Europe, multilateral institutions, and global partners

The European Union and its member states are major donors and investors, providing development assistance, trade access, and technical expertise that underpin Jordan’s reform agenda. Jordan engages with the EU on trade, regulatory reform, and migration-management issues, while also coordinating with international lenders like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to pursue macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform. The European and transatlantic partnership is framed as legitimate, predictable, and conducive to long-term stability in the region. European Union IMF World Bank

Russia and China

Russia and China are important to Jordan as part of a broader strategy to diversify foreign partnerships beyond the Western-led security framework. In practice, this means exploring opportunities in defense procurement, energy, infrastructure financing, and diplomatic channels through which Jordan can counterbalance pressure from other actors or secure alternative investment streams. Moscow’s stance on Syria and regional dynamics, alongside Beijing’s infrastructure and financial offers, shapes Jordanian calculations about leverage, risk, and sovereignty. Russia China

Security and defense cooperation

Jordan prioritizes border control, counterterrorism, and the degradation of extremist networks across the region. It conducts regular security dialogues and joint exercises with the United States, the United Kingdom, and other partners aimed at maintaining internal security, protecting critical infrastructure, and preventing spillover from regional conflicts. The Jordanian armed forces and internal security services are central to this effort, with a policy emphasis on calibrated restraint, professionalization, and nonprovocative diplomacy that preserves the monarchy’s stability while contributing to regional security frameworks. Royal Jordanian Armed Forces

Economic diplomacy, trade, and energy

Economic diplomacy centers on attracting investment, expanding trade, and diversifying energy sources. Jordan’s growth prospects depend on improving the business environment, reforming regulatory frameworks, and securing financing for large-scale infrastructure, water projects, and renewable energy capacity. The country participates in regional trade arrangements and seeks to expand access to markets through bilateral and multilateral channels. Energy diplomacy has included diversifying away from single-source vulnerabilities and pursuing cross-border energy projects and transit routes that bolster resilience and affordability for households and industry. World Bank IMF Arab-Gulf energy

Refugees, humanitarian diplomacy, and development aid

As a host country for large numbers of refugees from Palestinian and Syrian populations, Jordan is a focal point of international humanitarian diplomacy. Donor engagement—through the United Nations system and bilateral aid—aims to alleviate pressure on public services, housing, and water and sanitation infrastructure. Proponents argue that stabilization and development assistance are essential for regional security, while critics warn about dependency and the need for durable reforms and cost-sharing by the international community. Jordan emphasizes practical cooperation with humanitarian partners to manage refugee settlement, rights, and integration in a way that preserves social cohesion and economic productivity. Palestinian Authority Gaza Strip Syria UN]]

Controversies and debates

Balancing openness with stability: Critics on the left and in civil society sometimes argue for faster political liberalization, broader civic space, and more open debates about reform. Proponents respond that stability and gradual reform are prerequisites for orderly development, and that the monarchy’s governance model has historically delivered greater predictability and security in a high-risk environment.
Refugee burden and foreign aid: The large refugee presence is often described as a strain on public services and the economy. Supporters contend that Jordan’s stability and regional security depend on international financing and burden-sharing, while critics call for more accountable use of aid and faster reforms to improve public-sector efficiency.
Israel peace accord versus Palestinian rights: The Jordanian position straddles a peaceful, cooperative relationship with Israel and a commitment to Palestinian statehood. Critics may press for bolder positions on settlements or unilateral pressure on Israel, while supporters emphasize pragmatic diplomacy that preserves stability and keeps a channel open for negotiations.
Human rights and governance: International observers frequently raise concerns about freedom of expression, political participation, and judicial oversight. Advocates of the status quo argue that a strong, centralized system helps avoid chaos in a volatile region and keeps reformable trajectories on track, while opponents push for greater accountability and civil liberties as prerequisites for more sustainable development.