OTTAWA — King Abdullah II of Jordan has arrived in Ottawa — his third Canadian visit since his ascension to the throne in February 1999.
Abdullah arrived this morning at Rideau Hall, where he was greeted by Governor General David Johnston and Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson.
Defence Minister Jason Kenney and Trade Minister Ed Fast were also on hand to greet the king, who was welcomed with a full honour guard salute before a scheduled meeting later today with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Jordan and Canada are among the allies conducting bombing missions against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant targets inside Syria.
The tiny Middle Eastern desert kingdom has also borne a heavy load from Syria's civil war, now in its fifth year, and is home to an estimated 625,000 refugees.
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office says the visit is an opportunity to exchange views on the fight against ISIL and the impact of the Syrian crisis on Jordan.
Harper visited Jordan in January 2014 and pledged $105 million in aid to help the country cope with the influx of Syrian refugees.
Abdullah last visited Canada in 2007, and since then, the monarch and Harper have developed what appears to be a warm relationship.
The monarch is in Canada following a visit to San Francisco.
