Jordan-US committee wraps up talks on trade

AMMAN — The Joint Jordan-US Committee’s 8th session concluded on Monday with both sides agreeing to follow up on obstacles hindering the flow of Jordanian exports to the US market. 

During five days of meetings held in Amman, the joint committee, led by Secretary General of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply Yousef Shamali and US Representative Daniel Melani, discussed economic cooperation in various fields and means of furthering trade exchange between the two countries.

To facilitate the entry of Jordanian products into US markets, the committee has tasked the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply and the Jordan Standards and Metrology Organisation to pursue and tackle barriers to trade, including those related to US technical standards.

Talks also went over mechanisms of joint cooperation involving the free trade agreement signed in 2001, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In 2018, the Kingdom exported around $1.76 billion in goods, mainly textiles, to the US, while imports totalled $1.77 billion in goods, including machinery, oil products, electrical appliances, wheat and pharmaceuticals.

The Jordanian government expressed its gratitude to the US for its continuous support to a number of sectors, especially for USAID’s efforts focusing on the commercial and economic sectors, Petra added.