Prague welcomes Jordan's King Abdullah and Queen Rania: What's on the agenda

Jordan's King Abdullah II and Queen Rania will make an official visit to Prague on Friday, with talks at Prague Castle set to focus on the Middle East, defense cooperation and growing economic ties with Czechia.

President Petr Pavel will welcome the royal couple with an official ceremony before holding private talks with the king alongside First Lady Eva Pavlová. Delegations from both countries will then meet, followed by an appearance before the media.

King Abdullah will also meet Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, while the two countries' foreign ministers are expected to sign agreements during the visit.

The visit comes amid continuing instability across the Middle East, with Jordan playing a significant role in regional security and humanitarian assistance.

Prague Castle describes Jordan as one of Czechia's key partners in the region. Pavel visited the country in May 2024, when he called Jordan the region's most stable country from Czechia's perspective and a reliable partner.

Friday's talks are expected to cover the current security situation as well as Czech-Jordanian defense and economic cooperation.

The two countries already work together in military health care, logistics, education and training. Prague Castle sees further opportunities in cybersecurity, energy and water and waste management.

Health care has become another significant link. Czechia's Medevac humanitarian program has operated in Jordan since 2013, completing 64 medical missions through the end of last year.

Czech doctors have treated more than 4,200 patients and performed over 4,600 operations through the program, with assistance valued at CZK 348 million.

Czechia has also used Jordan as a route for humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Last October, Prague provided CZK 1.37 million in medical and humanitarian supplies to support Jordanian field hospitals operating in the Gaza Strip.

After his Prague Castle talks, Abdullah will meet Babiš to discuss bilateral relations, Middle East security and opportunities for further defense and economic cooperation.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi is meanwhile scheduled to meet Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka. The pair are expected to sign two memoranda covering political consultations and cooperation between the countries' diplomatic academies.

Their discussions will also cover defense, cybersecurity, health care, agriculture and energy.

Friday will mark Abdullah's third official visit to Czechia after previous trips in 2004 and 2009, and follows Pavel's visit to Jordan two years ago.

The royal visit comes as Prague seeks to maintain close ties with one of the West's key partners in the Middle East while navigating the continuing war in Gaza and broader regional security concerns.