Amman, Feb. 10 (Petra) -- The Amman Chamber of Commerce marked its 100th anniversary on Tuesday under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II, underscoring its role as a cornerstone of Jordan’s national economy and a key driver of organized commercial activity since the early years of the state’s formation.

Today, the chamber represents about 42,000 commercial, service and agricultural establishments, providing nearly 567,000 job opportunities for Jordanians. The combined capital of these establishments amounted to approximately JD 34 billion in 2025.

As the first civil society organization established in the Emirate of Transjordan, the Amman Chamber of Commerce has, for more than a century, remained at the center of the national economic landscape, accompanying its transformations and contributing to shaping its development, thereby becoming a pillar of the modern Jordanian state.

The chamber was founded in 1923, when 40 merchants in Amman recognized that sustainable commercial growth required collective, institutional action rather than individual effort. This vision laid the foundation for the first body representing the private sector in the country, which steadily advanced toward development, progress and economic expansion.

Since the mid-20th century, Jordan’s foreign trade has recorded notable growth, with total trade volume rising from about JD 12 million in 1950 to nearly JD 29 billion in 2024, reflecting the expansion of commercial activity and deeper integration into global markets.

National exports also saw strong growth, increasing from JD 1.5 million in 1950 to JD 8.76 billion in 2024. Between 2010 and 2024, exports expanded by 107.7 percent, driven by the diversification of export sectors and higher value added in agricultural, industrial and service products.

Chamber President Khalil Hajj Tawfiq said the Amman Chamber of Commerce has never been merely an administrative body, but rather a platform for dialogue between the public and private sectors and a reliable partner in addressing challenges and creating opportunities.

He added that the chamber’s work has been guided by a firmly rooted system of values, including integrity, credibility, leadership, partnership and responsibility, which have shaped its institutional identity over the decades.

Hajj Tawfiq, who heads the chamber’s 25th board, said that as Amman’s commercial sector turns the page on a century of contributions, it opens a new chapter of ambition under the Hashemite banner, drawing on its legacy while looking ahead to supporting future generations of entrepreneurs and strengthening the capital’s position as a regional commercial hub.

According to the chamber’s historical records, its establishment came in response to the need to regulate commercial activity within an institutional framework representing merchants and organizing their affairs. It was founded at the initiative of 40 merchants, becoming the first officially established chamber of commerce in the Emirate of Transjordan at the dawn of the state under the leadership of King Abdullah I bin Al-Hussein.

Since its inception, the chamber has played a key regulatory and economic role, addressing general economic issues, contributing to efforts to combat inflation and ensure the availability of essential goods, regulating transport fares, setting housing costs, overseeing weights and measures, providing commercial arbitration services, and certifying guarantees and invoices of public interest.

Following independence, legislative developments culminated in the issuance of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry Law No. 41 of 1949, which defined the powers and responsibilities of chambers and laid the foundations for modern administrative organization.

//Petra// AJ