Amman, June 11 (Petra) -- The Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) and the Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI) agreed in principle to establish a joint business council, create a joint electronic economic platform, pursue a twinning agreement, and study the launch of permanent commercial centers in Amman and Erbil.
The agreements came during a meeting between the ACC Board of Directors and ECCI President Gailan Haji Saeed and an accompanying delegation, attended by Jordan’s Consul General in Erbil Ziad Batarseh.
According to an ACC statement issued Thursday, the proposed joint business council would serve as an institutional economic platform to advance trade, investment, and private sector cooperation.
The council will include businesspeople, economists, and representatives of various sectors from both sides, helping strengthen direct communication between private sector institutions, support joint partnerships and investments, and follow up on initiatives and projects of mutual interest.
The two sides also agreed to establish a twinning relationship between the Amman and Erbil chambers through a memorandum of understanding to enhance the exchange of expertise, information, and services.
They further agreed to create a joint electronic platform as an integrated economic information bank, covering goods, products, companies, trade and investment opportunities, incentives, legislation, regulations, and relevant economic indicators.
The platform will also include information on tourism destinations in Jordan and the Kurdistan Region, as well as investment opportunities in tourism, medical tourism, and educational tourism, supporting mutual promotion of products, services, and economic opportunities.
The two sides also agreed to study establishing permanent commercial centers and exhibitions in Amman and Erbil to display and market goods, products, and services, promote investment opportunities, and increase trade exchange.
Chairman of the ACC Khalil Haj Tawfiq said the growing official-level understanding between the two sides has created a positive environment for stronger economic and investment cooperation, allowing the private sector to play a larger role in building partnerships.
He said the agreements reached during the meeting will strengthen communication between the two business communities and open new prospects for cooperation and investment. He added that a Jordanian economic delegation representing various sectors will visit the Kurdistan Region in the coming period to hold direct meetings with the business community there.
For his part, Haji Saeed said Jordan is an important economic partner and a gateway to several regional markets, stressing the Kurdistan Region’s keenness to expand cooperation with Jordanian chambers of commerce and strengthen private sector partnerships.
He also underlined the importance of exchanging delegations and expertise and organizing joint exhibitions and economic forums to promote mutual investments and establish quality projects that serve both sides.
Batarseh affirmed the consulate general’s readiness to support communication between private sector institutions and businesspeople and encourage joint economic and investment initiatives that strengthen trade relations and build sustainable partnerships.
ACC board members said information and communications technology is among the most promising areas for cooperation, alongside logistics, consulting, tourism, medical tourism, and educational tourism.
They called for specialized bilateral business meetings between Jordanian companies and their counterparts, as well as regular meetings involving travel and tourism agencies and representatives of various economic sectors to present available opportunities and develop joint programs.
//Petra// AO
