Over 100 Turkish businesspeople are currently in the Kingdom to look into potential investment opportunities with Jordanian counterparts. The businesspeople, representing a variety of sectors including food industries, information technology, trade, carpet and furniture, construction, energy, electric appliances and textile, seek to help boost trade exchange between the two countries by establishing partnerships and ties with Jordanian counterparts. “There is a large room for increased cooperation in a variety of sectors and businesspeople in the two countries have the chance to discuss starting joint investments,” Yanal Hactas, commercial counsellor assistant at the Turkish embassy in Amman, told The Jordan Times on Monday. “Jordan is an advanced country that has the skilled labour and the required infrastructure for investments. Turkish businesspeople can also benefit from several international agreements Jordan is signatory to,” Hactas said in an interview yesterday. According to embassy figures, Turkish investments in Jordan stands at about $200 million. Referring to the free trade agreements that went into effect as of early March, he said it will play a key role in boosting trade exchange and cooperation between the two countries. Embassy figures indicate that Jordan’s annual imports from Turkey stand at about $600 million annually. The Kingdom’s exports to Turkey stood at about $57 million in 2010, according to Hactas, who listed food and textile as main imports by Jordan. The Kingdom’s main exports to Turkey are chemicals, pharmaceuticals and vegetables. “Jordan is a gateway to the region and Turkish investors can considerably benefit from the country’s location to penetrate regional markets,” said Hactas. Meanwhile, he said that the Turkish businesspeople will attend Al Rakhaa First International Trade Fair, which will run from May 17 until 21 at the Amman International Auto Exhibition. The fair is expected to attract participants from a variety of sectors such as banking and finance, retail, import and export, heating and air conditioning, construction and property, engineering, metal industry, computer, electric and home supplies. “The fair is an appropriate platform for networking and building partnerships,” said Hactas. The delegation is scheduled to leave Thursday.