Khalil Al-Haj Tawfiq, Senator and President of the Jordan and Amman Chambers of Commerce, met with Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade, Shakhruh Ghulamov, to discuss ways of strengthening trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.
اضافة اعلان
During the meeting, held Thursday in the presence of representatives from the clothing, pharmaceutical, and food sectors, both sides discussed the need to establish a platform for exchanging data, information, investment opportunities, and exportable goods to facilitate the work of businesspeople and investors in both countries.
The two sides also explored the possibility of holding a joint economic forum and business council, organizing trade missions across priority sectors, and opening commercial offices to serve as one-stop contact points for investors and entrepreneurs.
It was agreed to begin holding virtual meetings starting next month between business leaders from both countries in sub-sectors such as clothing, food, pharmaceuticals, and tourism, as a precursor to the joint business forum. Participants also stressed the importance of removing barriers and obstacles hindering economic cooperation, including the need for a direct flight between the two countries, mutual trade and tourism delegations, and leveraging Jordan’s strategic location as a gateway to other regional markets.
Al-Haj Tawfiq noted that His Majesty King Abdullah II’s visit to Uzbekistan last month outlined a clear roadmap for strengthening bilateral cooperation to achieve the desired levels of trade and service exchange, aligned with available opportunities in both countries. He highlighted the role of Jordan’s chambers of commerce in facilitating partnerships and positioning Jordan as a regional and international hub for trade and investment. He stressed the importance of turning shared economic ideas into tangible projects that benefit both economies.
He also pointed to opportunities in Jordan across various sectors—particularly food, pharmaceuticals, tourism, textiles, and logistics—alongside its free trade agreements that grant access to nearly 1.4 billion consumers in the United States, Canada, the European Union, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the Arab world, and more. Jordan, he added, is also home to thousands of historical, religious, and tourist sites worth visiting.
For his part, Ghulamov described King Abdullah II’s visit to Uzbekistan as “historic by all measures,” giving strong momentum to open up wide and untapped avenues of cooperation in vital sectors. He expressed Uzbekistan’s eagerness to activate all agreements signed during the visit and to develop joint ideas and projects in priority sectors.
Nabil Al-Khatib, Board Member of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, First Vice President of the Amman Chamber of Commerce, and President of the Jordan Logistics Association, stressed Jordan’s strategic location as a key logistics gateway to regional markets. He called for establishing a direct flight route between the two countries to facilitate business activities and investor mobility, alongside boosting tourism exchanges, given Jordanians’ openness to new travel destinations and the country’s many unique tourist and archaeological sites.
Sultan Allan, representative of the clothing, novelties, and jewelry sector at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce and head of the Clothing, Fabrics, and Footwear Traders Association, urged joint sector-level meetings to discuss mechanisms for direct imports of Uzbek clothing products, which would reduce costs and enhance trade.
Jamal Amro, representative of the food sector at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, noted that Jordan already imports food products from Uzbekistan such as fruits, nuts, baked goods, and cocoa products. He called for boosting cooperation in fresh seasonal produce, processed foods, and improving logistics and transportation chains to save time and costs for traders.
Dr. Thamer Obeidat, Secretary-General of the Jordanian Association of Pharmaceutical Warehouse Owners, emphasized Jordan’s high standards of quality and regulation in the pharmaceutical industry, giving it an edge in accessing many global markets. He also pointed to Jordan’s wide expertise in medical supplies, public health equipment, and related products. He noted opportunities for joint cooperation through establishing factories or packaging lines in both countries to reduce transportation, shipping, and customs costs while meeting Uzbek and regional market needs.
Trade volume between the two countries reached about JD 14 million in the first half of this year. Jordan exports to Uzbekistan chemical products, including pharmaceuticals and plastics, while importing copper, food products, and other plant-based goods from Uzbekistan. Jordan also holds export potential in pharmaceuticals, phosphates, and more.
