Dr. Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC) and Faisal Al-Fayez, Jordan's Senate President (Majlis Al-Aayan), signed on Wednesday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on improving means of discussion, co-ordination and exchanging views regarding areas of common interests.

The deal also calls for strengthening ties through joint parliamentary visits and activities to enhance co-operation and discussion between both councils and government officials from both countries.

The MoU includes a number of agreements that aim to strengthen security and stability, enhance joint efforts to fight terrorism, and re-enforce international declarations such as the United Nations Declaration and the International Humanitarian Law. It also calls for respecting the basic principles of international co-operation, especially those relate to national authority, and not using force to resolve international disputes, as well as non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

The MoU also includes co-operation in fields of sustainable development, future foresight, innovation and the exchange of knowledge and diplomatic expertise.

The FNC Speaker and the President of Jordan’s Senate praised the level of co-operation between the leaders, governments and parliamentary institutions of both countries in all areas of common regional and international interests during a joint press conference following the signing of the memorandum.

The issues include tackling of terrorism and extremism, providing services and humanitarian support to refugees and adopting peaceful solutions for current regional developments. They also highlighted their constructive co-operation in different areas such as the economy, investments, education and tourism.

"I am happy to welcome Faisal Al-Fayez and his accompanying delegation in their second country, the UAE. It is a historic day for reinforcing the historic ties and strengthening the parliamentary relations of both countries. I can confirm that this visit comes as part of the co-ordinated efforts of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and his brother His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussain, the King of Jordan, and their desire to deepen the relations between both countries," the FNC Speaker said.

Al-Fayez said the UAE- Jordan ties are very strong and based on the mutual respect over the last decades.

"These relations are not affected by political variables. They are not just based on the interests, but exceeded that to the unity of purpose, destiny and social convergence, revamped by the similarity of values, customs and traditions and common traits characterised by Jordan being the closest to the Arab Gulf states in general, and the UAE in particular," he added.