Preparatory meetings of the Eighth Session of the Jordanian–Lebanese Joint Higher Committee began on Tuesday in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, chaired by Jordan’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, Eng. Yarub Al-Qudah, and his Lebanese counterpart, Minister of Economy and Trade Dr. Amer Al-Bassat.
اضافة اعلان
The committee is discussing several files aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation between the two brotherly countries across various fields, particularly economic cooperation, and formulating understandings and agreements in multiple areas.
The Eighth Session of the Jordanian–Lebanese Joint Higher Committee will convene in Beirut on Wednesday, chaired by Dr. Jaafar Hassan, Prime Minister of Jordan, and Dr. Nawaf Salam, Prime Minister of Lebanon.
The preparatory meetings were preceded by sessions of the technical committee, chaired on the Jordanian side by Dana Al-Zu’bi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply, and on the Lebanese side by Dr. Mohammad Abu Haidar, Director General of the Lebanese Ministry of Economy and Trade.
The Joint Higher Committee is considered one of the most important bilateral committees, as it is being held after a hiatus of several years. Both sides are counting on the outcomes of these meetings to strengthen trade and economic relations and to further develop cooperation and coordination across various sectors.
Al-Qudah said that Jordanian–Lebanese relations receive significant attention from His Majesty King Abdullah II, stressing that Jordan has always been keen to support Lebanon at various levels, particularly in the economic, security, and political fields, while consistently affirming Lebanon’s stability and the independence of its national decision-making.
He emphasized that Jordanian–Lebanese relations represent a distinguished model of Arab coordination in many areas, noting that the alignment of the two countries’ leaderships on Arab, regional, and international issues serves as a strong incentive for officials in both countries to further advance bilateral relations, especially in the economic sphere.
Al-Qudah added that despite the abundance of human expertise in both countries across administrative, economic, and professional fields, trade exchange remains below expectations and does not reflect the capabilities of the business sectors in Jordan and Lebanon. He noted that trade volume rose slightly by 7% during the first ten months of last year, reaching approximately USD 170 million.
He expressed hope that the committee’s meetings would provide an opportunity to activate existing agreements between the two countries and expand partnerships in vital sectors such as transport, energy, and trade.
Al-Qudah pointed out that in the energy sector, the repeal of the Caesar Act would allow progress in supplying Jordanian electricity to Lebanon via Syria. In foreign trade, Lebanese exporters would be able to benefit from Jordanian markets and the Kingdom’s transport sector to export Lebanese goods to the Gulf states and Iraq. Conversely, Lebanese markets would find Jordanian agricultural and industrial products to be a competitive option in terms of quality, pricing, and ease of transport.
He stressed the importance of working to enhance trade exchange and address any obstacles hindering the flow of goods in both directions.
Al-Qudah also touched on the economic developments Jordan has witnessed in recent years and the targets of the Economic Modernization Vision, noting that its second executive program was launched on Monday.
For his part, the Lebanese minister expressed hope that the committee’s meetings would yield concrete outcomes and agreements to strengthen bilateral cooperation, increase intra-trade, stimulate investment, and enhance cooperation in energy and other sectors.
