The General Council of the World Trade Organization, bringing together ambassadors of the 135-member states for their first formal gathering since a ministerial meeting in Seattle approved Jordan's acceptance into the world trade body.
Jordan applied for accession to the WTO's predecessor, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in January 1994, transferring its application to the WTO after its establishment in 1995. Its accession still needs to be ratified by the Jordanian Parliament.
Depending on when Georgia ratifies its accession already accepted by the WTO, Jordan could become the 136th member. Jordan had long aspired to become a member of the world trade body and this could prove to be a turning point in its economic development. The Jordanian government has adopted a national program for liberalizing the economy and creating a sound environment for trade and investment.