Gov. Maura Healey rolled out the red carpet Monday to welcome King Abdullah II of Jordan before the two sat down for talks about strengthening trade relations between the Bay State and the middle eastern nation.
The head of the House of Hashim pulled up to the State House at 11 a.m. and alighted from a dark SUV. Healey greeted the king alongside her partner, Joanna Lydgate, as the first lady continues to take on a more visible role in the ceremonial aspects of the Corner Office.
After handshakes at the front gate, they walked up the steps, which were lined with National Guard members, and the king entered the capitol through the central doors of the 1795 Bulfinch Entrance. The main doors are specially opened for heads of state who visit here.
Massachusetts imported $15.3 million in goods from Jordan in 2023, according to the governor’s office, and exported $7.3 million.
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