Amman, Nov. 4 (Petra) -- Chairman of the Association of Owners of Clearance and Transport Companies (AOCTC), Daifallah Abu Aqouleh, welcomed Iraq's decision to grant Jordanian citizens visas upon arrival at its land and air border crossings, describing it as an important step toward strengthening bilateral relations and advancing economic cooperation.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Abu Aqouleh said the decision reflects the shared commitment of Jordan and Iraq to deepening economic and trade ties while facilitating travel and movement between the two countries.
The Iraqi Embassy in Amman announced Tuesday that the Iraqi Ministry of Interior had issued a ministerial order allowing Jordanian citizens to obtain visit visas upon arrival at Iraqi land and air border crossings, simplifying entry procedures.
Abu Aqouleh said the move would help eliminate administrative barriers facing citizens, traders and business people, making it easier to conduct commercial activities, build partnerships and explore wider investment opportunities in both countries.
He noted that Iraq is one of Jordan's key trading partners and that easing travel procedures would give fresh impetus to bilateral trade by enabling traders, business owners and company representatives to conduct their activities more efficiently, strengthen business partnerships and expand trade exchange.
He added that Jordan's customs clearance and freight transport sector would be among the main beneficiaries of the decision, as it would give professionals greater flexibility in overseeing commercial and logistical operations and following up on cross-border transactions.
The measure would also help streamline the movement of goods and trucks through border crossings, improve supply chain efficiency and reduce the time and costs involved in completing trade procedures, he said.
Abu Aqouleh stressed that promoting trade requires facilitating not only the movement of goods but also the travel of those responsible for managing and overseeing commercial operations, including traders, investors, customs clearance agents and representatives of transport and logistics companies.
He expressed appreciation to the Iraqi government and relevant authorities for the decision, commending their efforts to strengthen the longstanding fraternal and economic ties between the two countries.
He said Jordan and Iraq have considerable potential to expand trade exchange and cooperation in transportation, logistics and customs clearance, adding that facilitating travel for citizens and business people is essential to advancing bilateral relations and serving the economies and private sectors of both countries.
//Petra// WH
