CBJ says Iraq best trade partner

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Jordan has exported $518.6 million worth of goods to Iraq throughout the first seven months of this year, accounting for 18 percent of its total exports, the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) said in a report released today. “The revenues of Jordan’s exports to Iraq have reached 318.8 million Jordanian dinars ($518.6 million U.S. dollars) from January-July, 2009, compared to 260.1 Jordanian dinars during the same period last year,” according to the report that was received by Iraqi News. “Iraq was the largest importer of Jordanian goods. The United States came second while India came third,” the statement noted. Exports to Iraq during the first seven months of the current year have accounted for 50 percent of Jordan’s overall exports to the countries of the Great Arab Free Trade Area Agreement (GAFTA), which includes Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Mauritania, Tunisia, Libya, the Palestinian territories, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates, according to the statement. Jordan’s exports to Iraq include transport vehicles, vegetables and pharmaceuticals, while Jordan mainly imports oil from Iraq. SS (P)/SR 1