Canada’s governor general due in Jordan on Saturday

AMMAN — Canada’s Governor General David Johnston is due in Amman on Saturday on his first official visit to the Kingdom, during which he will meet His Majesty King Abdullah and Jordanian officials. 

During his four-day trip, Johnston will visit the Zaatari Refugee Camp and the Queen Rania Teacher Academy, in addition to tourist attractions.

The Canadian official’s visit will focus on education, science innovation and the Syrian refugee crisis, among other issues.

Canada has a resettlement programme for Syrian refugees, and has received some 25,000 Syrians over the past 12 months, working with UNHCR to identify refugees in Jordan and Lebanon. 

Jordan signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Canada that entered into force in 2012, becoming Canada’s first FTA with an Arab country. 

According to the website of the Canadian embassy to Jordan, following a visit to Canada by King Abdullah in July 2007, a new Air Transport Agreement and a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) were announced. 

The FIPA entered into force in 2009, the same year that the Canada-Jordan Free Trade Agreement and a Nuclear Cooperation Agreement were signed.  

Meanwhile, Canada’s aid programmes have responded to Jordan’s request for Canadian expertise in modernising its education system and its labour market management systems — two areas where Global Affairs Canada has been active for a number of years, according to the embassy.