Jordan’s FTA with US one of ‘most successful’ agreements to date — Shamali

AMMAN — The Jordan-US free trade agreement, signed in 2001, has been one of the “most successful agreements to date”, Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Youssef Shamali said on Wednesday.

Before 2011, the Kingdom's exports to the US were less than $50 million, while they jumped to more than $2 billion by 2021, thanks to the Jordan-US free trade agreement, Shamali said during an iftar hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham).

Highlighting the longstanding Jordan-US partnership, Shamali said that the first cooperation agreement was signed in 1957, followed by the signing the Jordan-US Free Trade Agreement in 2001. 

President of AmCham Sammer Judeh said that the world is experiencing a series of challenges that “can be addressed through joint action according to clear plans”, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Chargé d'Affaires at the US embassy in Amman Mike Hankey, during the ceremony, expressed the mission's keenness to enhance the business community’s visa services, to ease their business-doing efforts and support SME operations.

He also highlighted the mission's efforts in cooperation with AmCham, through the embassy's programmes and USAID, to improve and expand Jordan's role as a business incubator, raising the sector’s competitiveness and access to funding.