III Session of the Russian-Jordanian Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation Development Takes Place in Amman, Jordan

The Third Session of the Russian-Jordanian Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation Development took place on 23^rd March 2016 in Amman City. The Russian Part of the Commission was headed by Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation Alexander Tkachyov. The Jordanian Part of the Commission was headed by Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Imad N. Al Fakhoury.

In the course of the Session the results of the Commission expert groups’ work in such areas as agriculture, tourism, nuclear energy, industry, education and transportation were summed up.

According to the results at the end of last year, agricultural products made up more than half of the trade turnover between Russia and Jordan. “After the restriction on import of Turkish vegetables and fruits, Russia has been considering other suppliers and also it is planning to increase purchases in other countries including Jordan. We know that your products are of high quality, and I think that the vegetables and fruits from Jordan will be well accepted by Russian consumers”, ― said the Minister. He also added that he expected the growth in deliveries of Jordanian fruits and vegetables to the Russian market would be seen as early as that year.

In the course of the Session the Parties also agreed to promote an increase in bilateral trade and create conditions to stimulate the volume growth of present reciprocal commodity deliveries as well as to expand the range of the commodity items.

In this regard, the approval by the responsible authorities of Russia and Jordan of 4 veterinary certificates for deliveries of chilled and frozen cattle meat, poultry meat and edible offal, meat products as well as alive sheep and goats into Jordan from Russia was a very important step.

It was noted at the Session of the Commission that Jordan had already been included in the list of countries having tariff preferences provided by the Eurasian Economic Union. This means that for a certain list of goods imported into the territory of the Eurasian Economic Union duty rates of 75% from the base rate are used.

Also the Russian Part expressed its readiness to support Jordan’s request to join in the free trade agreement of the Eurasian Economic Union and to carry out the relevant work with its partners in the Eurasian Economic Union in order to create favorable conditions for Jordanian producers who are going to supply goods to the Russian market.

One of the key directions of bilateral cooperation is the implementation of the nuclear energy project. Both Sides expressed satisfaction with the progress of the first Nuclear Power Plant construction project in Jordan; the State Corporation “Rosatom” and the Atomic Energy Commission of Jordan may become the potential partners of this project.

Special attention at the Session was paid to tourism and the development of cultural relations between two countries. Taking into account the sales suspension of tour packages to Turkey in Russia, the participants of the Commission Session discussed the possibility to reorient the Russian tourists to Jordan direction.

The Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation gave a high appraisal to the Russian-Jordanian Business Forum which took place in the period from 21^st to 22^nd March 2016 as a part of the Third Session of the Russian-Jordanian Intergovernmental Commission and was attended by several major Russian companies specialized in aviation, engineering and agriculture. “This confirms the traditional interest of Russian business to the Jordanian market”, ― stressed Alexander Tkachyov.