MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA (MENA) REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT
| Sluggish and inequitable economic growth remains a critical developmental challenge throughout the MENA region. Indeed, economic and political marginalization,
particularly of the region’s youth, was a key factor setting in motion the events of the Arab Awakening. Excluding the Gulf economies, the region’s countries fare poorly in
measures of global competiveness. Overall, the Middle East and North Africa region trails the rest of the world in its share of non-oil exports as a percentage of GDP and
needs to do more to attract trade and foreign direct investment. While country circumstances vary, regional challenges include barriers to trade and foreign direct investment,
public spending policies and subsidies, the inefficient use of natural resources, aging public infrastructure, a mismatch between workforce skills and the demands of the workplace,
and the lack of a clear vision and mandate for economic reform. Most importantly, the region needs to ensure that women and youth fully contribute to – and benefit from –
the economic growth that the region needs. The Standards Alliance has received proposals
from Morocco and Jordan, and would like to integrate them into regional engagement activities. |
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Priority Sectors
Industry sectors identified as priorities include renewable energy, healthcare technology and medical devices, information and communication technology, environmental technologies, building and construction, and biotechnology. Additional sectors may be added based on interest from the private sector in either country.
Relevant Agreements and Regional Organizations
- WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)
- U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
- U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
Additional Information
JORDAN
Jordan's economy benefits from a well-educated population, strategic location, world heritage tourism sites, and a reputation for stability in a turbulent region. The economy grew steadily from 1999 to 2008 as the government advanced economic reform alongside social and political development, but the global economic crisis undermined progress by reducing the demand for exports, remittances from expatriate Jordanians, tourism revenues, and foreign direct investment. In addition, increases in population, water scarcity, and the near total reliance on imported energy have created economic challenges. Jordan is currently the U.S.’s 77th largest goods trading partner with $2.5 billion in total (two-way) goods trade during 2011. Goods exports totaled $1.5 billion; goods imports totaled $1.1 billion. The U.S. goods trade surplus with Jordan was $394 million in 2011
MOROCCO
Morocco's economy has grown steadily for more than 10 years. Most recently, the country’s GDP grew by 3 percent in 2012, down from 5 percent in 2011. The United States and Morocco’s trading relationship is anchored in the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which entered into force in 2006. In 2012, U.S. goods exports to Morocco totaled USD 2 billion while goods imports from Morocco totaled USD 932 million. The balance of trade for 2012 is a U.S .trade surplus of USD 1 billion. Top U.S. goods exports to Morocco include mineral fuel, aircraft, fats and oils, food waste, and cereals. The majority of goods imports from Morocco include salt, sulfur, earth and stone, electrical machinery, fertilizers, woven apparel, and fats and oils.
