Amman Chamber of Commerce hosts a Philippine trade mission
08/02/2025
The Amman Chamber of Commerce hosted a Philippine trade mission that included 13 companies from different sectors, with the aim of enhancing trade exchange between the two friendly countries.
The Philippine mission, whose visit was organized by the Philippine Embassy in the Kingdom and the Philippine Export Marketing Council of the Philippine Department of Industry and Trade, held bilateral meetings that brought together importers, traders, distributors and exporters from Jordan and the Philippines.
The companies participating in the mission are distributed across the food and cosmetics sectors, such as (natural juices and jams, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, ice cream and ice cream, snacks, spices and pickles, biscuits, seafood, and skin care products).
The First Vice Chairman of the Chamber, Nabil Al-Khatib, confirmed that the mission seeks to open new horizons for trade exchange and introduce the Jordanian market to Philippine products, and introduce Jordanian products to Filipino traders and investors, which contributes to providing new investment opportunities in the targeted sectors.
He explained that trade missions are important because they are directed and determined by the participating companies, pointing out the importance of these missions in exchanging knowledge, experiences and expertise with other companies in different markets, which enables them to improve their operations and products and increase their competitiveness.
Al-Khatib explained that the mission's visit is of great importance on the economic and commercial levels, as the meetings provided an opportunity for Jordanian businessmen, traders and importers to learn about Philippine industries in the specified sectors, indicating that the two countries' trade exchanges amounted to $10 million during 11 months of last year.
Al-Khatib expressed his hope that these meetings would contribute to increasing the volume of inter-Arab trade exchange, building partnerships, exchanging experiences, enhancing mutual investment, expanding the scope of businesses for companies, and opening new markets for suppliers and exporters.
For his part, the Philippine Ambassador to the Kingdom, Wilfredo C. Santos, said that the mission's visit is an opportunity for both sides to expand the horizons of trade cooperation, open new markets for Jordanian and Philippine products, in addition to enhancing mutual investments.
Santos stressed that this mission confirms the Philippines’ commitment to deepening economic relations between our two countries, indicating that through this mission we aim to explore and expand avenues of trade, investment and business-to-business interactions that will be mutually beneficial.
He explained that the presence of a diverse delegation from the Philippines representing 13 companies, in addition to key officials from the Philippine Department of Agriculture, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Dubai reflects our strong commitment to expanding our reach into the Jordanian market and building long-term partnerships with our Jordanian counterparts.
For her part, the Head of the Promotion Division at the Ministry of Investment, Eng. Tamara Kaabar, gave a presentation on investment potential in Jordan, focusing on the strong capabilities in the field of exports, key markets, and the many advantages offered by the Investment Environment Law.
Kaabar highlighted the major international companies that have chosen Jordan as their headquarters, stressing the country’s competitiveness in sectors such as manufacturing, technology, and logistics, pointing to the investment climate in Jordan and its growing role as a major hub for trade, investment, and logistics services between the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa.
She explained that Jordan's strategic location allows access to more than 1.5 billion consumers in major markets with high purchasing power, including the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Arab countries, thanks to the free trade agreements that Jordan enjoys.
She pointed to the facilities provided by the Kingdom to encourage investors and provide a competitive investment environment that is conducive to growth and development, calling on Philippine companies to communicate with the Ministry to provide all the details related to the procedures necessary to start investment projects, and to learn more about the advantages and incentives provided by the law.
In addition, the Director General of the Chamber, Ghaleb Hijazi, presented a briefing on the Amman Chamber of Commerce, the services it provides to members, and the work it does to cooperate with Arab and international chambers and diplomatic missions to enhance trade exchange with other countries and promote the investment environment in the Kingdom.
For her part, the Assistant Director of the Export Marketing Office of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, Maria Katrina, presented a presentation on the trade and investment opportunities available in the Philippines.
She pointed to a group of vital sectors that offer distinct opportunities for trade cooperation, including manufacturing industries, agriculture, and marine products, stressing the importance of international partnerships to enhance trade and investment exchange.