US envoy says fighting terror needs comprehensive strategies

AMMAN — Jordanian-US relations are vital as both counties share the challenge to guarantee peace and stability in the region, US Ambassador to Jordan Alice Wells said Thursday. 

During a reception held by the American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan, Wells underlined the partnership with the Kingdom in combating extremists, reiterating that the Islamic State does not represent Islam.

She acknowledged that addressing terrorism cannot be achieved only through military force, explaining that the plan to confront terrorists entails strategies to stimulate economic growth and create jobs, especially for young people, as around 70 per cent of Jordanians are under 30.

In this regard, she said that USAID has provided $150 million to support development projects in the private sector.

She also referred to the five-year, $45 million competitiveness programme in the Kingdom to develop the capabilities of promising Jordanian sectors, especially in the fields of clean technology, healthcare and ICT.

The US ambassador expected the programme to attract new investments worth $700 million and to provide 40,000 job opportunities. 

She reviewed the initiatives launched by the US government in the Kingdom, such as supporting a five-year initiative with $50 million to improve the local development and encourage small- and micro-sized companies. 

Regarding the development of economic relations between the two countries, she said that relations further flourished after the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in 2001.

She added the FTA contributed to increasing the trade exchange volume to $3.2 billion in 2013, marking the highest level of trade exchange between Jordan and the US, and provided more than 50,000 job opportunities. 

Wells also noted that US investments in the Kingdom have reached $2.2 billion, constituting 10 per cent of the total foreign investments in the country.

Jordan Bromine Company Director General Ahmad Khalifeh said the capital investment in the company, which was founded with joint Jordanian-US capital, reached $300 million with its products being available in 35 markets around the world, expecting the company’s revenues to reach $350 million in 2018.

American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan President Mohammad Bataineh, Finance Minister Umayya Toukan and President of the Anti-Corruption Commission Samih Bino also attended the reception.