Jordan Times
Friday, March 5, 2004
Memorandum of understanding to enhance maritime cooperation among Arab countries
By Khalid Dalal
AMMAN — Thirteen Arab countries have finalised a memorandum of understanding to enhance maritime transport cooperation among their ports, a senior transport official said Thursday.Ministry of Transport Secretary General Alaa Batayneh told The Jordan Times from Beirut, where the Arab transport officials are meeting, that the memo will be submitted soon to the ministers of transport for approval.
The memo was finalised at the fourth meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia's (ESCWA) transport committee in Lebanon.
The committe groups the six Arab Gulf states Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Palestinian Authority, Egypt and Yemen.
According to Batayneh, who headed the committee's meeting, the memo, when approved, will give member countries priorities and competitive privileges in each other's ports.
“This will consequently help in enhancing the trade movement between Arab countries which currently does not exceed more than 10 per cent of the overall Arab trade,” he said.
The memo, he added, will also help the countries to cooperate in combating maritime pollution through adopting unified measures which will be in line with international standards.
Moreover, the memo will enable Arab states to exchange expertise in the maritime and shipping sector and will facilitate coordination to have a unified stand towards developments in the international maritime sector, added Batayneh.
In a recent study, ESCWA has encouraged Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, which are bound by a tripartite maritime deal, to develop maritime cooperation between their ports.
ESCWA indicated that Jordan can start receiving goods coming from the Mediterranean through the Syrian and Lebanese ports. In turn, Damascus and Beirut can depend on Aqaba Port to import commodities heading to the two capitals from Asia and the Far East.
According to the study, the three countries can save nearly $900 million by the end of 2007 if the plan goes into effect within next few months.