Amman sees potential for Jordan-Turkish cooperation despite FTA suspension

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister for Economic Affairs Jafar Hassan on Tuesday stressed the government’s keenness on enhancing the Jordanian-Turkish cooperation, especially in the investment and trade fields.

During a meeting with the Jordanian-Turkish business council, Hassan highlighted the “historical and deeply established” ties with support from His Majesty King Abdullah and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

“As a government, it is our responsibility to support businesspeople of both countries, help them communicate, and create suitable environment for business growth”, Hassan said.

The minister called for more cooperation between the two countries’ businesspeople.

The Cabinet on March 11 decided to suspend the FTA with Turkey, citing its adverse impact on the local industrial sector and the Turkish side’s failure to meet its commitments under the partnership agreement that went into effect in 2011. 

It also came to “support the industrial, agricultural and productive sectors in Jordan and render them more competitive locally and overseas,” a Cabinet statement said then.

Hassan called on the Turkish private sector to benefit from the available opportunities in both countries such as the free trade agreements Jordan has entered with the US, Canada and other countries and organisations, as well as benefitting from Aqaba port and Jordan’s strategic location as gateway to regional markets.

For their part, the council presidents Hamdi Tabbaa and Omer Faruk Akbal talked about the important role of the council in enhancing economic cooperation between Jordan and Turkey.

The Turkish council’s delegation comprised 25 businesspeople representing the sectors of industry, construction, textile, chemicals, and health services.

State Minister for Investment Affairs Muhannad Shehadeh outlined investment opportunities available in Jordan, stressing that the Kingdom can be a launching pad for Turkish investments in the region and cooperation in the reconstruction of Iraq and Syria.

Businesspeople reviewed their proposals that included establishing a maritime route between the Turkish ports and Aqaba to enhance trade exchange and facilitate the entry of Turkish exports to the Gulf countries.