Amman hosts 1st Jordanian-British Partnership Committee session

AMMAN — Amman on Thursday hosted the first session of the Jordanian-British Partnership Committee in implementation of the outcomes of the partnership council that was held in April, with the aim of discussing mechanisms to enhance cooperation in various fields.

The session was chaired by Secretary General of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply Dana Zu'bi and the UK’s Trade Commissioner to the Middle East Simon Penney, in the presence of British Ambassador Bridget Brind, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The two sides signed the committee's rules of procedure document and reviewed the items under the signed agreement, highlighting the importance of embarking on the implementation of its provisions.

The two sides agreed on the importance of boosting cooperation in various fields, particularly in economic endeavours, and maximising the use of available opportunities.

They also agreed to convene subcommittees on the health, transport, energy and tourism fields during the year to identify the most important specialised issues within these areas and exchange views on ways to enhance cooperation and exchange technical expertise between the two countries.

Zu'bi reviewed the government’s top achievements in its efforts to enhance the economy, mainly through the Economic Modernisation Vision, the Investment Environment Law and the industry support fund.

Penney referred to the most important areas for cooperation in the green economy, ICT, health and education sectors, stressing that the two sides seek to harness joint committees to build on the two countries' relations, facilitate business prosperity in both countries, break trade barriers and enhance relations.

Brind said that Jordan is a strategic partner to her country in the region, and a hub for neighbouring countries, expressing the UK's commitment to further enhance commercial and investment ties with Jordan.  

The two sides also held a meeting of the Subcommittee on Economic Affairs, during which they agreed to facilitate trade movement and make further endeavours aimed at enhancing the level of trade between the two countries and developing mechanisms to increase and diversify Jordan's export base for the British market.

Jordanian exports to the UK market in the first 10 months of 2022 amounted to $55.78 million, marking a significant increase of 149 per cent, while UK exports to the Kingdom reached $184.64 million, up by 12 per cent from the same period in 2021, Petra added.