MOSCOW, Sept. 12 (Petra) – Jordan and the Russian Federation have agreed on a series of practical measures to deepen bilateral economic, trade, and investment ties, boost inter-state commerce, and expand collaboration across key strategic sectors.

The agreements came at the conclusion of the seventh session of the Jordanian-Russian Intergovernmental Joint Committee for Economic, Trade, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation.

Hosted in Moscow from September 8 to 11, the high-level meetings were co-chaired by Jordan’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, Eng. Yarub Qudah, and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev.

The sessions drew senior government officials and institutional representatives from both nations, including Jordanian Minister of Agriculture Saeb Khraisat, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Imad Hijazeen, and Jordanian Ambassador to Russia Khalid Al-Shawabkeh, alongside Russian Ambassador to Jordan Gleb F. Desyatnikov.

Opening the proceedings, Qudah underscored the imperative of diversifying the mutual exchange of goods and services, maximizing Jordanian corporate participation in Russian trade exhibitions, and mobilizing private-sector stakeholders to capitalize on untapped bilateral investment prospects.

He pointed to lucrative partnership opportunities in pharmaceuticals, transport infrastructure, and joint manufacturing, noting that Russian enterprises could leverage Jordan’s robust network of free trade agreements with global economic blocs.

Qudah further highlighted regional commercial horizons, framing Jordan as a strategic logistics hub and operational base for Russian firms looking to engage in impending post-war reconstruction projects in neighboring Syria and Iraq. He also updated delegates on advanced negotiations regarding preferential trade agreements with Rwanda and Uzbekistan, designed to pave new inroads for Jordanian exports into African and Central Asian markets.

Reaffirming the importance of institutional continuity, Qudah called for regular committee cycles, announcing that Amman will host the eighth session in 2027.

For his part, Patrushev stressed the unique character of Jordanian-Russian relations, designating the joint committee as a vital engine for boosting bilateral trade volume. He reiterated Moscow’s readiness to scale up strategic cooperation and execute mutual-benefit projects spanning trade, industry, investment, energy, agriculture, food security, transport, logistics, tourism, and information and communications technology (ICT).

Ahead of the ministerial plenary, the joint preparatory technical committee met under the co-chairership of Jordanian Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply Secretary-General Dana Al-Zoubi and Russian Deputy Minister of Economic Development Vladimir Ilichev.

Al-Zoubi asserted that current bilateral trade volumes still fall short of actual potential, demanding targeted mechanisms to dismantle trade barriers and accelerate commercial exchange.

On the sidelines of the summit, the Jordanian delegation engaged with representatives of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) to evaluate pathways for expanded trade, review ongoing free trade agreement negotiations, and establish a dedicated joint committee on trade and investment. Both sides agreed to intensify data-sharing and regulatory coordination to enhance market access for Jordanian goods within the EAEU bloc.

Concluding the summit, Qudah and Patrushev signed the official protocol of the seventh joint committee session. Additional pacts signed included a protocol between the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation and the Jordan Customs Department concerning the exchange of customs valuation data, alongside a memorandum of understanding on healthcare cooperation.

Both capitals committed to rigorous follow-up mechanisms to translate the summit’s outcomes into concrete commercial programs and joint ventures.

//Petra// AA