Jordanian King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein addressed a joint news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (not pictured) at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on May 5, 2021. The occasion marked a pivotal moment as NATO announced its decision to establish its inaugural liaison office in the Middle East and North Africa region, specifically in Amman, Jordan. This move comes amid ongoing conflicts spanning from the Red Sea to Gaza and Lebanon.
The decision, finalized during this year’s NATO summit following discussions in the previous year, signifies a significant milestone in the strategic partnership between Jordan and the Alliance, as stated in a NATO announcement on Wednesday. The liaison office aims to strengthen cooperation between NATO and countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
The statement highlighted Jordan’s crucial role as a bastion of stability regionally and globally, and its longstanding commitment to combatting transnational threats such as terrorism and violent extremism.
While Jordan is not a NATO member, it played a pivotal role alongside the US and allies in countering a significant barrage of missiles and drones launched by Iran directly against Israel. This event underscored Jordan’s strategic alignment with Western interests and may have influenced NATO’s decision to deepen ties with Amman.
According to Ryan Bohl, a senior MENA analyst at the RANE Network, Jordan’s proactive defense role in regional stability contrasts with Gulf states’ cautious approach, reflecting Jordan’s readiness for closer integration with NATO.
David Des Roches, associate professor at the Near East South Asia Center for Security Studies, views NATO’s establishment of an office in Amman as symbolic, recognizing Jordan’s alignment with NATO’s values and capabilities, especially in defending its sovereignty against external threats.
The NATO office in Amman will facilitate regular engagement between NATO and Jordanian authorities, enhancing mutual understanding of national and regional contexts. It will also support partnership programs and activities, including strategic analysis, civil emergency planning, crisis management, public diplomacy, cyber security, and climate change initiatives, as outlined in the NATO statement.
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