RIYADH: Private sector cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Jordan is set to strengthen as more than 250 business leaders and officials convened in Amman for a business forum.
Organized by the Federation of Saudi Chambers and the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, the Saudi-Jordanian Business opened on Sept. 3 with the aim of developing a joint economic vision and unlocking new trade and investment opportunities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Saudi delegation, led by Federation Chairman Hassan Al-Huwaizi, included prominent business figures, investors, and officials from the ministries of economy and planning, industry and mineral resources, investment, and the General Authority for Foreign Trade.
This comes as trade between the two countries continues to grow, with Jordanian exports to Saudi Arabia reaching 612 million Jordanian dinars ($863 million) in the first half of 2025, up from 513 million dinars a year earlier. Imports from the Kingdom also rose to 1.4 billion dinars, compared with 1.3 billion dinars in the same period of 2024.
Al-Huwaizi highlighted that the forum’s role in stimulating economic initiatives and creating new investment opportunities in the region, noting that this year’s edition aims to mark a qualitative shift in relations between the Saudi and Jordanian private sectors, the SPA report stated.
Jordanian Industry, Trade and Supply Minister Yarub Qudah said economic relations between the two countries should be translated into practical partnerships that serve mutual interests.
He added that Jordan’s trade with Saudi Arabia is nearly on par with its trade with the US.
Referring to Jordan’s free trade agreements with the EU, US and Canada, Qudah said joint efforts between Jordanian and Saudi businesses could maximize their benefits, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
He also underscored the need to tap new regional and global markets, pointing to reconstruction in Syria as a key opportunity for direct cooperation.
Jordanian Investment Minister Tareq Abughazaleh highlighted the importance of joint sectoral committees in easing business operations and stimulating capital flows.
Jordan Chamber of Commerce Chairman Khalil Al-Haj Tawfiq praised Saudi Arabia’s support for Jordan’s economy, noting that Saudi investments in the kingdom have surpassed $15 billion.
On the sidelines, the Saudi-Jordanian Joint Business Council held a meeting to explore ways to deepen trade ties.
Jordan Industrial Estates Co. invited Saudi investors to benefit from incentives across nine industrial cities, which host 975 firms with investments exceeding 3.5 billion Jordanian dinars. The zones currently house 16 Saudi projects worth 133 million dinars.
The forum also featured presentations from the Saudi side on investment opportunities under Vision 2030, covering entry procedures and institutional support for foreign investors.
