A tender to pick a consultancy body for the joint Jordan-Iraq economic zone project was awarded to Jordanian Madi and Partners Consulting Engineers (MPCE) after its financial and technical bid received the highest rating from Jordanian and Iraqi firms, Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yousef Shamali announced.
In a press statement on Wednesday, Shamali said scientific and technical methods were used to assess tenders floated by the Iraqi-Jordanian Company for Industry to choose a consultant for the joint economic zone.
The company, after completing the referral procedures, will begin work requirements to outline the necessary studies and designs and prepare tender documents to attract a developer for the project, he said.
By referring the bid, he noted Jordan and Iraq have started the procedural and executive steps of the project, which the two countries aspire to enhance joint economic cooperation in various fields and bring about the required development in the regions of western Iraq and eastern Jordan.
This process, he said, comes in implementation of Jordan, Iraq leaders’ directives and visions and the outcomes of the tripartite summits that brought them together, in addition to the Egyptian president.
The project constitutes an opportunity to build Jordanian-Iraqi economic integration in many fields, especially industrial domains, he said.
After its completion, he noted the economic zone will benefit its products and industries from exemptions and priviliges of free trade agreements (FTA) signed by Jordan with many countries bilaterally or multilaterally.
FTAs allow Jordanian products access more than one billion consumers without any technical or customs restrictions, including the two countries’ markets, as the products manufactured in the new project will take the joint origin status, he pointed out.
The project is located on the the two countries’ border and has been allocated an area of 20,000 dunumms on both sides.
Source: Jordan News Agency