The 5th meeting of the Kazakh-Jordanian intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation took place in Amman, marking a step towards strengthening ties between the two nations. The session was co-chaired by Nurlan Baibazarov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan, and Yarub Al-Qudah, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply of Jordan.
During the meeting, representatives from both countries discussed a broad range of cooperation areas, including trade and investment, agriculture, energy, transport, tourism, healthcare, culture, education, and digitalization.
Trade between Kazakhstan and Jordan has seen impressive growth, with turnover increasing by 4.2 times by the end of 2023, reaching $6mn. Both sides acknowledged the significant potential for further expansion in bilateral trade and economic ties.
Kazakhstan is looking to diversify its exports and increase the supply of non-raw materials to Jordan. This includes a range of agricultural products such as wheat. Additionally, Kazakhstan expressed interest in collaborating with Jordanian companies to establish production facilities in Kazakhstan, focusing on meat, grains, legumes, and other products.
The Jordanian delegation showed strong interest in importing Kazakh grain through alternative transport routes, including via the Caspian Sea. Kazakhstan also seeks to leverage the Aqaba port to facilitate exports to both the Jordanian market and the wider MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region.
A major highlight of the discussions was the potential for direct flights between the two countries. The issue of Jordanian airlines using the "open skies" regime to establish direct flights to Kazakhstan was discussed, a move that would boost tourism and strengthen economic relations.
The two sides also explored joint projects in geological exploration and mineral extraction, including uranium mining. Agreements were reached for the participation of Kazakhstan's national atomic company, Kazatomprom, in Jordan’s uranium initiatives through collaboration with the state-owned Jordan Uranium Mining Company (JUMCO).
Looking ahead, both Kazakhstan and Jordan emphasized the importance of fostering direct interaction between their business communities. One initiative discussed was the enhancement of the Kazakh-Jordanian Business Council, with plans for a meeting to be held in Astana next year to further promote bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
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