Al-Shamali: Working to increase intra-regional trade and stimulate investments

Today, Wednesday, the meetings of the sixth session of the Jordanian-Russian Joint Committee for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation were held via audio-visual technology, headed by Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Youssef Al-Shamali and Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation Dmitry Patrushev, in the presence of the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply Dana Al-Zoubi, Jordanian Ambassador to Russia Khaled Al-Shawabkeh The Russian ambassador to Jordan, Gleb Desyatnikov, and officials from both countries.
The committee discussed mechanisms for enhancing bilateral cooperation in many fields and setting a comprehensive plan to expand cooperation between the two countries in priority issues for the years (2022-2025), which was signed at the conclusion of the committee’s work by both sides.
Al-Shamali said, “Our meeting today represents a good opportunity to discuss the economic challenges that the world is witnessing under the force majeure conditions imposed by the Covid 19 pandemic, which confirms that our two countries have a lot in common, especially with regard to adopting an economically open policy that supports the liberalization of trade exchange, which in turn necessitates us. To work with every effort to develop and strengthen all aspects of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Al-Shamali said, “Our meeting comes as a continuation of the good results that were reached within the framework of the fifth session of the Jordanian-Russian Joint Committee for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, which was held in Amman in 2019.
He added that what was discussed during the meetings of the technical committees yesterday in the field of economic, trade and investment cooperation, as well as cooperation in the fields of agriculture, transport, energy, education, culture and other fields will have an impact on raising the level of cooperation between our two countries as hoped.
He said that we look forward to the results of this committee’s work to promote joint investments and stimulate the private sector on both sides to take the initiative in establishing joint industrial and service projects that are of mutual benefit to both countries.
He added that the consensus reached on the comprehensive plan to expand cooperation between the two countries on priority issues for the years (2022-2025), is a qualitative addition towards strengthening bilateral relations and advancing them to better levels.

He stressed the need to increase the volume of trade exchange in light of the strong relations that characterize the two countries at the highest levels, as Jordanian exports to Russia did not exceed $2.8 million at their best, and decreased in 2020 by 10% and continued to decline to be recorded during the first eleven months of the year. 2021, a rate of 3.39%. Likewise, Russia’s exports to Jordan decreased by 11% in the year 2020.
The North Minister stressed the importance of simplifying trade and investment procedures for businessmen in both countries, by raising any fees or taxes imposed on commercial operations concluded between our two countries, specifically the fee imposed on wheat export. Taking into consideration the social and developmental dimension that entails imposing this fee when exporting this basic material to Jordan, which is a developing country that is a net importer of food.
He said that Jordan is counting on the support of the Russian side towards activating the memorandum of cooperation between the government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Eurasian Economic Commission and the organization to hold the first meeting of the joint working group concerned with cooperation between the two sides and support the Jordanian government’s proposal to establish a free trade agreement between the two sides.
The Minister indicated that, in light of the crisis the world is witnessing, we hope for more cooperation in confronting the Corona pandemic.
He also touched on the importance of cooperation in the fields of energy, transport, agriculture, tourism, culture, science and others.
The Northern Minister thanked the team of experts and everyone who contributed to the preparation of these meetings and the members of the Jordanian and Russian delegations for their efforts to make the work of this committee a success.
For his part, Russian Minister Dmitry Patrushev stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation in the trade and economic fields, as well as cooperation in the fields of higher education, transport, energy, agriculture and other fields.

The committee reached a number of agreements and understandings aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation between the two countries in all fields.
/// The Technical Committee of the Joint Committee held its meetings over the past two days, “which was chaired on the Jordanian side by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply Dana Al-Zoubi, and discussed all the details aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation.”