Ma'an development zone and industrial projects: Approved the establishment of a 13,000-dunum development zone in the Abu Amoud Al-Sharqi area of Ma’an to host three strategic industrial projects for phosphoric and sulfuric acid production, with the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company as the primary developer.
"Production Branches" Support Mechanism: Approved the Ministry of Labour's support mechanism for local workers under the Production Branches programme in the Al-Rawda Industrial Area, alongside incentives including up to 75% electricity subsidies, 50% land price reductions and Aqaba Port container handling subsidies.
Truck Tractor Registration Regulations: Standardised import and registration age limits for imported truck tractors permitting importation of units manufactured up to five years prior to clearance and licensing of units up to eight years prior effective through December 31, 2026.
Green Hydrogen Incentives and Yarmouk University Bylaw: Approved unified exemptions, incentives and benefits for green hydrogen projects both inside and outside the Aqaba Special Economic Zone, alongside the rationale for the 2026 Yarmouk University Academic Staff Bylaw.
UNRWA Textbook Exemption: Approved exempting UNRWA from school textbook costs for the 2026 academic year to support the agency's ongoing delivery of essential services to Palestinian refugees.
Gas Sector Licensing Bylaw: Approved the rationale for the 2026 draft bylaw governing gas sector activity licensing, conditions and procedures, forwarding it to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau for formal enactment.
Solid Waste Management Financing Plan: Approved the sustainable financing plan for the National Strategy for Municipal Solid Waste Management, tasking the Ministries of Local Administration and Environment with its implementation.
Ma'an, Sept. 20 (Petra) - The Cabinet approved the establishment of a 13,000-dunam developmental zone in the Abu Amoud Al-Sharqi area of Ma'an Governorate, according to Minister of Government Communication Mohammad Momani on Sunday.
The site will host three strategic chemical plants producing phosphoric acid, pure phosphoric acid, and sulfuric acid, developed primarily by the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC), according to the minister.
The initiative supports efforts to attract investment to southern Jordan, boost the regional economy, and generate local jobs.
Ministers approved a Ministry of Labor initiative to support hiring at new factories in the Rawda Industrial City through the Productive Branches Program.
Under the mechanism, the ministry will cover 50 percent of the minimum wage for each Jordanian worker, in addition to JD25 per month toward Social Security contributions and another JD25 for transportation.
The decision builds on last month’s approval of investment incentives for Rawda Industrial City, matching those in Karak and Tafileh, to attract new factories, lower production costs, boost exports, and create local jobs.
Industrial investors will receive a five-year electricity discount, 75 percent for the first two years, 50 percent for the next two, and 25 percent in the fifth year, alongside access to small-business energy rates and state utility subsidies.
Additional incentives include a three-year 50 percent subsidy on Aqaba port container handling fees for exported goods, alongside a 50 percent cut in land prices, down to JD7.5 per square meter, for industrial plots between 20 and 120 dunums.
The Cabinet standardized incentives and tax exemptions for green hydrogen projects nationwide, including within the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ).
Incentives include a reduced income tax rate of 5 percent, plus a 1 percent national contribution, and full exemptions from customs duties, taxes, and import fees on fixed-asset equipment and spare parts.
Projects will be exempt from general sales tax and the sales tax stipulated under Article 37 of the ASEZ No. 32 of 2000, as well as other taxes. The exemptions will cover local and international services, goods and materials required for the projects.
Project developers will qualify for any future tax and fee exemptions granted to industrial projects, while imported services will be exempt from withholding tax.
The Cabinet deferred lease payments on government and Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) land until project launch, capping the grace period at five years.
To modernize the transport sector, the Cabinet standardized registration age rules for imported freight trucks, allowing imports up to five years old provided an operational, licensed truck is retired through scrapping or re-export.
Managed by transport regulators, customs, and licensing authorities, the replacement system requires all retired trucks to be registered with the Land Transport Regulatory Commission (LTRC).
Clearance is permitted for trucks up to eight years old if they were already contracted, shipped, or stored in local free zones or bonded areas prior to the ruling.
Clearance for older units requires retiring an active, licensed truck through scrapping or re-export without exemptions, following the same regulatory mechanism and registration requirement with the LTRC.
Customs clearance must be completed by the end of December 31, 2026, which the Cabinet designated as a "final, non-extendable" deadline.
In education, the Cabinet approved draft amendments to Yarmouk University’s 2026 faculty regulations and referred them to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau, bringing faculty guidelines into alignment with the national Universities Law.
The Cabinet approved exempting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from paying for school textbooks for the current academic year, valued at more than JD3.3 million.
Moving to the energy sector, the Cabinet approved draft 2026 regulations setting terms and procedures for issuing, renewing, transferring, and canceling natural gas operating licenses, forwarding the bill to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau for legal review.
Designed to cut bureaucracy and spur investment, the regulatory framework standardizes licensing requirements and procedures across the natural gas market.
The regulation integrates gas operations with the electric grid and expands fuel access, targeting a 50 percent reduction in energy costs to boost industrial competitiveness and fuel diversification.
The Cabinet approved a sustainable financing plan for the National Strategy to Improve the Municipal Solid Waste Management Sector, delegating oversight to the Ministries of Local Administration and Environment.
Designed to protect public health and curb pollution across soil, air, and water, the initiative expands waste collection nationwide and boosts solid waste treatment. It targets lower greenhouse gas emissions in line with international climate standards, while leveraging private sector partnerships and community participation to scale up recycling.
Separately, the Cabinet ended the tenure of two board members at the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority: Fatima Hilalat and Deputy Chair Shaker Adwan. They accepted the resignation of Reserve and Tourism Management Commissioner Yazan Mahadin.
//Petra// HA
