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GLOBAL VILLAGE
Stable and peaceful in
a tough neighbourhood
Peaceful Jordan is committed to
attracting foreign investors to its
often-volatile corner of the Middle
East. But could regional instability
derail its plans? By Fiona Zerbst.
?
The King Hussein Mosque in
the capital city of Amman
A LANDLOCKED COUNTRY THAT troubled region. Jordan has no quarrel Although Jordan was relatively
boasts few natural resources with neighbours Saudi Arabia, Iraq, untouched by the uprisings of the Arab
and no oil, the Hashemite Syria and Israel – in fact, it is one of Spring, King Abdullah ushered in some
kingdom of Jordan is an anomaly in only two Arab countries that has a constitutional reforms in response to
the Middle East. But it would be a peace treaty with Israel (the other is demonstrations. The country now boasts
mistake to consider it a minor player Egypt) – and its laissez-faire attitude many of the trappings of democracy,
in the region. has seen it taking in approximately such as a parliament and elections, but
two-million Palestinians and 1,4-million it is a monarchy nevertheless.
When King Adbullah II inherited the Syrians as refugees. It is also pro-
throne from his father, King Hussein, in Western, moderate and stable, the King Abdullah has been on the
1999, the Western-educated monarch odd political protest notwithstanding. throne for some 17 years. He remains
set himself up as a peacemaker in a popular, however – even more so since
52 strategicmarketing August–September 2016
