Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - A Jordanian-Turkish business forum opened in Amman Saturday with the participation of a number of Turkish companies to raise the trade volume and joint investments in the various fields, with a focus on the business environment in the Kingdom.

In remarks at the opening ceremony of the forum, organised by the Jordanian Businessmen Association in cooperation with the Economic Club of Turkey, Minister of State for Economic Affairs Yousef Mansour, said Jordan and Turkey had the potential to launch joint investments and trade that could reach various world countries.

He said that despite the political and security conditions surrounding it, Jordan was still capable of attracting and incubating investments, calling on Turkish businessmen to invest in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone and exploit the incentives and privileges it offers.

The minister also pointed to the outcome of the London donor conference held in February, notably the signing of a trade agreement between Jordan and the European Union on relaxing rules of origin, which covered 18 developmental areas in the Kingdom, in addition to a host of other agreements signed with global blocs that facilitate the access of Jordanian products to various world nations.

President of the Jordanian Businessmen Association Hamdi Tabba told the gathering that relations between the Jordanian and Turkish private sectors had entered "a successful phase" in their advancement, thanks to the Jordanian-Turkish Business Council, which was signed in 1994 to enhance economic ties and seek joint ventures.

Jordan, Tabba said, had remained a world business destination as it maintained growth and monetary stability, pursued modernisation of the business climate and infrastructure and updated economic legislation despite the regional insecurity and political turmoil.

He expressed the hope that a new direct aviation route between Amman and Ankara and the operation of a sea route, RoRo service, between the Turkish port of Iskenderun and the Port of Aqaba, which was agreed by the two countries' governments, would enhance bilateral trade and overcome problems resulting from the closure of the Jordanian border with Syria.