Gov. Wes Moore welcomes King Abdullah II of Jordan to MD

ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Wes Moore welcomed King Abdullah II of Jordan to the state’s Capitol on Wednesday for a roundtable discussion with business and education leaders from around the state.

It was the first time a foreign head of state has visited the Maryland State House on official business, Moore said in opening remarks.

“This is a way to come together to talk about common goals, to talk about common interests and to talk about cooperation that we think is going to be so important, and we have brought leaders from across the state to engage in this historic visit, as we look to have this very vibrant discussion about our people and our economies and our opportunities and also our futures,” Moore said.

Officials from Maryland’s leading industries, including engineering, research, manufacturing, health care, hospitality, financial services, and technology, attended the meeting. They discussed trade, investment and partnership opportunities between Maryland and Jordan, the governor’s office said.

Abdullah said he was delighted to have an opportunity to exchange views and have the opportunity to “look at some synergies, which I know we definitely have.”

“We are instantly good friends,” the king said in opening remarks about the governor sitting next to him. “He’s a fellow paratrooper, so that goes a long way to this relationship.”

Moore was a paratrooper with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne and saw combat in Afghanistan. The king is a former commander of Jordan’s Special Forces.

Abdullah was in New York this week to speak at the United Nations.

Moore, who is considered a rising star in the Democratic Party, has met with foreign officials before in Annapolis and in the nation’s capital about 30 miles away. In July, he met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Washington.

In recent years, governors across the country have taken to meeting with world leaders when they come to the United States. The get-togethers are generally touted as a chance to explore business or trade opportunities, most of which are fanciful at best, and they also serve as photo opportunities and ways for governors to show they’re conversant on international issues.

Brian Witte reports for The Associated Press.