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CAFRAJ Hosts Power Breakfast Featuring New French Ambassador and Jordan’s Trade Minister
The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jordan (CAFRAJ) held its Power Breakfast event on Monday, bringing together business leaders, diplomats, and policymakers to discuss economic cooperation between Jordan and France. The gathering featured keynote remarks from France’s new Ambassador to Jordan, Franck Gellet, and Jordan’s Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply, Yarub Qudah.
CAFRAJ Executive Director Ibrahim Kattan opened the session, welcoming attendees and introducing the new French envoy, who officially assumed his post in Amman earlier this month. Ambassador Franck Gellet, a veteran French diplomat with extensive postings across the Middle East, emphasized France’s longstanding investment in Jordan’s economy.
“France is the leading European investor in Jordan, with a portfolio of $1.5 billion and annual investments of $140 million,” H.E Gellet said. He highlighted flagship projects such as the As-Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant and Queen Alia International Airport as examples of successful Franco-Jordanian partnerships. French companies in Jordan, he added, employ around 60,000 people, including 30,000 women, and maintain strong commitments to training, local sourcing, and social responsibility.
The ambassador also praised Jordan’s resilience in the face of regional challenges, pointing to the IMF’s continued support and the EU’s €3 billion financing package signed earlier this year. He noted that French firms remain deeply engaged in the kingdom, including in major infrastructure projects such as the National Water Conveyor and the airport concession extension signed in 2024.
Minister Qudah, in his address, outlined the government’s Economic Modernization Vision, launched in 2022 and revised in 2025 in consultation with the private sector. He described it as a “roadmap” of over 800 projects with defined budgets, timelines, and KPIs, monitored directly by ministers, the prime minister, and the Royal Court.
Sharing recent economic indicators, Qudah reported GDP growth of 2.7% in the first quarter, surpassing IMF projections; a 9% rise in exports; a 10% increase in foreign direct investment; and a 33% surge in container traffic through Aqaba Port. “Even with regional instability, Jordan has demonstrated that investor confidence remains strong,” he said.
Qudah also underscored the importance of Jordan’s trade with the EU and called for simplified rules of origin to boost exports. On bilateral trade, he noted that Jordan’s exports to France remain limited, making up only 10% of the $250 million annual trade volume, and urged efforts to rebalance the partnership.
The minister fielded questions from attendees, addressing concerns over U.S. tariffs, export competitiveness, and employment in Jordan’s apparel industry. He stressed that attracting investment, particularly in manufacturing and downstream industries, was key to creating jobs and raising local added value.
The event concluded with discussions on how to strengthen Franco-Jordanian trade relations and ensure the private sector plays a leading role in driving sustainable growth.