Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) and Cairo-based Arab Union of Customs Executives (AUCE), on Wednesday signed a joint cooperation protocol to strengthen continuous partnership and interaction.
The protocol aims to support joint cooperation and transfer expertise to Arab countries and economic actors in the economic, commercial and customs fields, to set joint coordination mechanisms and implementation procedures in common interest areas, according to an ACC statement.
It also aims to cooperate in providing consultations and data to traders, business owners, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), exporters and importers in Jordanian capital, and preparing studies in the economic, commercial and customs fields.
The protocol, which was signed by ACC Chairman, Khalil Haj Tawfiq, and AUCE President, Mamdouh Rifai, aims to launch activities to build capacity, spread awareness, increase production and transfer technology to Amman-based traders, importers and business owners.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Haj Tawfiq noted private sector’s role in promoting joint Arab economic action at times when Arab economy is suffering from difficult challenges due to Covid-19 crisis repercussions and slowdown in economic growth.
Haj Tawfiq said ACC joined AUCE at the beginning of 2022, due to its belief in the union’s objectives, and necessity of advancing joint Arab economy and raising awareness of exporters, importers and customs brokers of working customs mechanisms.
Activities of the private sector should contribute to improving the economic conditions in the Arab countries, he said, adding that ACC “seriously” seeks to reach the stage of Arab economic integration.
Haj Tawfiq called on AUCE to exert more effort to educate exporters, importers and customs brokers about the working customs mechanisms and contribute to removing procedural obstacles at customs outlets, which impede trade exchange between Arab countries.
For his part, Rifai said AUCE is “fully” prepared to cooperate with various parties and relevant authorities to develop Arab commercial and customs sector, raise efficiency of Arab customs brokers and support process of joint Arab action.
AUCE, he noted, seeks to enhance cooperation with Arab and international organizations to ensure flow of inter-Arab, African and international trade, contribute to combating commercial fraud, reduce smuggling operations, and reduce investment obstacles in the Arab and African countries, he noted.
AUCE, which was established in 2017, signed many agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU) with several Arab countries to serve interests of the Arab economy and contribute to advancing its growth, he noted.
Source: Jordan News Agency