RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Jordanian and Palestinian governments are ramping up their relations, planning to increase cooperation in trade, energy, agriculture and other areas.

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah met Sept. 17 in Jordan with his counterpart there, Omar al-Razzaz, and agreed to schedule a meeting of the Joint Higher Jordanian-Palestinian Committee early next year in Ramallah. The committee will “strengthen and develop relations … in various fields and continue coordination on issues of common concern,” Hamdallah said, according to a statement issued by the government.

The Joint Higher Jordanian-Palestinian Committee was established in the wake of the Oslo Accord in 1995. The group last met a year ago in Jordan, when Hani al-Mulki was that country's prime minister.

According to the statement, Hamdallah said, “An agreement has been reached to increase trade exchange between the two countries, establish a logistics area between Palestine and Jordan, and set up an agricultural marketing company" and perhaps joint ventures for providing services to people traveling for hajj and umrah, two of the five pillars of Islam. "An agreement has also been reached to increase the power supply from Jordan to Palestine and establish joint investments in industrial zones.”