USAID and Int@j present trade opportunities to Jordanian ICT companies

The USAID-funded Sustainable Achievement of Business Expansion and Quality Program (SABEQ) and the ICT Business Association, int@j held the event to explore the range of opportunities available to them in the form of export sales.

Though many companies are aware of the existence of export opportunities in general, a significant number of Jordanian ICT companies may not be fully aware of export sales prospects available in key markets under Jordan's international trade agreements.

To assist ICT-related companies identify and pursue export opportunities under Jordanian trade agreements, including the Jordan-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (JUSFTA), EU Association Agreement, the Greater Arab Free Trade Agreement (GAFTA) and bilateral FTAs, as well as to identify key trade-related policy advocacy issues, int@j and the USAID-funded SABEQ Program are collaborating on several fronts.

The first, to assess the impact of Jordan's international trade agreements on the ICT / Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) services sector in terms of market access opportunities and related issues; and the second, to identify domestic trade policy constraints faced by ICT companies and help develop effective policy advocacy responses.

Int@j's contribution in such an important event comes as part of its commitment to provide its members with new opportunities to open new markets. This cannot be achieved without improving the regulatory environment and governmental constraints which directly affect creating prospective business opportunities for Jordanian companies.

This workshop will help the ICT companies to identify export opportunities, identify effects of imports, comply with various requirements under international agreements, and identify impacts of trade-related policies.

This work session is the first of three sector specific workshops exploring trade agreements and the export prospects available. The remaining workshops include one targeting the Architecture and Engineering sector on March 8, and a workshop targeting the Medical Services sector on March 12.

The ICT/BPO, Medical Services as well as the Architecture and Engineering sectors are considered priority sectors for the USAID-funded SABEQ Program's key theme of improving the private sector business environment in Jordan through sectoral business associations. These objectives and selected sectors are also in line with the National Agenda.

Int@j (Information Technology Association of Jordan) is an ICT industry-support association that embraces Jordan 's ICT businesses, with a mission to promote their advancement on a local and international level, and enhance their capacity and performance. This goes in parallel with improving the dynamics of Jordan 's ICT market and catalyzing all Jordan 's ICT related activities. On top of that, int@j largely contributes to influencing ICT policies and strategies.

USAID/SABEQ is a five year broad economic development initiative implemented by BearingPoint, Inc. and a sizeable team of international and Jordanian partner firms. By both supporting improvements in the business environment and providing assistance to expand innovation and productivity in Jordanian businesses, it supports the main objective of building up the private sector as a powerful engine of economic growth.