Jordan, Tunisia sign deals as joint panel meets

AMMAN — Prime Minister Hani Mulki on Thursday delivered a letter from His Majesty King Abdullah to Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, which focused on issues related to the bilateral ties and ways to further develop them in several fields.

The premier was in Tunis to co-chair the Jordanian-Tunisian Joint Higher Committee meetings with his Tunisian counterpart Youssef Chahed, which concluded later in the day. 

The Tunisian leader reiterated keenness to bolster cooperation between the two Arab countries, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Mulki commended the "deep-rooted" bilateral relations, and highlighted similarities between the two countries, which both rely mainly on human resources as the most valuable national asset.

He underlined the positive role of the joint committee deliberations in developing economic and trade cooperation and overcoming challenges that would obstruct their growth.

Discussions during the meeting also covered Arab, regional and global issues of mutual interests. 

In his address at the meeting, Mulki said that Jordan has drafted a plan to stimulate economic growth for the years 2018-2020 as a comprehensive economic restructuring process.

He outlined a number of Jordanian ongoing mega projects, urging the private sectors of both countries to benefit from such investment opportunities.

Mulki said that the projects are being implemented in the fields of e-government, information and communication technology, renewable energy and other promising sectors. 

The prime minister underscored the new city project, which is designed as a modern, smart and eco-friendly town to the east of Amman, to be providing up-to-date services and promoting a healthy lifestyle, as well as tourist and entertainment facilities.

He noted that the city blueprints are based on investing natural and renewable resources for the purposes of clean energy generation, water treatment, a modern transport system, and a road network that connects the city with the rest of the Kingdom’s cities.

The project will be financed by a partnership of the public and private sectors on the basis of Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) system, he noted, in cooperation with local, regional and international banks.

Upon the conclusion of the committee’s talks, the two sides signed a number of agreements, protocols, and memoranda of understating (MoU).

They signed two MoUs on cooperation in the field of establishing industrial estates and free zones and an executive programme for cultural cooperation for the period 2018-2020.

The two sides also signed an agreement related to maritime transport, a memo of mutual accreditation of maritime workers and an agreement to cooperate  in the field of seaports. 

Other deals include MoUs concerning consumer protection and exports development, in addition to a cooperation deal in the handicrafts sector and an executive programme concerning tourism cooperation for 2018-2020 and a protocol for technical cooperation to promote investment.

For their part, Mulki and Chahed signed the minutes of the committee meetings.

Also on Thursday, Mulki met with Tunisian President of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People Mohamed Ennaceur, Petra reported. 

During the meeting, they reviewed ways to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries, with Mulki stressing the significance of a global parliamentary movement to improve the Middle East’s situation in order to develop and prosper. 

He also highlighted the significance of strengthening the Pan-Arab Parliament’s contribution to solutions to issues and challenges facing the Arab nation, pointing out the importance of reforming joint Arab action. 

Mulki said that parliamentary diplomacy is needed, especially in international forums to lobby global decisions serving Arab causes. 

For his part Ennaceur emphasised on the importance of enhancing cooperation between pan-Arab institutions within the Arab region. 

The top lawmaker praised the development Jordan is witnessing under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah in various areas. He pointed out that terrorism threatens societies, unity and stability, and Arabs are at a stage of their history where they must cooperate to achieve economic development.