Khaberni - The Vice President of the Parliamentary Transport Committee, Tareq Bani Hani, said on Monday that Syria's decision to ban the entry of foreign trucks into its territory, except for those in transit, was unexpected and negatively affected the transport sector and the economy in both countries.
Bani Hani mentioned that the "Back to Back" system is not only applied to Jordan but includes all Syrian land borders with Lebanon, Turkey, and Jordan, according to the Kingdom.
He explained that the issues Syria faced in previous years and the lack of development in the transport sector have negatively reflected on Syrian investors in this sector. He noted that some countries only allow trucks with specific specifications to pass, which has affected transport movement.
He confirmed ongoing diplomatic communication between the two sides, as well as meetings between the transport ministers of the two countries. He noted that some issues were resolved, including allowing the movement of refrigerated trucks carrying medicines and food, and that transit remains active without change.
He continued that efforts are ongoing to reach partial solutions for some sectors. He clarified that the "Back to Back" system negatively affects both the Jordanian and Syrian economies due to delays in the delivery of goods and the increase in labor, transport, storage costs, and the costs of goods staying at the Aqaba port.
Bani Hani referred to an upcoming meeting between the Jordanian and Syrian Ministers of Transport to discuss the issue, emphasizing that the discussions are currently focused on partial solutions and not a comprehensive solution at this stage.
Zaid Abu Aqula, the Head of the Clearance and Goods Transport Companies Syndicate, affirmed that Syria’s decision to operate with the "Back to Back" system instead of "Door to Door" continues to disrupt the transport sector, causing truck delays and increased operational costs.
The Ministry of Transport had previously confirmed that the Syrian decision to ban the entry of foreign trucks had not affected the transit movement, and that Jordanian trucks continue to operate with the "Back to Back" system.
The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Transport, Fares Abu Daneh, said that the ministry would discuss with the Syrian side the issue of Jordanian trucks.
Mohammad Khair Dawood, the Head of the Truck Owners, said that the recent Syrian decision regarding the entry of Jordanian trucks was unexpected and contrary to the existing Jordanian-Syrian agreement, stating that it has confused the Jordanian fleet and will negatively affect national exports.
Syria decided to ban the entry of foreign trucks into its territory except for those passing via transit.
