SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Iraq and Jordan agreed to establish a joint economic zone on their border to boost economic cooperation, the country’s officials said.
Iraqi minister of industry and minerals Manhal Aziz al-Khabbaz and Jordanian minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yousef Shamali chaired an extraordinary meeting of the general assembly of the Iraqi-Jordanian Industrial Company in Amman on Wednesday.
The ministers said an advisory institution would be chosen to help the development of the border economic zone and attract necessary investments, according to Xinhua.
The zone is expected to promote Jordanian-Iraqi economic integration, especially in industry, Shamali was cited as saying.
He further said products and enterprises in the zone would be offered exemptions and benefit from free trade agreements Jordan has signed with other countries.
The planned border economic zone can also help realize sustainable economic development, especially in eastern Jordan and western Iraq, by improving infrastructure and creating direct and indirect jobs, Xinhua cited the two ministers as saying.
