Kuwait to ease entry of Jordan’s exports to Iraq ‘within a week’

Amman — Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah on Wednesday expressed his country's willingness to facilitate entry of Jordanian exports into Iraqi lands. 

The emir made the remarks at a meeting with Interior Minister Salameh Hammad who said that his Kuwaiti peer, under directives of Sheikh Sabah, promised to make the necessary logistic arrangements related to facilitating the transit of Jordanian goods and trucks through Kuwait within a week, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Hammad thanked Kuwaiti leaders for their “understanding of the difficult circumstances the Kingdom is going through, especially after the closure  of its borders with Syria and Iraq”, due to security concerns.

Iraq said it was closing its main border crossing with Jordan on July 16 until further notice, days after security forces and Shiite militias launched an offensive to reclaim the western province of Anbar from Daesh terrorist group militants.

During his visit to Kuwait, Hammad also met with Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah and discussed means that can boost bilateral ties, especially in the security, police and economic fields.

The minister also stressed Jordan’s keenness to boost bilateral relations with Kuwait at the levels of security, anti-terrorism and fighting crimes, in addition to exchanging expertise, information and visits in a way that achieves both countries interests.

The interior minister also met with Kuwaiti Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah over bilateral relations and regional issues.

Both officials stressed that achieving the interests of their countries and peoples, and the entire Arab region, requires making necessary steps to achieve Arab integration at the economic, political and social levels, and also requires enhancing the joint Arab action.

In a related development, the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it is willing to facilitate the flow of Jordanian exports to the Iraqi market via the Gulf state, the Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) said Wednesday. 

In a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times, ACC President Issa Murad said that he received an official letter from the head of the Kuwait chamber, Ali Al Ghanem, expressing willingness to help ease the flow of Jordanian goods to Iraq, which is a major market for Jordanian manufacturers and exporters. 

Ghanem said in the letter, a copy of which was made available to The Jordan Times, that the chamber has contacted the Kuwaiti interior ministry and the customs department to issue visas for Jordanian truck drivers and to escort trucks to Safwan border crossing with Iraq.  

Jordanian exports are facing extreme difficulty since Iraqi official authorities closed the borders with the Kingdom, leading to massive losses for traders and exporters, said Murad. 

He added that he had also contacted Saudi council of commerce and industry chambers to request assistance in facilitating the flow of goods to Iraq via Saudi Arabia, which Jordanian trucks have to cross into Kuwait before entering Iraq.