A delegation from the State of Illinois and Chicago Sister Cities International Programme met with members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan for an executive club lunch meeting.

This event, which took place at the Marriott Hotel in Amman on October 17th 2007, formed an integral part of the delegation's official five-day visit to Jordan.

The delegation, which includes business professionals, programme directors and representatives from the state IT, education, and industry sectors, arrived in Amman on a mission to encourage bilateral business ventures between Jordanian and Illinois based investors.

The lunch was attended by 80 business professionals representing both the public and private sectors in Jordan, the Jordan Chamber of Industry, the Zarqa Chamber of Commerce, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan.

Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan Raja Khouri gave a presentation about the business and investment climates that Jordan has to offer to foreign investors. In his presentation he stated that Jordan's economic arena offers foreign investors a secure environment for free trade and investment.

Elaborating further on this fact he stated that the monetary value of Jordan's trade transactions with the US grew significantly over the past six years rising from $570 million in 2001 to $2.04 billion in 2006.

He also stated that the monetary value of Jordan's exports to the US grew from $229 million to $1.4 billion, with a yearly average increase of 87 per cent. Imports grew from $340 million in 2001 to $620 million in 2006 with a yearly average growth rate of 14 per cent.

With the Jordan GDP recorded to be 5.7 per cent and inflation recorded to be 5.6 per cent the total monetary value of investments made in Jordan was recorded to be $2.4 billion during the second quarter of the current year.

Marcelino Gracia, from Illinois Office of Trade and Investment Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. also gave a presentation about the investment environment Illionis has to offer Jordanian investors.

During his presentation he stated that the State of Illinois is the top ranking exporting state in the Midwest region of the US offering $49 billion worth of exports to a total of 209 countries.

The delegation members also met with the American Ambassador in Jordan David Hale, Commercial  Counselor Sheryl Pinckney-Maas, the Director of Economic Department-Royal Court Dr Maher Matalka and representatives from Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD) and the King Hussein Cancer Centre.

The visit is part of the mission's programme in Jordan to form strategic business partnerships between both Jordanian and Illinois-based investors. TradeArabia News Service