Jordan, Romania show keenness to bolster economic, business ties

AMMAN — Jordan and Romania on Saturday signed three documents aimed at promoting business opportunities in both countries to further enhance bilateral economic growth, Industry, Trade and Supply Minister Maha Ali said Sunday.

During a meeting organised by the Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC) to discuss ways to enhance economic relations with Bucharest in the presence of a high ranking official Romanian delegation headed by Prime Minister Victor Ponta, the minister added that two memoranda of understanding between both countries' private sectors were also signed.

The first aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation in the ICT field, and the second to devlop cooperation at the public sector level.

"We look at Romania as a gateway to European countries for Jordanian businesses and industries, and we look forward to fostering joint partnerships in areas of mutual interest," Ali told attendees who included representatives of commercial and industrial sectors from both countries.

JCC Chairman Nael Kabariti underlined the importance of the Romanian delegation's visit and expressed the Jordanian private sector's keenness on bolstering bilateral cooperation at the ICT, aviation, health, energy and bio-energy levels, among others.

Kabariti also voiced hope the Romanian government would solve visa issues for Jordanian businessmen, noting that a commercial delegation failed twice in receiving visas for business trips to the European country. 

Ponta expressed concern over the low level of economic relations between Jordan and Romania despite the good friendship ties on the political level, noting that some 30 years ago both countries had better commercial ties, especially at the industrial and agricultural levels.

"It is [the visit] a good opportunity to start again with developing relations, especially that Romania is now a member of the European Union and can open all the European market for Jordan," the premier said.

The prime minister added that Economy, Trade and Tourism Minister Mihai Tudose, who is a member of the current delegation, will be back in Amman in one month heading a delegation of the Romanian Chamber of Commerce and businesspeople to further boost bilateral economic cooperation.

Regarding visa issues, Ponta promised to facilitate procedures for Jordanian businesspeople to apply to visas online and receive confirmations within 24 hours.

According to a JCC statement, made available to attendees, Jordanian national exports to Romania in 2013 reached around $6.11 million and increased by 14.4 per cent in 2014 to stand at $6.99 million.

The statement, based on figures from the Department of Statistics, showed that Romanian exports to the Kingdom in 2014 stood at $372.39 million, marking a 36.5 per cent increase in comparison with 2013, when Bucharest exports were worth $272.74 million.

Jordan's main exports to Romania include fresh and frozen vegetables, medicaments and skin care products, whereas major Romanian exports to the Kingdom include sheep, wood and paper, tubes and pipes and calcium carbide, the statement added.