Port2Port, Israel

Joint Jordanian-Israeli delegation to discuss trade relations in the USA

28 July 2008

An official joint Jordanian-Israeli delegation met last week with representatives from the office of the United States Trade Representative, Department of State, Department of Commerce, as well as members of Congress and their staffs to promote the expansion and strengthening of the trilateral United States-Jordan-Israel trade relationship.

In order to strengthen the economic relationship,the joint delegation promoted the expansion of the Qualified Industrial Zone initiative (QIZ) beyond the current 11 sites by creating satellite units composed of individual factories to be designated as QIZs and run by current QIZ investors, this change will expand Israeli-Jordanian economic cooperation, help boost Jordan-US trade and help create jobs and spur U.S. investment throughout Jordan and Israel.

Mr. Gabby Bar, Deputy Director General, Middle-East & North Africa Division, Ministry of Industry & Trade and Co-Chairman of the QIZ Committee said that the joint delegation will seek to promote the creation of a trilateral cumulation of rules of origin between the US, Jordan and Israel under the framework of US free trade agreements with Jordan and Israel.

Bar also noted that “Israel attaches great importance in the QIZs and the current attempts to achieve cumulation as part and parcel of the bilateral relations between Israel and Jordan."

Israel’s exports to Jordan rose from US$30 million in 1998 to US$250 million in 2007 while Jordanian exports to the USA rose from US$15 million to US$1.2 billion in the same period.