AMMAN — The signing of five new agreements and memoranda
of understanding between
Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) and
Abu Dhabi Ports Group (ADPG) on Sunday was met with mixed reaction by experts.
اضافة اعلان
The new agreements aim to develop Aqaba's Marsa Zayed
area, cruise ship terminals, digitize the ports’ systems, build a multi-purpose
port, and modernize
King Hussein International Airport (KHIA).
Former commissioner of Aqaba Special Zone, Mohammad Saqer,
welcomed this type of collaboration with the UAE`. He told
Jordan
News that each agreement would serve Aqaba in a number of ways. The deals
will create new jobs, enabling Aqaba to compete with Jeddah and Suez and developing
Aqaba to become a major regional tourist hub, he said.
"These new deals will upgrade Aqaba ports
capabilities amid tense competition with Jeddah and the Suez Canal,” Saqer
added.
Mazen Irsheid, an economic expert, told
Jordan News that he agrees with Saqer on
the significance of such agreements and how new projects will reduce
unemployment and enhance Aqaba’s infrastructure, which in turn will attract
further investments. In his view the timing of the deals is significant as they
were made during a world crisis because of the effects of the pandemic.
"The best time to invest is in the time of a crisis,
especially for the tourism sector. Great ideas are born from a crisis. These
projects will be a turning point for Jordan," Irsheid said.
Economic expert, Mifleh Aqel, was also optimistic about
Jordan's tourism prospects in the coming years. He noted that the development
of Marsa Zayed will revive the special zone. “By building hotels and
recreational areas, attracting cruise ships, more tourist flights and investments,
the positive effect on employment will be felt,” he said.
"Aqaba may be on its way to become the region's
industrial and commercial center," former minister of State for Economic
Affairs, Yusuf Mansur, said. But he voiced his concern that this may also be
another agreement that stays on paper.
"I ask everyone in Jordan to remember that these
deals will take time to materialize, so people should not expect to see
investors pumping JD10 billion in the market tomorrow,” Mansur said. “So I ask our officials not over-promise
because if they fail to deliver people will stop believing them” he added.
Mansur does not believe that these agreements will enable
Aqaba to compete with Jeddah and Suez. Instead, he suggests that Aqaba should
focus on becoming a niche instead of attempting to compete with major powers
like Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Egypt.
"The Emirates will not give us something to compete
with their own ports, and they will not disrupt Saudi's dominance on the Red
Sea," Mansur said. "We can have a niche like developing small boat
maintenance platform. We should focus on special investments instead,” he
added.
He considers that there should be a focus on connecting
Aqaba to the rest of the Kingdom through a modern railway system, which would
change the face of the country and increase productivity.
Mansur hopes that the agreements will get implemented and
officials will monitor projects’ developments. "I hope they will follow up
and implement. We are tired of announcements that don't materialize; enough is
enough. What we need is implementation," he said.
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