Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, witnessed the signing of agreements to launch the actual implementation of the Aqaba Port Railway Project. The agreements include the establishment of a joint Jordanian-Emirati company tasked with the construction and operation of the railway.
اضافة اعلان
The project is structured as a 50/50 partnership between Jordan and the UAE. The Jordanian side is represented by the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company, the Arab Potash Company, the Government Investments Management Company, and the Social Security Investment Fund. The UAE is represented by "Etihad Holding" (L'Imad Holding) and the sovereign investment platform of the Abu Dhabi government.
As the largest railway transport venture in the Kingdom, the $2.3 billion joint investment encompasses a major package of infrastructure sub-projects, including tracks, tunnels, and bridges. The network will span 360 kilometers, connecting phosphate and potash production hubs in Al-Shidiya and Ghor Al-Safi to the Industrial Port in Aqaba.
Economic Impact
The project is set to bolster the economic competitiveness of the Port of Aqaba, positioning it as a strategic regional gateway while supporting Arab economic integration and solidifying Jordan's role as a regional hub for transport and logistics.
A primary driver for the mining sector, the railway will enhance operational efficiency and increase the competitive value of related industries. Furthermore, it is expected to generate direct and indirect job opportunities in the transport, mining, and logistics sectors, particularly in the southern governorates and the Jordan Valley (Ghor) regions.
Future Connectivity
This project marks the first step toward building Jordan’s National Railway Network, which aims to link Aqaba and the Kingdom with neighboring Arab countries, and connect the Port of Aqaba to Syrian and Mediterranean ports.
Concurrently, studies are underway to establish a link extending from the Al-Shidiya route to the Ma’an Land Port within the Ma’an Development Area. This integrates with the Ma’an-Aqaba Land Port project to form the nucleus of a new logistics, customs, and industrial zone.
