JCC calls for increasing trade ties with Saudi Arabia

Amman: First Vice President of Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC), Jamal Rifai, called for reactivating the Joint Saudi-Jordanian Business Council (SJBC) "quickly" to boost development of the two countries' trade and investment relations and build on the achievements made over the past years. Rifai's remarks came during a meeting Thursday with Director of the Saudi Commercial Representation Office in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, Zayed Al-Asmari, and Head of the SJBC's Saudi side, Dr. Hamdan Al-Semreen. Rifai stressed the necessity to form sectoral committees to identify and address obstacles, as well as examining and investing in available opportunities. During the meeting, he stressed the importance of developing "applicable" plans and programs through SJBC, in light of the "rapid" economic transformations in the region and emergence of international alliances that have "remarkably" affected the world, especially in the logistics field. Rifai stressed that the bilateral relations at the political, economic, commercial and investment levels are "distinguished" and constitute "fertile" ground for establishing "complementary" economic ties. In this regard, he noted the JCC has provided the concerned authorities with the SJBC's names of the members on the Jordanian side, who are "specialized" and have expertise in business affairs in the two countries. Rifai also stressed the chamber's keenness to strengthen Jordanian-Saudi economic relations, especially at the level of private sector institutions, noting that Saudi Arabia is an "important" trade partner. "The commercial sector is always looking forward to increasing imports from Saudi Arabia in light of the quality of Saudi products and its geographical proximity," he pointed out. Rifai added that: "The two sides now want to establish a new phase for their trade and investment relations, based on commonalities that bring us together to maximize investment, trade, and partnership opportunities." Rifai affirmed Jordanian commercial sector aspires to "greater" tr ade, economic and investment cooperation with Saudi Arabia, stressing the need to intensify visits by economic delegations, strengthen role of business owners and and increase trade exchange to meet ambitions. Source: Jordan News Agency