March 11, 2013
Expo-Russia Jordan 2013 Held in Amman
During March 11-13 Amman, Jordan hosted the Eleventh Russian-Jordanian exhibition «Expo-Russia Jordan 2013". This event was supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, Ministry of Economic Development, Chamber of Trade and Industry of the Russian Federation, other public agencies and departments, unions and associations, the Russian-Arab Business Council and the Russian-Jordanian Business Council, the Russian Embassy in Jordan and the Jordanian Embassy in Russia.
The opening of the exhibition was preceded by a special press-conference attended by journalists from leading Jordanian media, including Jordan Times, Al Rai Newspaper, Al Petra News Agency, Al Madina News, Ad Dustoor newspaper.
The speakers noted that the exhibition was timed to the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Jordan. During the exhibition’s history its participants contributed greatly to the development of Russian-Jordanian trade and economic ties. Since the launching of the exhibition project in 2002, the trade turnover between the two countries increased 16 times, while the Jordanian export to Russia reached 21 million USD. The exhibition during its 11 years was visited by more than 50,000 Russian businessmen from 1,200 companies and organizations, and a number of agreements on joint projects were signed at the event.
The opening ceremony was attended by a number of high profile speakers including Alexander Kalugin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Jordan, Hatem Halawani, Minister of Industry and Trade of Jordan, and Senator Nail Al-Kabariti, Chairman of Jordan Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Russian-Jordanian Business Council.
The ceremony was also attended by members of the Jordanian government, representatives of the diplomatic corps, Head of Rossotrudnichestvo Office in Jordan Alexander Dorofeev, representatives of the Coordination Council of Russian Compatriots in Jordan, the “Nadezhda” Club of Russian Culture, and "Russian-Speaking Youth in Jordan" Club.
After officials and dignitaries visited the exhibition, a special conference was held. The conference, titled "Russia-Jordan-Iraq: Prospects for Economic Cooperation" was also attended by diplomats from Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, as well as and the staff of the Russian Embassies in the Middle Eastern Countries.
Participants and guests of the exhibition took part in the round table discussion at the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Jordan on "Prospects for strengthening cooperation between Russia and Jordan in the field of energy, including nuclear power, and the use of energy-saving technologies”, which was held to discuss the prospects of joint cooperation in several areas with the participation of representatives of key companies in the energy sector of Jordan.
The agenda of the round table included a Russian- Jordanian meeting that was organized to discuss prospects for the construction in Jordan of an oil shale extraction and processing complex. From the Russian side the meeting was attended by representatives of the fuel and energy sector , including "Rosatom" State Corporation, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Smolensk region, Magnitogorsk Hardware and Sizing Plant , "Agate" company (Yaroslavl region), NPK "Geoelektronika service" (Tver City), NPC "Intelkom" and Meschersky NTC (Ryazan City), Central Research Institute "Center " of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, National Institute of Basic Chemistry "NIOCHIM", State Transport Leasing Company, etc. Jordanian participants in the round table informed Russian colleagues that "Rosatom" and a Franco - Japanese conglomerate entered the final stage of the tender for the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Jordan came, with preference being currently given to the Russian proposal . The final decision will be made by the leadership of Jordan in April 2013 and it will be affected by the outcome of the present discussion.
Interaction in healthcare sector was fruitfully discussed at a round table in the Ministry of Health of Jordan, titled "The Russian- Jordanian cooperation in the field of high-tech medical services." The round table was attended by the Deputy Minister of Health of Jordan Mr. D.Al-Lowzi , President of the Association of Russian-speaking doctors in Jordan Abu Faris, directors of the major departments of the Ministry, the National Board of Healthcare Experts, Jordanian Hospital Association.
A separate presentation was held at the Royal Exhibition Centre for "AMICO" Group, which includes enterprises for the production of medical imagery and X-ray equipment.
Summing up the business program of the exhibition “Expo-Russia Jordan 2013” the organizers said that the event succeeded in strengthening of economic cooperation between Russia and Jordan, further expansion of export opportunities for domestic producers in the Middle East markets, and promoting image of Russia internationally.
