Al-Qudah: Government Plan in Place to Deal with Any Developments in the Bab al-Mandab Strait

Al-Taj News –

Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yarub Al-Qudah said that the government has developed a plan to deal with any developments that may arise in maritime traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, including a package of precautionary measures to ensure the continued flow of goods into the Kingdom.

Al-Qudah added, during a meeting with businesspeople today, Monday, that among the precautionary measures being considered is the possibility of transporting containers by land, noting that there are alternative routes that can be used in the event of the closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

He stressed that the situation so far is “reassuring” and that all ships arriving in Jordan via the Bab al-Mandab Strait are still arriving normally.

In another context, Al-Qudah said that Jordan will sign, by the end of this year, two preferential trade agreements with Rwanda and Uzbekistan, as part of efforts to find new markets for Jordanian products.

He added that the government is studying establishing a preferential trade agreement with other countries, following the recent visit to Moscow.

Al-Qudah noted that there are 3 major projects scheduled to be implemented next year in partnership with the private sector.

In the energy sector, he said that a tender for pipelines to deliver natural gas from the Risha field to various areas will be launched soon, noting that Jordan aims to reach 80% self-sufficiency in natural gas by 2028.