Obstacles blocking drug trade between Jordan, Egypt removed

AMMAN, Dec. 17 (Chinese media) -- Jordan and Egypt have removed "once and for all"

obstacles hindering the entry of Jordan-made pharmaceuticals into the Egyptian

market, local daily The Jordan Times reported on Wednesday.

"We have agreed to solve all outstanding issues in order to encourage joint

cooperation between the two countries' drug manufacturing companies," Minister

of Industry and Trade Amer Hadidi said Tuesday at the end of the preparation

meetings of Joint Jordanian-Egyptian Higher Committee.

Jordanian pharmaceutical manufacturers have been struggling with

restrictions set by Cairo over granting their products access to the vast

Egyptian market.

Joint Jordanian-Egyptian Higher Committee is scheduled to convene Wednesday

in Jordan's capital of Amman, with both sides due to sign a total of 21 deals,

including an agreement on imported Egyptian gas.

Jordan, which imports almost all its energy needs, relies Egyptian gas to

generate 85 percent of its electricity.

In 2004, Egypt agreed to supply Jordan with 2.3 billion cubic meters of gas

a year at a preferential price for 15 years, but the agreement excludes private

industries.

The two sides reached an agreement late last year to supply the industrial

sector in the kingdom with an additional 550 million cubic meters of gas a year.

According to Hadidi, trade exchange between the two countries amounted to

about 629 million U.S. dollars during the first nine months of the year, up 30

percent compared to the same period in 2007.

The trade exchange in 2006 stood at 526 million dollars and grew by 23

percent in 2007, reaching 650 million dollars, added the minister.