Jordanian initiatives to develop the commercial cooperation with Dubai

During the meeting, they exchanged different perspectives on ways to reinforce the commercial relationships between Jordan and Dubai.

The Jordanian guest presented the characteristics of the new strategy recently adopted by the Jordanian Trade Center, which aims to develop the commercial exchange with Dubai, as well as the main outlines for its future agenda that includes the increment of Jordanian commercial delegations to the Emirate and activates exports to Dubai in the range of vegetables, fruits and flowers, besides opening new Jordanian work fields, such as chemicals and building materials to keep pace with the great architectural booming being witnessed by Dubai day after day.

It is worth noting that the Jordanian Trade Center is performing a considerable role, since it was opened last March, to activate the inter-commerce with Dubai in the light of the encouraging factors. The most important factors being; the Free Trade Agreement signed between Jordan and UAE and applied as from the beginning of the current year. The Agreement imposes that goods flow through customs with the maximum flexibility. The Center solely represents Jordan in the Gulf area and it is one of 15 centers distributed in different locations of the world. Mr. Samer said that there is a plan to open 36 Jordanian centers or commercial centers during the next year.

Mr. Balkar alluded that the Center's new strategic plan focuses on enhancing the status of Jordanian exports to UAE and the countries in the region. The plan started with the sector of vegetables and fruits which occupies the first rank of Jordanian imports to Dubai with a percentage of 25-30%. He said also that a Jordanian delegation comprising of the major vegetables; fruits and flowers exporters would visit the UAE for 6 days as from next Oct. 10th in the frame of Gulf tour, which will also include the Sultanate of Oman. The delegation will hold meetings with those commodity traders in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi consecutively.

He added also, that through this visit to Dubai, the delegation that represents the largest farms of vegetables, fruits and flowers in Jordan, aims to create a direct link between Jordanian farmers and traders in Al-Hamriyya market, through the Fruit & Vegetable Traders Business Group that represents them in DCCI, and not through brokers or middlemen in the market. That will warrant maintaining the best quality control of goods, better packing, storage and price stability in the market. In addition to that, the delegation would discuss with traders some outstanding issues and obstacles related to shipping, customs and export, etc.

He continued to say that "The volume of rose plantations in Jordan is very huge, we have sizable nurseries, we export much of our production to Arab and European countries and we realize that demand of Dubai Emirate will increase by almost 40 times due to the Dubai' municipality projects of greening".

He also pointed out that establishing a Rose Center in Dubai's Airport, will play a part to maintain the Jordanian exports of it, and will have a role to re-export the excess of it via Dubai to other counties.

From his side, Mr. Al Mutaiwee welcomed the intended visit of Jordanian delegation, praised the level of Jordanian Commercial centers, saying that it comprises professionalized capabilities, and we agree on the principle that the personnel of Arab Commercial centers has to be of competent staff who enjoy flexibility and independency in building, developing relationships with export authorities and other parties concerned with the market movement, in the meantime it will not add more loads of ties and bureaucracy.

Al Mutaiwee urged Jordanian traders to participate strongly in the regional and international exhibitions that are established in Dubai all year long, stressing in the meantime on taking care of participating in specialized exhibitions as well as general exhibitions.