Saudi Arabia, Jordan strengthen trade ties through land transport agreement

Trade and economic collaboration are set to improve between Saudi Arabia and Jordan as the two nations have reached an agreement to enhance land transport connectivity.

The Saudi-Jordanian Joint Technical Committee for Land Transport concluded its two-day meetings in Jeddah, emphasizing its commitment to streamlining procedures and facilitating the movement of passengers and goods for the mutual benefit of both countries, the state-run news agency reported.

During the discussions, the two parties addressed challenges encountered by carriers and licensed establishments in the land transportation sector, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Consequently, they agreed to implement various measures aimed at improving the efficiency of road connectivity in both nations.

The meeting was attended by Abdulmajeed Al-Tasan, vice chairman for the land transport sector at the Saudi Transport General Authority, and Abdul Rahim Al-Wreikat, director general of Jordan’s Land Transport Regulatory Authority.

In August, the committee convened its 18th session in the Saudi capital with the participation of government officials from both sides.

Saif bin Saad Al-Faqar, assistant undersecretary for sector development at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services, noted that the meeting was convened under the directives of the Kingdom’s leadership and aligned with the bilateral economic agreement signed between the two countries in 1962.

Al-Faqar emphasized the shared ambitions of the countries to expand cooperation in various fields, highlighting the importance of implementing recommendations from previous committee sessions.

Dana Al-Zoubi, secretary-general of the Jordanian Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply, affirmed the strong relationship between the countries in various fields. She added that the session built on the efforts of meetings held in Amman last year to enhance trade and economic exchange.

Bilateral economic relations between Riyadh and Amman have been rapidly growing, with Jordan aiming to boost cross-border investments in the Kingdom. According to the SPA, trade between the two countries reached approximately $4.4 billion in 2021, up from around $3.1 billion in 2020.

In June, the Jordanian Investment Council announced plans to roll out new projects in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries valued at $2.5 billion between 2023 and 2026.

Additionally, in March, a bilateral agreement worth more than $1 billion was signed by the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its Amman counterpart, focusing on developing economic relations between the two cities.