Amman, Cairo mull joint logistics centre to help in Syria, Iraq rebuilding

AMMAN — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi on Tuesday received Prime Minister Hani Mulki who conveyed His Majesty King Abdullah’s greetings to Sisi.

During a meeting at the Heliopolis Palace in Cairo, Mulki congratulated Egypt for the successes it has achieved at various levels, referring to both countries’ identical stands over regional issues, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The premier highlighted the “brotherly and strategic” ties between both countries, expressing keenness to further develop them in all fields, especially at the trade level.

He also stressed the importance of implementing bilateral agreements, facilitating the exchange of goods, alleviating procedures for registering Jordanian medicines in Egypt and increasing national exports to the Egyptian market.

The prime minister highlighted the significance of increasing coordination between Amman and Cairo in the reconstruction of Syria and Iraq, referring to the possibility of benefitting from Jordan’s location, which can be a base for construction and logistics processes, in a way that achieves integration between both countries’ economies.

Talks also went over the latest regional developments and crises in several Arab countries, mainly Syria and Iraq, with Mulki and Sisi reiterating the importance of reaching political solutions that can preserve the unity of land and ensure the safety of people. 

In addition, they discussed military cooperation between Jordan and Egypt.

The president highlighted the importance of continued cooperation to move to wider scopes of collaboration, citing the importance of public awareness of the nature of challenges facing the Arab nation and the need to join efforts to overcome them.

He also spoke about Egypt’s capability to overcome all challenges, referring to the reforms the republic is implementing in several fields.

Several senior officials from both countries attended the meeting.

During his meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Sherif Ismail, Mulki called on the Egyptian side to facilitate procedures related to a bilateral agreement to reduce transit fees by 50 per cent for cereal, tourist and container vessels coming to the Aqaba Port through the Suez Canal, Petra added. 

Mulki also urged expediting executive measures to implement a memorandum of understanding in the pharmaceutical sector within a fixed schedule to raise the number of registered Jordan-made medicines in Egypt to 60, and ease restriction to the process.

Both sides agreed to “immediately” register Jordanian medicines in Egypt and to proceed with measures that guarantee activating cooperation protocols between both countries’ health ministries.

They also settled other differences and obstacles facing trade exchange.

During the meeting, they agreed to consider establishing a joint logistic centre to be tasked with contributions to reconstruction processes in Syria and Iraq.

Meanwhile, Mulki met with Egypt’s Minister of Defence Gen. Sedki Sobhy. Talks focused on military cooperation and exchanging relevant expertise, as well as the war on terrorism.

Mulki listened to a briefing on the Egyptian army’s role in establishing a new administrative capital, according to Petra.