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Ammon News -

Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, Yousef Shamali, met Wednesday with Iraqi Ministers of Planning, Industry, Minerals and Trade on mechanisms to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in economic and trade fields.

The ministers also discussed following up on the implementation of outcomes of the trilateral summit that brought together Jordan, Iraq and Egypt's leaders in a manner that contributes to achieving economic integration in many fields, especially industrial spheres.

Procedures for signing the memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation in the trilateral industrial integration between Jordan, Egypt and Iraq, which was signed during HRH Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, the Crown Prince's recent visit to Egypt have also been completed.

Shamali stressed Jordan's keenness to elevate the level of economic cooperation with Iraq in various fields, and work as quickly as possible to implement joint strategic projects, especially in the fields of energy, trade and industry, and the establishment of the Economic City project, which is currently under the process of preparing the necessary preliminary studies, after the two sides have completed procedures for allocating the project's land.

He said that the work between the two countries must not stop at removing obstacles facing intra-trade and establishing some projects, but rather it should go beyond them to stimulate the Jordanian and Iraqi private sectors to establish effective economic partnerships that serve the interests of the two countries and work to maximize the benefit from the available opportunities based on outcomes of the trilateral summit that constitute a driver for building advanced economic relations at the bilateral level, between Jordan and Iraq, and at the trilateral level, with the participation of Egypt as well.

Shamali emphasized the importance of holding the Jordanian Industries Exhibition in Baghdad, which confirms the keenness of the two countries to elevate the level of mutual economic cooperation, noting that 95 Jordanian industrial companies of various specializations participated in the exhibition, and that 25% of the exhibition's pavilions were allocated for direct sales and 75% were for showcasing products.

For his part, Iraqi Planning Minister, Khaled Al-Battal, said that the current stage requires doubling the both sides' efforts to develop mutual economic cooperation, and to build on the outcomes of the trilateral summit, and establish strategic projects at the bilateral level and others within the framework of trilateral cooperation, stressing Iraq's interest also in boosting cooperation with Jordan in various fields, especially the economic ones, and maximizing the benefit of available opportunities.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Industry and Minerals Minister, Manhal Al-Khabbaz, said that Iraq is looking forward to establishing effective economic partnerships with Jordan, as the opportunity is available to achieve integration in many fields of industry, noting that the private sector in both countries has the necessary capacity and capabilities to do so with government support from Jordan and Iraq.

Also, Iraqi Trade Minister, Alaa Al-Jbouri, said that enhancing intra-trade and removing obstacles it faces are among both sides' priorities. He pointed out that holding the Jordanian Industries Exhibition is an important step to increase the volume of trade and it is necessary to continue holding such exhibitions and exchange them during the coming period, in addition to allocating a permanent location for Jordanian products inside the Baghdad International Fair.

Jordan's Ambassador to Iraq, Montaser Zoubi, in turn, said Jordan and Iraq have keenness and mutual interest to increase economic cooperation through establishing the economic city, increasing the volume of intera-trade and stimulating the private sector in both countries.

The meetings discussed the latest developments with regard to completing the requirements for establishing the joint economic city and the necessary actions to start the required executive procedures for the implementing this project.

President of the Jordan and Amman Chambers of Industry, Fathi Jaghbir, voice the industrial sector's readiness to exert the necessary efforts to develop cooperation in the industrial fields in order to achieve His Majesty the King's directives and the trilateral summit's outcomes, as well as activating the twinning project, recently signed between the Jordan Chamber of Industry and the Iraqi Federation of Industries.