Diplomatic relations

Hungary and Jordan established diplomatic relations on July 1, 1964. At that time the Hungarian ambassador in Damascus was accredited to Jordan. In 1976 a trade mission headed by a commercial counsellor was set up in Amman. In 1983 the head of the trade mission was assigned chargé d'affaires ad interim. Since 2005 Hungary has accredited resident ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom.

In 1988 Jordan accredited her ambassador in Bucharest to Hungary. Since the establishment of the kingdom’s Embassy in Austria in June 1992, the Jordanian ambassador in Vienna has been accredited to Hungary.

High level visits

1990-1999:

1990: The State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary visited Amman.

1992: The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan, the joint delegation of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as Prince Hassan paid a visit to Hungary. A Hungarian IPU-delegation also visited Amman.

1993: The State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary visited Jordan.

1995: Foreign Minister László Kovács paid an official visit to Jordan.

1997: Prince Hassan participated in the Orientalist World Conference in Budapest.

1999:

• The Jordanian Minister of Interior visited Hungary.
• The Hungarian Minister of Welfare and Family Affairs took part in the funeral ceremony of the late King Hussein on behalf of the Hungarian Government.
• The Hungarian Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held consultations with his counterpart in Amman.

2000-2006:

2000: The Hungarian Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Environmental Protection paid an official visit to Amman.

2001:

• The Hungarian Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs visited Jordan.
• Political State Secretary of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zsolt Németh had talks with Foreign Minister Abdelellah Al-Khatib in Amman.

2003:

• The Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities visited Hungary and held talks with his counterpart.
• The Hungarian Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held consultations with his partners in Jordan.

2004:

• Speaker of the House of Representatives Abdul Hadi Majali visited Budapest. The Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism was signed on this occasion.
• The General Secretary of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences paid a visit to the Royal Scientific Society.
• The State Secretary of the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office in charge of tourism held talks with his counterpart in Jordan.

2005:

• Thre Hungarian State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held talks with his Jordanian counterpart, Secretary General of Foreign Ministry in Amman.
• The Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities together with the Chief Commissioner of Aqaba Free Economic Zone attended the yearly Travel Fair in Budapest to which Jordan was invited as a guest of honour. The two Jordanian politicians also had talks with several Hungarian ministers.
• The Hungarian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development met his counterpart in Amman and the two parties signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Co-operation.
• The Hungarian Minister of National Cultural Heritage met his counterpart in Amman.
• Foreign Minister Ferenc Somogyi paid a visit to Jordan, expressing his sympathy on behalf of the Hungarian Government for the victims of the terrorist attacks against three hotels in Amman.
• The Jordanian Minister of Culture met his counterpart in Hungary and they signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Co-operation and Working Plan.

2006:

• Katalin Szili, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Hungary paid an official visit to Amman.

2007:

• Foreign Minister Kinga Göncz met her Jordanian counterpart Minister Abdelilah Al-Khatib in Amman.
• King Abdullah II. of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan made an official visit to the Republic of Hungary.

2008:

• State Secretary of the MFA László Várkonyi held consultations in the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development József Gráf visited Jordan accompanied by business delegation
• President of the Republic László Sólyom made an official visit to Jordan
• The meeting of the Agricultural Joint Commission in Budapest, the Jordanian delegation led by the General Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture

2010

• Foreign Minister János Martonyi made an official visit to Jordan

Economic and trade relations

In 2009 trade with Jordan totalled up to USD 27,2 million. Imports from Jordan reached 6,7 million USD. The bulk of Hungarian exports is made up of electronic devices, medicines, pharmaceutical and chemical industry basic materials and food products. Hungary imports from Jordan fruit and vegetable products, pharmaceutical and chemical basic materials as well as cosmetic goods.

The direct flight between Amman and Budapest has been established in July 2007 operated by the MALÉV Hungarian and the Royal Jordanian Airlines. It is expected to further strengthen business relations and tourism between the two countries.

Educational, cultural and scientific agreements

In 2004 Hungary and Jordan concluded an agreement on scientific co-operation. In 2005 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on co-operation in the field of culture. In the same year the two sides agreed on the cultural working plan. The signing of the working plan in the field of education comprising exchange of scholarships and research programmes took place in 2007.

Educational opportunities

The educational system in Jordan consists of a two-year period of pre-school, then ten years of basic education and two years of the secondary stage, after which students sit for a General Certificate of Secondary Education Examination. Jordan’s educational system also attracts a large number of foreign students. Education in English is available in several private schools.