Jordanian delegation arrives in Tanzania for trade talks

AMMAN — A Jordanian business delegation on Sunday began a trip to Africa with the aim of searching for new markets for national exports, following the negative impact they suffered from regional unstable conditions.

The delegation, headed by State Minister for Investment Affairs Muhannad Shehadeh, arrived in Tanzania in a tour that will also include Kenya and Ethiopia.

The delegates are scheduled to attend a business forum on Monday, which is expected to attract representatives from the Tanzanian public and private sectors.

Headed by Shehadeh, the Jordan Investment Commission will take part in the forum that will see the participation of some 30 industrial and service companies, seeking to reach new export markets and develop cooperation with African businesspeople, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The minister said that targeting African markets comes in line with the third pillar of a recent strategy by the commission, which aims at boosting national exports and opening new markets through the establishment of strategic relations with untraditional markets.

President of the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) Adnan Abul Ragheb said that the Jordanian-Tanzanian business forum will witness the signing of two memoranda of understanding between the chamber and the Tanzanian chambers of industry, commerce and agriculture on one part, and the union of East Africa of industry, commerce and agriculture, on the other part.

A recent JCI study on aspects of the Kingdom’s cooperation with Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia showed that around 60 local products have competitive values to penetrate these countries’ economically growing markets.

Jordanian exports to Tanzania in 2016 valued more than $2 million, compared to $1 million in 2015, while Jordanian imports from Tanzania dropped to $879,000 in 2016 from $3 million in 2015.