Amman, Jan. 4 (Petra) -- The Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) hosted a broad meeting at its headquarters bringing together representatives of the food, pharmaceutical, and medical supplies industries with a delegation from the Chinese Embassy in Jordan.
According to a JFDA statement issued Sunday, the meeting aimed to develop a roadmap to enhance industrial and investment cooperation in the food, pharmaceutical, and medical supplies sectors, and to explore prospects for joint humanitarian initiatives to send medical and food aid to support the people of Gaza, in coordination with relevant authorities.
JFDA Director General Rana Obeidat underscored the importance of exchanging information on food and pharmaceutical products with competitive export potential to China, and of understanding the legislative and regulatory environments in both countries to facilitate exports.
She noted plans to hold a series of future technical meetings with Chinese health authorities to align regulatory requirements, helping attract quality investments and increase exports in the targeted sectors.
She also stressed the value of field visits by technical delegations to major Chinese manufacturing facilities to exchange expertise and build capacity in global technological standards for pharmaceutical and medical supplies manufacturing, similar to the success achieved through visits to food factories.
For his part, Commercial and Economic Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Jordan Cheng Yongru affirmed the depth of the strategic partnership between Jordan and China, highlighting cooperation in introducing major Chinese companies to investment opportunities available in Jordan.
Representing the Therapeutic Industries and Medical Supplies Sector at the Jordan Chamber of Industry, Fadi Atrash presented an overview of the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, its competitive advantages, and strong growth in exports, which reached $863 million in 2024, recording 15 percent growth driven by the quality and reliability of Jordanian medicines.
Secretary General of the Jordanian Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Hanan Sboul said cooperation with Chinese pharmaceutical companies is based on complementarity and ongoing efforts to expand collaboration to support industry growth.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Jeitan, representing the Food, Supply, Agricultural Industries and Livestock Sector at the Jordan Chamber of Industry, outlined the sector’s strengths and positive indicators.
He noted that the sector achieved cumulative growth of 102 percent over the past five years, positioning it among the fastest-growing national sectors, with exports valued at JOD 823 million in 2024.
Chairperson of the Board of Restoring Hope Society, Fawaz Shakaa, presented an overview of the association’s efforts, launched under Royal directives, to provide rapid medical support to amputees in Gaza.
He highlighted its comprehensive medical and rehabilitation services related to prosthetics, delivered by qualified medical teams, as a leading national model aimed at positioning Jordan as a regional hub for prosthetics and rehabilitation through technology-driven, sustainable humanitarian work.
Vice President of MENA Regulatory Affairs at Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Yara Barghouthi, also shared Hikma’s experience as a leading pharmaceutical company founded in Jordan in 1978, which has since expanded globally with operations, manufacturing plants, and research and development centers worldwide.
//Petra// NQ
