Jordan-US Free Trade Agreement Joint Committee convenes

AMMAN – Jordan and the United States Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Joint Committee convened at the Ministry of Industry and Trade on Thursday. 

At the opening session, Industry, Trade and Supply Minister Maha Ali said the Jordanian-US FTA, increased trade between the two countries, mainly the Jordanian exports to the US markets, expressing hope that the joint committee meetings will lead to further economic cooperation.  

In 2015, the Kingdom's exports to the US amounted to more than $1.4 billion compared to $63 million in 2000, according to the minister.  

During the same period, Jordan's imports from the US went up by more than threefold, reaching $1.2 billion from $306 million.

In the first quarter of 2016, trade between the two countries rose by 14 per cent compared with the figures recorded in the same period of last year. 

US Ambassador to  Jordan Alice G. Wells stressed the strong  relations between the US and Jordan, and asserted the US' continued support for the country in several areas that can enable it in confronting challenges.  

She noted that the Jordan-US FTA was built on shared goals to achieve peace, stability and security.

The delegations on Thursday discussed means to boost the joint trade volume and to increase cooperation in the areas of agricultural trade, customs and investments, in addition to bolstering regional commercial cooperation, according to a ministry statement.   

The US delegation, chaired by Deputy Assistant US Trade Representative Eurasia and the Middle East John Mowrey, included representatives of the US departments of agriculture, and labour, as well as from the US State Department, besides embassy officials. 

The Jordanian delegation included representatives from the ministries, and other trade and investment concerned entities.