Governor Maura Healey and First Lady Joanna Lydgate welcomed His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the Massachusetts State House.
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After a brief meeting in the Governor’s Ceremonial Office, Governor Healey and His Majesty met with representatives of Massachusetts’ leading industries – health care, life sciences, technology and innovation, financial services, and higher education – to discuss business and economic ties between Massachusetts and Jordan.
“It was an honor to welcome His Majesty King Abdullah II and his delegation to Massachusetts,” said Governor Maura Healey.
“We deeply value the longstanding friendship and partnership between Jordan and Massachusetts and believe there is significant opportunity to grow.
"Massachusetts is a global hub for life sciences, health care, financial services, technology and innovation, and so many other cutting-edge sectors.
"We were grateful for the opportunity to connect His Majesty with many of the incredible leaders who make Massachusetts’ economy so strong and vibrant, and we look forward to future collaboration in the years to come.”
His Majesty King Abdullah II highlighted the importance of expanding cooperation between Jordan and the United States, pointing to the Kingdom's competitive investment environment, its free trade agreements, its technology and innovation infrastructure, as well as its qualified human capital as major advantages.
“It was a privilege to meet with his Majesty King Abdullah II to discuss the ties between the people of Massachusetts and Jordan,” said First Lady Joanna Lydgate.
“Together we share a commitment to celebrating the incredible diversity of our cultures while uniting around our common goals and values.”
“We were honored to welcome His Majesty King Abdullah II to Massachusetts,” said Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao.
“Under His Majesty’s leadership, Jordan has made strides in modernizing its economy and workforce. Today’s roundtable with Massachusetts business and academic leaders was a great opportunity to highlight our state’s economic diversity and explore potential partnerships for future international trade and investment between Massachusetts and Jordan.”
Governor Healey facilitated a roundtable discussion of business leaders to discuss ways to further strengthen economic ties between Massachusetts and Jordan, which have long enjoyed a strong trading partnership. In 2023, Massachusetts exported $7.3 million in goods to Jordan and imported $15.3 million. ■