The Jordanian economic delegation, which includes directors from the Development and Employment Fund, the Companies Control Department, the Jordan Industrial Estates Company, the Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO), as well as the Manager of the Rural Economic Growth and Employment Project (REGEP) and representatives from the Jordan Exporters and Producers Association for Fruit and Vegetables (JEPA), has departed from Manama and is heading to Riyadh. This tour is organized by the Rural Economic Growth and Employment Project (REGEP) across several Gulf countries.
During their stay in Bahrain over the past two days, the delegation held several meetings, including one with the Export Bahrain Foundation, which aims to develop, qualify, and support projects. The delegation was briefed on the foundation’s operations by Executive Director Ms. Safaa Abdel Khalek, who expressed her full willingness to cooperate in developing trade and economic relations between the two brotherly countries and connecting Jordanian and Bahraini companies to increase trade volume. Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO) CEO Mr. Abed Al-Fattah Al-Kayed confirmed that this meeting represents the partnership with the Export Bahrain Foundation to develop cooperation mechanisms between various economic institutions and their counterparts in Bahrain to build a better future for citizens in both countries and enhance opportunities for economic collaboration.
Additionally, the JEPA representatives in the delegation met with several private sector wholesale and retail markets, hypermarkets, and their management teams, whereas agreements made to increase the quantity and types of agricultural exports, as well as to expand and establish new partnerships to introduce new agricultural products to the Bahraini market in the future.
Some members of the delegation also met with representatives from major financial companies considering expanding their operations to include Jordan. Dr. Wael Al-Armouti, General manager of the Companies Control Department, provided a comprehensive explanation of the official and legal registration mechanisms in Jordan. He noted that Jordan welcomes the encouragement of international and regional company registrations, whereas the companies’ law was amended to be more flexible and aligned with the streamlined procedures for company registration, in line with the economic modernization vision.
The delegation also held an extensive meeting with the Investment and Technology Promotion Office of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Each delegation member presented a detailed overview of their institutions' work and the services they offer to support the national economy, discussing the potential benefits of UNIDO programs, especially in supporting entrepreneurial projects, building capacities, and utilizing technology to enhance the competitiveness of these projects and improve their capacity and efficiency.
Mr. Mansour Wreikat, General Director of the Development and Employment Fund, assured the Jordanian government's interest in SME’s, encouraging young Jordanians to engage in entrepreneurship and providing financial support through facilitated loans offered by the fund to translate their ideas into tangible projects that create direct job opportunities. He expressed the fund’s readiness to cooperate with UNIDO, exchange experiences, and organize visits in this field.
Mr. Omar Al-Juwaid, Director of the Jordan Industrial Estates Company, mentioned that Jordan’s industrial cities are incubating environment for industrial investments and part of the investment environment aimed at attracting industrial investments benefiting from tax and customs incentives, among others, in addition to the comprehensive infrastructure. He provided an explanation of the competitive advantages of investing in these industrial cities in alignment with Jordan’s economic modernization vision, emphasizing that this tour was a significant opportunity to introduce Jordanian industrial cities and their investment advantages to major Gulf investment funds.
Finally, the Jordanian Ambassador in Manama, Mr. Rami Wreikat, greeted the Jordanian delegation at the embassy, welcoming their presence in Bahrain, confirming the embassy’s support for all efforts to enhance cooperation in various fields, especially economic, in the shade of the distinguished political relations between the two brotherly countries.