Doha: Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply, Yarub Qudah, represented Jordan at the fifth meeting of the “Higher Committee for the Integrated Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development,” which began on Sunday in Doha, Qatar. The gathering included industry and trade ministers from the member states of the partnership.
According to Jordan News Agency, the meeting witnessed the signing of several agreements and the announcement of strategic projects worth over $2 billion. These projects aim to boost industrial integration among member nations in fields such as metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, plastics, healthy food production, biotechnology innovation, and the development of electrical and advanced technology industries.
The meeting also heralded the entry of Qatar and Trkiye into the partnership, expanding the number of member states to seven within three years of the initiative’s inception.
A statement from the Ministry indicated that the inclusion of Qatar and Trkiye strengthens the strategic developmental transformation of the initiative, launched in Abu Dhabi in 2022. This expansion signifies the shared ambition among partner states to enhance industrial integration, deepen cooperation, and foster a resilient, competitive, and sustainable economy.
The Ministry underscored the importance of the “Integrated Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development,” particularly in light of rapid global changes. The initiative seeks to fortify supply chains and achieve self-sufficiency in strategic and priority industries. The inclusion of Trkiye and Qatar highlights the partnership’s crucial role as a catalyst for sustainable economic growth, innovation, and competitiveness.
Minister Qudah expressed pride in the partnership’s expansion, which began with three countries in 2022 and has now grown to seven, enriching it with diverse perspectives and strategic directions for regional advancement.
He noted the challenges of sustaining and institutionalizing the measures adopted by member states, which involve national-level reforms in economic legislation, administrative frameworks, and regulatory support structures. This is alongside regional economic integration that leverages each country’s comparative advantages to establish vital joint projects and facilitate seamless trade.
Qudah emphasized the need for each country to outline its private sector’s contributions within the partnership through supportive legislative and regulatory environments that promote joint projects and facilitate trade and service exchanges.
He added that the Jordanian government, under the directives and close monitoring of His Majesty King Abdullah II, is working with the private sector to prepare Jordanian industrial institutions for a more significant role within the industrial partnership. This includes adopting modern production techniques that optimize raw material and alternative energy use, enhancing product quality to meet target market standards, and improving global market penetration capabilities.
Qudah stated that Jordan’s economic policy prioritizes deeper regional integration, as evidenced by its Investment Environment Law, which offers incentives and exemptions to investors, supports energy costs, accelerates procedures, and ensures equal treatment for both Jordanian and foreign investors.
The committee reviewed the partnership’s achievements over the past two and a half years since its launch in May 2022.
UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Sultan Al Jaber, described the partnership as a unified vision aimed at fostering sustainable economic development and strengthening integration among member states by leveraging their unique competitive advantages.
Egypt’s Minister of Industry and Transport, Major General Kamel Al-Wazir, stressed that industrial integration among regional countries is no longer an option but a necessity for enhancing global competitiveness and achieving comprehensive development.
Qatar’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Faisal Al Thani, described the partnership as a strategic step toward industrial cooperation and integration, aligning priority industrial sectors and developing joint production strategies to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the industrial sector.
Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology, Mehmet Fatih Kac?r, noted that Trkiye’s participation will not only create strategic cooperation opportunities for Turkish industries but also support technological advancements and contribute to sustainable economic growth in the Middle East.
Bahrain’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Abdullah Fakhro, emphasized the commitment of member states to attracting and developing high-value industrial projects in collaboration with the private sector. He called on businesses to capitalize on these opportunities to expand production lines, reduce costs, and strengthen supply chain resilience.
Moroccan Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, highlighted the partnership’s goal of fostering regional integration and cooperation to build a robust economic bloc, secure supply chains, and enhance value chains across partner states through high-value industrial projects.
The initiative currently includes Jordan, the UAE, Egypt, Bahrain, and Morocco, along with the newly joined Trkiye and Qatar.