AMMAN — Chairman of the Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) Khalil Haj Tawfiq on Thursday met with Governor of Damascus Maher Marwan, and Governor of Rural Damascus Amer Sheikh to discuss avenues for enhancing economic cooperation and joint action between Jordan and Syria, particularly in reconstruction efforts.

 

Haj Tawfiq stressed the Jordanian private sector’s readiness to contribute to Syria’s reconstruction, underscoring the Kingdom’s consistent support for the Syrian people, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

 

He noted that the chamber, in coordination with the Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC) and various commercial and service sectors, has devised a comprehensive action plan to launch a new phase of economic engagement grounded in mutual interests.

 

The ACC chairman announced plans to establish the Jordanian-Syrian joint business council and organise a bilateral business forum by the end of this month, alongside a digital business forum in Damascus.

 

Haj Tawfiq expressed the chamber’s willingness to form a specialised committee to visit Syrian cities, assess reconstruction needs, and explore potential areas of collaboration in engineering, contracting and consulting services.

 

He offered the expertise of ACC in training and consultancy to support urban planning, commercial sector development and human resource capacity-building efforts in Damascus and Rural Damascus.

 

Trade relations between Jordan and Syria have shown signs of recovery, according to Haj Tawfiq, who noted that Jordanian exports to Syria rose to JD72 million in the first third of this year, an increase of more than JD25 million compared with the entire previous year.

 

A total of 83,222 trucks have departed for Syria via the Jaber border crossing since beginning of this year, while 77,632 trucks have entered Jordan from Syria during the same period.

 

Certificates of origin issued for goods destined to Syria totalled 2,256 by the end of June, with a value of JD38 million, covering industrial and food products such as fertilisers, plastic sheets, and aluminium and wheat flour.

 

Syria’s key exports to Jordan include live sheep and pistachios.

 

Currently, 1,949 companies registered in Jordan include Syrian partners, with a combined capital exceeding JD805 million, of which JD158 million represents Syrian equity.

 

Marwan expressed gratitude for Jordan’s enduring support under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, and praised the growing partnership with the Jordanian private sector, particularly in reconstruction initiatives.

 

He highlighted legislative reforms underway in Syria to create a more conducive environment for private investment and business operations.

 

Sheikh underscored Syria’s need for support in key sectors, particularly agriculture and industry, and expressed a “strong” interest in leveraging Jordanian expertise, notably that of the Greater Amman Municipality, in rebuilding efforts, Petra reported.

 

He pointed to opportunities for joint ventures and welcomed cooperation with the ACC, especially in training and technical studies through the chamber’s academy, emphasising the private sector’s “pivotal” role in economic revitalisation.

 

Members of the chamber’s board stressed the importance of Jordan securing a stake in Syrian reconstruction projects and underscored the strategic role of Aqaba Port for Syrian imports.

 

They also highlighted opportunities for collaboration in logistics and information technology and proposed appointing a liaison officer to coordinate joint efforts.

 

They called for facilitating the movement of Jordanian tourist buses within Syrian cities and urged the Syrian side to further reduce insurance costs for such travel.

 

They also anticipated a surge in tourism between the two nations in the coming period.