(MENAFN- Jordan Times) Jordan and Egypt agreed on Thursday to form technical committees to deal with obstacles hampering the development of joint commercial exchange, Industry and Trade Minister Amer Hadidi said during the Jordanian-Egyptian Businessmen Forum.
Stressing the importance of removing all restrictions to ease the flow of goods between the two countries, the minister said the decision was taken during the Jordanian-Egyptian Economic Forum which also convened yesterday.
During the forum, participants tackled several outstanding obstacles, opening the way for new commercial and economic relations, Hadidi told Jordanian and Egyptian businessmen.
Egypt’s Industry and Trade Minister Rachid Mohammad Rachid, who chaired his country’s delegation at the economic forum, expressed hope that the two countries would raise ideas on new projects before the end of this month.
“These projects would be proposed to Jordanian and Egyptian businessmen during a meeting to be held in Cairo next month,†he indicated.
Also, efforts will be exerted to increase the flow of goods from Egypt into Jordan and Iraq in the upcoming stage and to leverage commercial relations between the eastern and the north African Arab countries through Egypt and Jordan, Rachid said.
At present, the joint Jordanian-Egyptian commercial exchange volume amounts to $996 million, of which Jordanian exports account for $118 million. In particular, Jordan imports gas, electricity and rice from Egypt.
Jordanian Businessmen Association (JBA) President Hamdi Tabbaa called for increasing cooperation in textile, garment, IT, construction and food industries.
Tabbaa also welcomed the two countries’ decision to form a nucleus for a customs federation between Jordan and Egypt as an initial step towards the establishment of the Arab customs union, deemed key to a common market.
He called on the government of Jordan and Egypt to expedite their negotiations in this regard and to liberalise service and transport trade.
“We are visiting Jordan to look for serious opportunities,†Hussein Sabour, president of the Egyptian Businessmen Association noted.
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