Zarqa, Mafraq industrialists seek African markets

AMMAN — An industrial delegation comprising members from Zarqa Chamber of Industry (ZCI) on Saturday left on an African tour that includes Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania to discuss ways of boosting cooperation in industrial fields with investors from these countries.

ZCI General Manager Mohammed Arsalan said the competitive characteristics of Zarqa and Mafraq contributed to attracting various investments and positively affected the export rates. 

Arsalan noted that despite the increase in export

 rates, the events the region during the past years and the closure of  land routes with Syria negatively affected the national industries that depend on land transportation to neighbouring markets.

He indicated that the seven-day visit to African countries includes programmes that support the export potential for ZCI members and find new substitute markets.

Representatives of 16 industrial companies from Zarqa and Mafraq governorates are  participating in this endeavour, the general manager remarked.

“Choosing these countries was due to the availability of marine transportation and because they are important gateways to the markets of other east African countries,” Arsalan indicated.

He said ZCI is considering organising similar tours to Kurdistan region in Iraq and Kazakhstan and it will also establish an export unit in cooperation with the US Chamber of Commerce.

Under this initiative, the US Chamber of Commerce will provide the ZCI with a database about US markets, importing companies and general statistics about the status of the US market.

The US Chamber of Commerce will establish necessary connections between Zarqa and Mafraq industrial companies and importers in the US, as well as providing ZCI with the necessary information about export mechanisms and their needs of different US standards, regulations, customs and shipping ways.