Baghdad, Iraq— Jordan and Iraq have renewed pledge to strengthen economic cooperation in a meeting between the kingdom’s Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh, and his Iraqi counterpart, Muhammad Shia’a Sudani, on Monday.
In a joint statement, both PMs reaffirmed the strategic nature of the Jordanian-Iraqi relationship and called for efforts to strengthen economic cooperation.
The discussions focused on enhancing the volume of trade exchange, expanding cooperation in the economic, trade, and investment fields, and supporting the private sector in increasing trade exchange between the two countries.
The leaders emphasized the need to overcome obstacles standing in the way of upgrading bilateral relations and implementing agreements reached during the Iraqi-Jordanian Joint Committee meetings.
Jordan highlighted the importance of Iraq’s security as a fundamental pillar of the region and offered its support for the Iraqi government’s efforts to achieve the aspirations of the Iraqi people.
The two sides discussed various Arab issues, including the Palestinian issue and efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis, and emphasized the need for continued coordination and consultation to resolve regional crises and serve Arab interests.
They also condemned the repeated burning of the Holy Qur’an, calling on states to respect the feelings and sanctities of others and to confront all abusive acts that fuel feelings of hatred and racism.
Iraq emphasized the importance of the historical Hashemite Custodianship over the Islamic and Christian holy places in the city of Jerusalem, and its role in protecting these sanctities and preserving their Arab, Islamic and Christian identity.
They also highlighted the importance of implementing outcomes from the Iraqi-Jordanian-Egyptian tripartite summits, particularly the memorandum of understanding for industrial integration.
The two sides reviewed developments regarding the joint economic city project and urged the Iraqi-Jordanian Company for Industry to continue work at an escalating pace to start implementing the project on the ground.
They also stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation in the field of energy, completing the electrical interconnection project, and extending a pipeline to export Iraqi oil through Jordanian territory.
The leaders agreed to facilitate entry visa procedures and to raise the level of food security, promote food integration, and increase strategic stock of commodities. In the health field, they emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation, exchanging experiences, and mutual recognition of national medical fellowships.
They also agreed to form a joint Iraqi-Jordanian working group concerned with investment affairs to facilitate investment in both countries.