First Industrial Sector Forum Is Launched in Aqaba with the Theme "Industrial Sector in Aqaba Reality, Ambition and Future Prospects."

Al-Anbat- DINA MAHADEEN

Translated by: MAYS ALSHAWABKEH 

 The inaugural Industrial Sector Forum in the Aqaba Governorate was inaugurated on Monday under the direction of Engineer Nayef Bakheet, Head of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority. (Aqaba's industrial sector, its aspirations, and its future prospects) The Aqaba Bay Company organized this in collaboration with the Aqaba International Industrial City of Information to pinpoint the major challenges the industrial sector faces in order to accelerate the pace of the national economy as a whole and to better its enormous potential to eradicate unemployment and poverty in Jordanian society.

Unemployment is a result of its influence on the national economy and reduction in the impacts of poverty. 

In a speech of welcome given on behalf of the President of the Authority, Hamza Al-Haj Hasan, the Vice-President and Economic Commissioner of the Special Economic Zone of Aqaba, hailed the participation of investors in the region's industrial sector from across the governorate and its council  and expressed gratitude to the organizers for organizing this conference to talk about the status of investors in the industrial sector in Aqaba Special Economic Zone. 

Given the strategic significance of the industry sector in the national economy and its position as one of the most significant labor operators, Haj Hasan explained that overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for industrial investment movement in the area are of the utmost importance and a fundamental task for the authority of  Aqaba Special Economic Zone. 

The Authority is trying to address any issues, whether they are related to policies or laws, in collaboration with other State agencies. It emphasizes the stability of Aqaba's laws since the creation of the Special Area and between Haj Hassan during a brief he submitted to determine the most significant investor transactions: 

- A discount of all customs transactions in the Special Economic Obstacle Area entered and completed in Square No. 4 (50%) of the total allowances paid to the operator of the Special Economic Obstacle Zone Authority's Customs Centre.

- An incentive discount of 50% of the total allowances paid to the Container Port Company for goods exported and re-exported from  Aqaba Special Economic Zone.

- Exemption of foreign production inputs for factory products established in  Aqaba Special Economic Zone upon entering the rest of the Kingdom's territory from customs duties and other taxes.

- Exemption from the Permanent Destruction Commission's allowances for goods that entered  Aqaba Economic Zone in good condition under completed customs data but were damaged because of their nature or because of the expiration of their validity or during the process of manufacturing or industrial waste.

- Solving the problem of double collection of damage fees between the Authority and the Institution of Standards and Metrics

- To provide incentives for land prices and the value added of the project, its importance and the employment opportunities it will provide.

There are 73 industrial businesses registered with  Al-Aqaba authority, according to Hamza al-Haj Hasan, the deputy head of the authority, who spoke to Al-Anbat. These businesses show how important their president is by giving investors all the assistance they need to get licenses, engage in certain activities, and secure residency and work permits. We expect  Al-Aqaba authority to make an effort to increase these exceptions and work with us to increase fresh investments in the governorate.

The knitting and apparel industries, which have seen a remarkable transformation in the area and have 5 factories in Al-Aqaba, with a sixth plant set to open shortly, are the target sectors in Al-Aqaba, according to Hajj Hasan, who spoke to Al-Anbat. 

Hajj Hasan emphasized the special economic Aqaba authority's interest in the industrial sector, which is one of its priorities among the three most crucial sectors and within the framework of the strategy the authority seeks to implement over the course of the following ten years in the name of Jordan. 

Hajj Hasan stressed that the industrial sector was given priority electricity as he completed his speech to Al-Anbat.  Al-Qweira region saw the creation and joining of six new areas. The industrial firm pbi was hired to develop and outfit one of those locations with infrastructure, the arrival of the gas line being the most significant and covering a region of about 1,800 dunums. Additionally, efforts are being made to build a new gas delivery facility through Aqaba Development Company in the Southern Industrial Zone. This will allow for a significant and genuine decrease in the cost of energy, which is the main expense for the sector. 

Here, I want to emphasize that the region's law offers the best incentives, exemptions from customs and taxes at the level of the region as a whole, especially for those working in the industrial sector and for its primary export purpose, as the cost of shipping is the lowest at the Kingdom level due to proximity to the port and border crossings with neighboring countries. 

The forum gave the industrial sector a chance to discuss its marketing successes and the biggest challenges they are now facing.

It is noteworthy that this event is the first of its type to provide insight into Aqaba's industrial sector, which is currently the most significant and forward-thinking sector in the private sector.