Lifting Syria sanctions key to reviving bilateral trade — Jaghbir

AMMAN — President of the Jordan and Amman Chambers of Industry Fathi Jaghbir on Thursday saidthat lifting economic sanctions on Syria would mark a strategic step toward revitalising economic and trade relations between Jordan and Syria.

Jaghbir highlighted the historical and economic ties between the two neighbouring countries, stressing that easing restrictions on the movement of goods and financial transfers would facilitate the flow of commodities and services across the border, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

US-imposed economic sanctions in recent years, particularly the "Caesar Act", which came into effect in 2020, have had restricted financial and banking transactions, disrupted trade flows, and limited the ability of Jordanian investors to access the Syrian market, he noted.

Jaghbir expressed hope that Jordanian exports to Syria would return to their historical levels, which used to exceed JD181 million.

He added that recent months have seen signs of improvement, with Jordanian exports reaching JD13 million in the first two months of 2025, showing a 40 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

The easing of restrictions would help accelerate the flow of goods between Jordan and Syria, reinvigorate trade, and open new opportunities for Jordan’s private sector, especially in reconstruction-related sectors such as infrastructure, construction materials, energy, pharmaceuticals, and food industries, where Jordan holds strong competitive advantages, he noted.

Jaghbir stressed the need for coordinated efforts to ensure that Jordanian products gain from this opportunityamid regional competition.

He also called for logistical planning to position Jordan as a hub for reconstruction projects and to establish mutual agreemnts with the Syrian side based on shared interests to ensure tangible benefits for the Kingdom.

Emphasising the potential of Jordan’s industrial sector during this period, he highlighted the Kingdom's strategic geographic location, which qualifies it to serve as a central logistical corridor for delivering goods to Syria, Lebanon and Turkey.