site.btaBulgarian-Jordanian Business Forum in Sofia

Bulgarian-Jordanian Business Forum  in Sofia

Sofia, May 14 (BTA) - Agriculture and tourism are among the
promising sectors of cooperation between Bulgaria and Jordan,
the President of the Jordan Europe Business Association (JEBA),
Issa H. Murad, said here Thursday. He was speaking at a business
 forum organized by JEBA and the Bulgarian Small and Medium
Enterprises Promotion Agency with the participation of 35
businessmen from Jordan operating in various sectors and over 80
 Bulgarian companies.

The President of JEBA noted that high-tech and construction
materials are also an important sector for Jordan. Bulgaria buys
 an enormous amount of phosphate from Jordan, but we have to
concentrate on a product which brings you more profit, the guest
 said.

In the field of agribusiness, Issa H. Murad noted the
opportunity for establishing mixed production for year-round
produce. There is a similar opportunity in tourism, too. Egypt,
which was one of the largest markets in the Arab world, is now
closed because of the conflicts there and many people are not
sure they want to spend their holidays there any more. That is
why we have to seek new opportunities, he added. Jordan ranks
fifth in the world in the field of medical tourism, the JEBA
President pointed out, adding that Bulgaria can also boast of
similar success. Why shouldn't the two countries cooperate in
this field, he asked.

Issa H. Murad noted that there are many spheres in Europe which
have suffered the negative influence of the conflict between
Ukraine and Russia because they cannot export there and he
recommended looking for new markets. Over 25 per cent of the
imports in Jordan come from the EU, while exports account for
just five per cent of the total exports. Bulgaria is one of
Jordan's best business partners, he said.

Bulgaria is a door to the European market for us. You have to
think of Jordan as a door to the Arab world, Issa H. Murad said.

Deputy Economy Minister Lyuben Petrov pointed out that Bulgarian
 business will benefit from looking for new opportunities to
increase exports to Middle East economies. He underscored
Bulgaria's macroeconomic and investment advantages, as well as
the measures applied by the government in support of and to
promote investments.

Bulgaria regards Jordan as a serious business partner in this
area and we think it could be a door for Bulgarian business
there, the Deputy Minister added.

A Memorandum of Cooperation between the Bulgarian Small and
Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency and the Jordan Europe
Business Association, the Amman Chamber of Commerce and the
Amman Chamber of Industry was signed within the framework of the
 forum.

Nikola Stoyanov, Deputy Executive Director of the Bulgarian
Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency, informed the
participants the there will be a trade mission of Bulgarian
companies in Jordan in the fall.