The Jordan Investment and Business Online Seminar was successfully held on 13 October 2020, and attended by a record 288 participants, organized by UNIDO ITPO Tokyo, the Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).
The event welcomed a series of high level speakers from Jordan, including the newly appointed Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship (MODEE), H.E. Mr. Ahmad Hanandeh; the Chairman of the Jordan Investment Commission (JIC), Dr. Khalid Wazani; the Ambassador of Jordan in Japan, H.E. Ms. Lina Annab; and the Director of the Management Unit for the Youth, Technology and Jobs, and Mr. Rashad Bibars, who all invited Japanese companies and institutions to look at Jordan as a regional hub for business opportunities in the digital economy and ICT sectors, innovative start-ups, environmental and agri-business opportunities.
From the Japanese side, The Head of UNIDO ITPO Tokyo, Mr. Yuko Yasunaga opened the event, and later the Executive Vice President of JETRO, Mr. Ichiro Sone outlined the Japan-Jordan business relationship and introduced Japanese private sector companies active in Jordan. GRA, Inc. represented by its Executive Advisor Mr. Shu Watanabe, presented about his company’s strawberry farming business in Jordan, explaining the country’s fertile climate advantage. Mitsui & Co, Ltd. followed, represented by Deputy General Manager at Division II (Middle East, Africa and Russia), Infrastructure Projects Business Unit, Mr. Akihiro Shirane, who gave an overview of Mitsui’s successful business experience in power related projects in Jordan, including solar power. Mr. Shirane also explained that Jordan is a hospitable country where expatriates can enjoy a safe and pleasant lifestyle.
The event received many questions from participants, with interest in areas such as medical and pharmaceutical business, ICT, digitalization, education and agri-food business, various trading inquiries and the political and peace process related developments in the Middle East. Many of the speakers were able to provide live answers and discussed the interest raised by the audience.
The organizers will further follow-up questions raised, in order to bring Japanese companies closer to business opportunities in Jordan and the region.
Outline
| Date/Time: | 13 October 2020 (Tue)/15:00-16:45 (JST) |
| Format: | Online seminar (Live stream on Zoom Webinar Platform) |
| Organizers: | UNIDO ITPO Tokyo, Embassy of Jordan, JETRO |
| Language: | English |
Programme
(MC: Mr. Ferda Gelegen, Deputy Head, UNIDO ITPO Tokyo)
| 15:00 | Opening remarks Mr. Yuko Yasunaga Head of UNIDO ITPO Tokyo |
| 15:05 | Welcome remarks (slides) H.E. Ms. Lina Annab Ambassador of Jordan |
| 15:10 | Speech H.E. Mr. Ahmad Al-Hanandeh Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship of Jordan (MODEE) |
| 15:15 | Presentation (slides) (video) H.E. Dr. Khalid W. Wazani Chairman of Jordan Investment Commission (JIC) |
| 15:35 | Presentation (slides) Mr. Rashad Bibars Director of Management Unit for the Youth Technology and Jobs Project, Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship of Jordan (MODEE) |
| 15:55 | Presentation (slides) Mr. Ichiro Sone Executive Vice-President of JETRO |
| 16:05 | Presentation (slides) Mr. Shu Watanabe Executive Advisor, GRA Inc. (Agri-food sector in Jordan) |
| 16:20 | Presentation (slides) Mr. Akihiro Shirane Deputy General Manager, Infrastructure Projects Business Unit, Division II (Middle East, Africa, Russia＆CIS, India), Mitsui & Co., Ltd. |
| 16:35 | Q/A & Discussion |
| 16:45 | Closing |
