(MENAFN- Daily News Egypt) Egypt and Jordan have agreed to activate a number of previously signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in fields including health, industrial zones, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Egypt's planning minister said on Tuesday.

The announcement came as the Egyptian Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Rania Al-Mashat, reviewed the report of expert meetings held in Amman ahead of the 33rd session of the Egyptian-Jordanian Higher Joint Committee.

The committee is co-chaired by the prime ministers of both countries, Mostafa Madbouly of Egypt and Jafar Hassan of Jordan.

In her remarks, Al-Mashat said that since the last session of the committee, bilateral trade volume had increased by 33% in 2024 to exceed $1bn, reflecting the continuous understanding and commitment between the two countries. She added that both governments were keen to overcome any challenges to further strengthen economic, trade, and investment relations.

The minister also highlighted achievements in the fields of electricity, gas, and oil, noting the continuation of the electrical grid connection between the two countries and ongoing studies to increase its capacity. In civil aviation, an air transport agreement and an MoU were signed to increase capacity.

During the current session's preparatory meetings, the delegations reached numerous understandings on documents scheduled to be signed by the prime ministers, covering fields such as planning, investment, government procurement, and tourism.

Al-Mashat also confirmed the agreement to activate a number of previously signed MoUs. These include agreements on the establishment and management of industrial zones, cooperation between financial regulatory authorities, and cooperation in free zones and development zones, as well as agreements between the countries' SME development agencies and health ministries.

An agreement was also reached to hold technical committees and meetings in areas including specifications and standards, consumer protection, and land and maritime transport.

The joint committee mechanism is one of the main tools through which Egypt seeks to strengthen economic, trade, and investment relations with other countries. The planning ministry oversees approximately 55 such committees.

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