Jordanian-Romanian Economic Forum opens with call for advancing trade, investment ties

AMMAN — President of the Jordanian Businessmen Association (JBA) Hamdi Tabbaa on Monday called for the removal of obstacles hindering the increase of trade volume between the Kingdom and Romania, mainly those facing the Jordanian business community.

During the inauguration of the Jordanian-Romanian Economic Forum co-organised by the JBA, the Romanian embassy in Amman, and the Romanian-Jordanian Economic Cooperation Association (RJECA), Tabbaa said that the top obstacle facing Jordanian exports to Romania is imposing registration procedures that differ from other procedures in other EU countries.

The JBA president called for a focus on Jordanian fertilisers in the Kingdom’s exports to Romania in a bid to reach an even commercial balance between the two countries, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The commercial exchange volume between the two countries in 2021 stood at $609 million, compared with $376 million in 2020.

Head of the RJECA said that the association, established some 40 years ago, seeks to enhance commercial ties between the countries and establish strong relations between the business communities, in addition to facilitating commercial transactions.

He added that the economic delegates participating in the forum represent several economic sectors with shared interest of both sides, with a focus on renewable energy, fertilisers and pharmaceuticals, calling for organising a visit by a Jordanian commercial delegation to Bucharest. 

Deputy Chairman of the Amman Chamber of Commerce Nabil Khatib highlighted the importance of exerting more efforts to increase the value of Romania’s imports from Jordan, as the Kingdom enjoys the advantages of several commodities that meet the needs of the Romanian market.

Deputy Chairman of the Jordan Chamber of Industry Mohammed Walid Jitan called for expanding commodities’ diversity in commercial exchanges, noting that the Kingdom enjoys distinguished investment opportunities in the economic and industrial fields. 

Jitan pointed out that the industrial sector accounts for some 25 per cent of the GDP through around 17,000 industrial facilities that employ more than 250,000 workers with a total investment volume exceeding $15 billion.

Secretary General of the Investment Ministry Zaher Qatawneh stressed the importance of having big opportunities to increase the economic and investment cooperation between the countries.

Romania’s Ambassador to Jordan George Cristian Maior referred to joint keenness to develop Jordanian-Romanian relations at economic and investment levels, expressing his hopes for the forum to contribute to opening wider scopes of cooperation between the sides.

The countries, on the sidelines of the forum, are also scheduled to inaugurate the Jordanian-Romanian Business Council.