WASHINGTON — Sen. Susan Collins left today for a three-day trip to Jordan and Turkey.

The Maine Republican is attending the World Economic Forum in Jordan, where she was invited to address the forum on the role of women’s political and economic equality in the democracy movement happening in a number of Arab countries, according to Collins’ office.

Collins also will meet with various leaders from the region during the trip, including King Abdullah II of Jordan and the leaders of Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority and the Libyan National Transitional Council, her office said today. The official congressional trip is being made in Collins’ capacity as the top Republican on the Senate’s Homeland Security Committee and an Armed Services committee member.

In Turkey, Collins will deliver a speech at Bahcesehir University on Turkish-American relations, “where she will urge improved relations with Israel and encourage additional progress on political and economic reforms as Turkey is increasingly held up as a model for the countries of the Arab Spring,” according to the release by Collins’ office.

Collins will be back in Maine early next week. The Senate is on recess next week.