Jordanian, Egyptian trade ministers confer on mechanisms to boost economic cooperation

The trade and industry ministers of Jordan and Egypt met Tuesday to discuss means of boosting economic cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting also took up efforts to remove obstacles facing trade exchange.

Jawad Al Anani of Jordan urged Cairo to act to remove restrictions that face Jordanian companies wishing to export products to Egypt, noting that the balance of trade between the two Arab countries is in favor of Egypt.

Jordanian exports to Egypt have greatly been affected by new Egyptian measures, Anani told Tareq Qabil, his Egyptian counterpart.

Anani also called for removing restrictions on Egypt's imports from Aqaba, which is not a free zone and cannot be subject to taxes and fees.

Qabil promised Anani to personally act to quickly register Jordanian companies wishing to export to Egypt.

So far, 12 Jordanian companies have been listed, Qabil said, noting that only three are waiting for registration.

The Egyptian minister also promised Anani to follow up problems facing Jordanian ships that transit Egypt en route to Libya.

Qabil assured Anani that imports from Aqaba are exempted from taxes and fees provided that they have Jordanian certificates of origin.

Qabil called for facilitating measures for Egyptian agricultural products to tap the Jordanian market.

The two ministers agreed that representatives of the phosphate industry in both countries meet soon to probe a clear mechanism regarding prices.

Trade exchange between Egypt and Jordan reached 650 million dollars in 2015 compared with 661.3 million the year before.

Source: MENA