USAID and JEA cooperate to enhance exports to reach off-shore markets

An Export Development Support Pilot project has been launched, which aims to transform Jordanian exporters from an internally focused-process oriented mindset into a customer focused- market oriented mindsets.

The scheduled program inspires exporters through exposing them to needed ground work on the tools that would advance their businesses in general and their exports in particular. The project includes a series of capacity building training and coaching sessions that enable participants to clearly set their export objectives and strategies with the aim to enhance export services and reach new and further away markets.

The fourth and last of the main Export Training Program workshops convened last week at SABEQ premises, as a further workshop on 'successful participation in a trade fair' is scheduled to take place next week.

JEA applied a credible selection process, and from an initially selected 12 exporting businesses who were assessed for their level of export readiness; five Food Processing Sector representatives were chosen as export ready.

The identified businesses were earmarked to receive continuous training, coaching, and mentorship support throughout the process of preparing export plans and actually exporting their products to the identified markets. Each of the five companies is designated to benefit from a monthly mentoring and facilitation support session over a period of six months.

Furthermore, a trade-mission to the US has been organized which will take place shortly. By participating in this mission the exporters aspire to develop a comprehensive understanding of the targeted market to plan marketing strategies accordingly, try to strike attractive deals in this market, and simultaneously establish solid international trade relationships that will assure the sustainability of export activities.

On another front, the project endeavors to promote JEA's image and credibility amongst its members through creating success stories that will contribute towards increasing JEA membership base and assure its financial sustainability.

As for participating businesses, Mr Nidal Awad, Factory Manager, Alpha Beta Management & Investment said the training has opened new horizons for his Company. He felt the training has enabled Jordanian companies remain in pace with the complex changes that are happening in external business environs, thus "enabling us become export pioneers".

On his part, Isa Malaika, Export Manager, Gulf Food Products Co commended the timing, experts, data, line business and field trips which exposed new ideas and processes that will provide them with all that it takes to export their goods to lucrative markets.

The USAID Jordan Economic Development Program (SABEQ) is a five-year broad economic development initiative implemented by Bearing Point, Inc. and a sizable 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.