Launch of Preparatory Experts Meetings for 29th Joint Egyptian-Jordanian Higher Committee

CAIRO – 21 March 2021: Preparatory Experts meetings for the 29th Joint Egyptian-Jordanian Higher Committee began on March 20 in the Jordanian capital, Amman, chaired by Tariq Al-Shaarawi, Adviser to the Minister of International Cooperation and Supervisor of the Arab and African Cooperation Potfolio, from the Egyptian side; and the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply, Youssef Al-Shamali, from the Jordanian side. 

This comes in light of recent talks held between Egyptian Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly and Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawneh where they agreed that the joint Egyptian-Jordanian Higher Committee meetings would be held within the framework of strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries, and trilateral cooperation between Egypt, Jordan and Iraq.

Minister of International Cooperation Rania A. Al- Mashat held a coordination meeting with the Jordanian delegation last February at the headquarters of the Ministry of International Cooperation.

This meeting was to prepare for the 29th Joint Egyptian-Jordanian Higher Committee, and to discuss details and technical features of the documents proposed to be signed in various fields. These documents aim to enhance joint economic, trade and investment relations.

Experts from the Egyptian and Jordanian sides are working to discuss the proposed documents to be signed during the Higher Committee meetings, in addition to areas of joint cooperation, through various sub-committees: the Security, Political and Consular committee, the Economic and Trade Committee, and the committees of Energy, Transport, Agriculture, and Document Reviewing and Drafting. They also reviewed proposed areas of cooperation in several sectors, including irrigation, housing, etc.

The ministerial preparatory meetings are scheduled to be held today,  through video conferencing, headed by Minister Al-Mashat from the Egyptian side, with the participation of the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy; Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources; Ministry of Trade and Industry; Ministry of Health and Population; Ministry of Supply & Internal Trading; and Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation; and from the Jordanian side,  Eng. Maha Ali, Jordan’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply, with the participation of Ministers of Transport, Agriculture, Energy and Mineral Resources and Health. This is before the Higher Committee meets on Tuesday, headed by Egyptian Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly and Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawneh to witness the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation documents.

The Joint Higher Committees is considered one of the most important tools for economic diplomacy at the Ministry of International Cooperation. It is also the most effective one for establishing new bilateral cooperation between the Arab Republic of Egypt and neighboring Arab countries. The Ministry of International Cooperation supervises the preparation and organization of these committees at the ministerial and expert level. 

The Egyptian-Jordanian Committee is the first joint Arab committee, as it began in the mid-1980s, and ever since, 28 sessions of the Joint Higher Committee were held. The most recent meeting was held in Cairo in July 2019 and it concluded with strengthened economic cooperation relations across various fields.