Jordanian exports to the United States increased 7.5 percent last year, according to the United States–Jordan Joint Committee, which met in Amman on July 14. The committee, established under the 2001 Free Trade Agreement (FTA), meets regularly to promote increased trade between Jordan and the United States, as well as investment in both goods and services. This week’s meeting was co-chaired by L. Daniel Mullaney, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, and Yousef Al Shamali, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply.
During the meeting, the United States and Jordan discussed a range of bilateral trade and investment issues, noting positively the increase in bilateral trade during 2018. Officials focused on ways to promote greater reciprocal market access for agricultural and industrial goods, as well as Jordanian labor reforms, improved intellectual property protection and implementation of the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement.
The United States also expressed a willingness to explore further technical assistance in Jordan with the aim of promoting enhanced trade and investment.
Both governments agreed to strive to make additional progress in advance of the next Joint Committee meeting, to be held in Washington in 2020.
Since the FTA came into force in 2001, bilateral trade between our two countries has increased ten-fold.