Ammon News -

The Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) said enhanced access of Jordanian products and goods to the Palestinian market and expansion of its base represents an opportunity to expedite recovery of the national economy from the Covid-19 pandemic-induced consequences.

In his interview with "Petra" on Saturday, the ACC Head, Khalil Haj Tawfiq said solidarity with the Palestinian economy is a duty to support its steadfastness, in light of the "distinguished and historic" Jordanian-Palestinian relations.

Haj Tawfiq also referred to Jordan's support to the Palestinian people and their just cause, adding that His Majesty King Abdullah II "always affirms that the Kingdom will remain the true support for Palestinians."

Haj Tawfiq called for promoting trade and investment exchange between Jordan and Palestine to "better" levels that meet the two peoples' aspirations.

He also lauded the "remarkable" efforts made by the Jordanian government and the Royal directives to facilitate access of Jordanian products to the Palestinian market and remove the Israel-imposed obstacles.

Stressing the importance of facilitating access to Palestinian market to enhance trade exchange with the Palestinian side, he also highlighted the importance of revamping trade mechanisms related to private sector institutions in the two brotherly countries, which will be reflected on the level of their economic relations.

 

Haj Tawfiq expressed his hope that the next stage would witness a "new" start for the two countries' trade and investment relations.

To enhance trade movement, Haj Tawfiq stressed the need to make more political efforts to amend Paris Protocol (PP) to ensure the smooth flow of Jordanian goods to the Palestinian market without obstacles.

This effort would contribute to increasing the number of Jordanian traders willing to export and expanding the export base to include other Jordanian industry's products, he pointed out.

Paris Protocol is "an obstacle to developing Jordanian-Palestinian economic relations," he said, calling for making pressure on the international community to amend the agreement and facilitate the import and export process in both directions.

In 1994, Paris Protocol was signed by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and "Israel," which curbed Palestinian economy's growth, by restricting trade exchange between Palestine and occupation authorities in the first place.

ACC, he noted, will work during the next stage to increase coordination with the Palestinian commercial and service sector institutions and arrange continuous visits to Palestinian traders and importers to ensure success of the "major" steps taken at high levels to enhance the two countries' trade exchanges.

Haj Tawfiq called for activating the twinning and cooperation agreements and protocols signed between the Jordanian commerce chambers with the Federation of Palestinian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (FPCCIA) to serve common interests.

According to the ACC statistical data, the volume of trade exchange between Jordan and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) during 2020, approximately stood at JD139 million, of which JD108 million are exports to the Kingdom.

(Petra)