His Majesty King Abdullah and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, during a meeting at Al Husseiniya Palace on Sunday, agreed to develop cooperation between Jordan and Bulgaria in the fields of economy, trade, investment, education and tourism.

King Abdullah and President Radev reaffirmed the strong ties between the two countries during bilateral talks attended by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah and First Lady of Bulgaria Desislava Radeva.

In remarks at the expanded talks that followed, attended by senior officials on both sides, His Majesty welcomed President Radev and his delegation, noting that Jordan and Bulgaria this year marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

The King highlighted the presence of an active Bulgarian community in Jordan, and thanked President Radev for bringing representatives of various sectors of government to Jordan to work on advancing economic, security, and trade cooperation.

His Majesty also noted the Bulgarian interest in cooperating with Jordan on science and technology.

Terrorism remains a global challenge, the King said, adding that Jordan and Bulgaria share the values of tolerance and moderation, and that the two countries are politically aligned.

For his part, President Radev said Bulgaria looks to expand ties with Jordan.

“We consider Jordan as a very important partner in the Middle East, and it’s an island of stability, and we highly appreciate everything you have done throughout the years,” the president said.

Through “your balanced position and approach, you succeeded to manage all the crises around you”, he added.

“Everything has been well appreciated from the European perspective,” he president said, noting Jordan’s refugee burden.

“That’s why we are highly committed, Bulgaria and the European Union, to support you in your efforts to stabilise the region. You should know that you are not alone; we are together in the fight against terrorism, radicalisation,” President Radev added.

The president, who is accompanied by representatives of the Bulgarian private sector, highlighted the importance of a Jordanian-Bulgarian business forum held earlier on Sunday and noted the Jordanian private sector’s interest in Bulgaria.

He also pointed out the opportunity of the two countries working to develop joint ventures to tap into new markets.

“We consider Jordan, with its stability and geographic location, as a gateway for the Middle East. Also, you could consider Bulgaria as a gateway for Europe and of course other countries,” President Radev said, highlighting opportunities for cooperation in technology, tourism, and education.

The talks covered activating the joint Jordanian-Bulgarian committee for economic and commercial cooperation.

The meeting also highlighted investment opportunities in Jordan and the importance of exchanging expertise in higher education, scientific research, information technology, water, agriculture and energy.

In addition, discussions addressed a number of regional and international issues, including the need to relaunch the Palestinian-Israeli peace process and reach a political solution in Syria, as well as the global effort to fight terrorism.

His Majesty stressed the importance of Bulgaria’s participation in the Aqaba Meetings, a series of meetings launched by Jordan to ensure closer global coordination on efforts to counter terrorism within a holistic approach.

Earlier on Sunday, President Radev was accorded an official welcoming ceremony at Al Husseiniya Palace, where the King also hosted a luncheon in the president’s honour.