Jordan is anticipating a dynamic increase in trade with the U.S. in 2026, as witnessed recently by a new level of cooperation from the Middle East with one of the largest consumer markets in the world. According to the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply, Yarub Qudah, 2026 will be “a pivotal year” in the growth of bilateral trade between the countries, based on the current momentum of increased growth and new strategic policies that will develop commercial relationships between them.
While addressing the 2025 Annual Review of the American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan, Qudah presented statistics to demonstrate how far growth in trade has come. In 2024, Jordanian exports to the U.S. increased to nearly $3 billion, up from only $60 million prior to the commencement of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries, representing approximately a 50-fold increase from what was predicted at the time of the initial signing of the agreement in 2001. At the same time, imports of goods from the U.S. into Jordan are expected to increase significantly in 2025 as businesses in Jordan continue to look to American sources for equipment, technology, and food products.
Several previous global events have impacted Jordan’s economy, ensuring its rise is not an isolated growth trend. Trade statistics for bilateral trade between Jordan and the United States in 2025 indicate that the two countries exchanged goods valued at approximately $2.9 billion in just the first 7 months of the year. Jordan has been able to maintain an enormous trade surplus with the U.S. During this period, Jordan’s largest export product categories were apparel, fertilizer, chemicals, jewelry, pharmaceuticals, and IT services, which have all secured Jordan’s private-sector businesses market niches.
However, perhaps what makes 2026 especially interesting regarding Jordan’s economy is what Jordan does as a regional hub. Jordan is currently serving as the hub of reconstruction and development for all of the countries in the Levant region that are still recovering from the ongoing crisis in Syria, which presents new joint-venture opportunities, investments from the U.S., and partnerships to promote infrastructure development. Qudah indicated that “economic cooperation goes beyond just bilateral exchanges,” referring to numerous opportunities available to both countries in the Levant that can increase the economic footprint of both countries in the Levant.
According to U.S. Ambassador Jim Holtsnider, the collaboration between the American Chamber of Commerce in Jordan and the Embassy of the United States has continued to grow stronger, and he is optimistic about the future of American-Jordanian trade relations: “Jordan and the United States will work together to create a trading relationship where both nations benefit economically.”
Many analysts believe that the success of American-Jordanian trade relations over the last twenty years has resulted from a gradual development of an evolving framework of trade policy—from the introduction of Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ) in the late 1990s (which provided a framework for duty-free access) to a more modern-day free trade environment that now includes dozens of products and services. With changes in global patterns of trade and the increased integration of regional markets with the supply chains of the United States, it is possible that 2026 will represent a major turning point in cementing Jordan’s position as an important strategic trading partner for the United States in the Middle East.
The stage is set for Jordan’s economy with structural reforms creating opportunities for both countries to grow and expand economically; therefore, the opportunity for a diversified trade relationship and greater U.S.-Jordan economic partnership is growing every day.
