Amman, Sept. 17 (Petra)-- On Wednesday, the Jordanian-Uzbekistani Leather and Garment Industries Forum began in Amman.
At the forum's opening, Ihab Qadri, who represents the Jordan Chamber of Industry's Leather and Garment Industries Sector, stressed that Jordan's geographic location and extensive network of trade agreements, which give it direct access to over 1.5 billion customers worldwide, make it an appealing place for investment. He also underlined his conviction that global collaboration is the way to long-term, all-encompassing growth.
He said that in addition to being a great chance for communication, the Uzbekistani delegation's visit is a direct outcome of His Majesty King Abdullah II's visit to Uzbekistan, which ushered in a new era in the two nations' relationship and helped to establish the groundwork for a more comprehensive strategic alliance.
He emphasized that Jordan is confidently advancing under the Economic Modernization Vision, a plan that centers growth around industry. According to him, this perspective sees industry as a catalyst for job creation, export growth, and integration into global value chains rather than just as a foundation of production.
With hundreds of enterprises that generate over $2.5 billion in exports yearly and an 8% growth in the first half of this year alone, the sector is a Jordanian success story, Qadri added. It is a key component of the national economy and a crucial entry point to international markets, employing over 90,000 skilled individuals and achieving a value-added rate of over 42%.
He noted that this forum is the first step toward deeper collaboration in the form of joint ventures between Uzbek and Jordanian businesses, the integration of textile, fabric, and raw material supply chains, increased training and knowledge transfer investments, youth empowerment, increased participation of women in this sector, and the planning of joint trade missions and exhibitions to open new markets.
According to Qadiri, the Jordan Chamber of Industry is helping the Uzbekistani delegation by providing its resources and experience in order to make this collaboration a success story for both nations. He said he hoped that this meeting will mark the real start of Jordan and Uzbekistan working together in a meaningful, productive, and long-term way.
The forum is a perfect fit for building a genuine cooperation and taking this effort to the next level, according to Sanal Kumar, President of the Jordan Garment Exporters Association. He noted that Jordan serves as a gateway to the American and European markets and is home to a large number of textile factories.
He went on to say that the two nations' level of cooperation may start at about half a billion dollars and grow to over eight billion dollars by 2033. He said that the organization is prepared to support the mission of the Uzbek delegation and enhance collaboration, allowing the two nations to fortify their partnership to unprecedented levels.
Hazem Rahahleh, Director-General of the Jordan Chamber of Industry, stressed that the Uzbek delegation's visit is a significant step in fostering closer ties between the two nations and creating new opportunities for trade and investment between them.
He said that Jordan and Uzbekistan share a shared vision for sustainable economic growth, and that partnerships can be built between them that not only enhance trade relations but also contribute to creating added value for the business communities in both countries and contribute to the prosperity of the region.
"Jordan and Uzbekistan have all the conditions and opportunities for joint cooperation in the textile sector," said Jasur Rustambekov, Vice President of the Association of Textile and Clothing Industry of Uzbekistan. He hopes that this forum will serve as a springboard for long-term collaboration in textile production and export to international markets.
According to him, the two nations can trade in markets with a combined population of around one billion, and Uzbek businesses may gain from fostering collaboration by joining Jordanian textile companies' supply chains.
//Petra// MF
