Jordan has expressed high interest in importing Kazakh grain using alternative transport routes, including via the Caspian Sea. Kazakhstan, for its part, is interested in using the potential of the Aqaba port in Jordan to export its goods to the Jordanian market and the markets of the MENA countries, the APK News agency reports.
This information was voiced at a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nurlan Baibazarov and Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Yarub Al-Qudah, which took place in Amman.
According to the press service of the Government of Kazakhstan, by the end of 2023, Kazakhstan's trade turnover with Jordan increased by 4.2 times and amounted to $6 million. At the same time, the chairmen of the joint commission noted the existing potential for further growth.
At the meeting, it was reported that in order to expand the range of exports, Kazakhstan is ready to increase the supply of non-commodity goods to the Jordanian market in 15 commodity items, including wheat and other types of agricultural products.
At the same time, Kazakhstan is interested in the participation of Jordanian companies in the creation of enterprises for the production of meat, grain, legumes and other products in our country.
The Jordanian side expressed high interest in importing Kazakh grain using alternative transport routes, including through the Caspian Sea. Kazakhstan, for its part, is interested in using the potential of the port of Aqaba to export its goods to the Jordanian market and the markets of the MENA countries.
It should be noted that MENA is a geographical region that unites the countries of the Maghreb and the Middle East. It includes such countries as Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen. Most of the MENA countries are also part of a larger region - the Greater Middle East.
The participants emphasized the need for direct interaction between the business circles of the two countries, including through the organization of bilateral trade and economic missions. For these purposes, the work of the Kazakh-Jordanian Business Council will be intensified, and it is proposed to hold a meeting in Astana next year.
An important step was the discussion of the issue of Jordanian airlines using the “open skies” regime to launch direct flights to Kazakhstan, which will contribute to the development of tourism and the strengthening of economic ties.