Amman: The Jordan Businessmen Association and the South African Embassy in Jordan deliberated on strengthening bilateral economic relations and exploring new partnership opportunities.

During a meeting held at the embassy on Wednesday, Ambassador Tselane Mokuena and the association’s president, Hamdi Tabbaa, discussed South Africa’s role in filing a lawsuit against the Israeli occupation at the International Court of Justice. They addressed Israel’s war crimes and genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza, highlighting South Africa’s support for the Palestinians’ steadfastness and their quest for rights and freedom.

Tabbaa emphasized the importance of advancing economic cooperation to serve mutual interests, given the strong relations between Jordan and South Africa. He proposed convening a Jordanian-South African business council to explore cooperation prospects and expand partnerships in investment, commerce, and tourism.

He also underscored the need to enhance trade exchange, which currently does
not reflect the depth of the countries’ relations, by establishing a direct commercial shipping line between Jordan and South Africa.

He also highlighted Jordan’s investment advantages, noting its safe environment, strategic location, and the opportunities available in Aqaba, a city recognized for its commercial, industrial, and service potential with easy access to regional and global markets.

Mokuena praised the diplomatic efforts of His Majesty King Abdullah II in supporting the Palestinian people, halting Israeli aggression in Gaza, and promoting peace in the region. She reiterated South Africa’s alignment with Jordan in defending Palestinian rights.

She also expressed South Africa’s eagerness to strengthen economic and trade relations with Jordan, leverage Jordan’s stable business environment, and increase trade exchange, underscoring the importance of exchanging expertise, transferring technology, and establishing investments to achieve integration in various sectors.

Untapped opportunities between
the two countries amount to over $12 million, particularly in fertilizers, chemical products, pharmaceuticals, clothing, food products, and paper products. The trade volume between Jordan and South Africa reached approximately $136 million in 2022, up from $63 million in 2021.

Source: Jordan News Agency