Jordan in contact with Saudi, Kuwaiti authorities to facilitate exports’ transportation to Iraq

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Tuesday headed a meeting at the Prime Ministry to discuss the obstacles facing Jordanian exports to the Iraqi market after an Iraqi decision to close the borders between the two countries as a result of security issues.

The private sector and Jordanian exporters tried months ago to move the goods through Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, to finally reach the Basra crossing, Iraq, or through the sea from Aqaba to the Basra border crossing, south of Iraq, due to the frequent partial closures of the western Iraq border before a total closure was announced this month, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The new, longer route means more fees and longer stops that put the quality of goods, especially vegetables and fruits, at risk of damage. 

Ensour said the government would support the exports, worth a JD1 billion annually, through diplomatic efforts with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to facilitate smoother entry procedures through their lands. 

The government is following up with specialised entities in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq to cut red tape at border crossings, the prime minister said, adding the neighbour countries “definetely understand the challenges facing Jordanian exports in light of the security conditions in the region”.

Iraq said it was closing its main border crossing with Jordan on Thursday until further notice, days after security forces and Shiite militias launched an offensive to reclaim the western province of Anbar from Daesh terrorist group militants, Reuters reported.