Ammon News - Minister of Industry, Trade, Supply and Labor, Youssef Shamali, has said that Jordan's free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States of America is one of the Kingdom's most successful trade pacts.

At an Iftar banquet hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan, the minister highlighted that prior to the 2001 accord, Jordan's exports to the US totaled no more than $50 million. However, in the last couple of years, they've skyrocketed to an astonishing amount, he added.

The US Ambassador to the Kingdom, Henry Wooster, asserted that Jordan is an indispensable partner for his country, which is evidenced by the magnitude of the US diplomatic presence in Jordan. He noted that the US embassy in Amman holds the distinction of being the eighth largest US embassy in the world.

He added that the American diplomats stationed in Jordan are there to back Jordan's economic reform, emphasizing that stability is the bedrock of American policy in the Kingdom. He also lauded the American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan for fostering communication between the public and private sectors.

According to Wooster, for economic growth to thrive, a conducive business climate must be established to empower the private sector in attaining its objectives of streamlining operations, doubling gross domestic product growth, augmenting women's labor force participation, and creating more job prospects.

Samer Judeh, the Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan, affirmed that the free trade agreement between Jordan and the United States illustrates the profound strategic bond between the two nations in promoting business development via trade and investment in both directions.

He underscored the Chamber's unwavering dedication to furnishing counsel and services to both local and American companies on ways to broaden their local investments and gain access to the American market. Additionally, he emphasized that the Chamber offers skill enhancement programs that create fresh prospects for amplifying existing trade connections and fostering new ones.