Amman, Apr. 17 (Petra)-- Minister of Transport, Nidal Qatamin, said that the Aqaba Railway Project recently formalized through an agreement with the United Arab Emirates is a major investment initiative that will significantly boost the national economy, attract investments, and create jobs.

Speaking on Jordan Television’s Sixty Minutes, Qatamin described the project as one of the largest investments to enter Jordan in at least two decades, emphasizing its role in enhancing economic growth, improving the efficiency of productive sectors, and increasing their competitiveness both regionally and globally.

He noted that the Royal Letter of Designation to Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan underscored the importance of implementing major projects in key sectors such as transport, energy, and water, while placing investment at the core of Jordan’s path toward greater self-reliance and regional economic relevance.

The agreement, signed in the UAE and witnessed by Prime Minister Hassan and UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, marks the beginning of the project’s implementation phase. It also includes the establishment of a joint Jordanian-Emirati company responsible for the construction and operation of the railway.

Qatamin explained that the partnership is evenly split, with each side holding a 50% stake, reflecting a high level of transparency and balance. On the Jordanian side, contributions include 30% from the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company, 5% from the Arab Potash Company, 7% from the Social Security Investment Fund, and 8% from the Jordanian government investment arm. The UAE side is represented by Al Emad Holding, a major firm specializing in railway and transport infrastructure.

The project is expected to take approximately five years, beginning with financial closure in early 2027, followed by construction. It will feature two main railway lines one extending about 150 kilometers and the other around 200 kilometers linking phosphate and potash production sites to the Port of Aqaba.

With a total length of approximately 360 kilometers and an annual capacity of up to 16 million tons, the railway is set to transform freight transport in Jordan. Qatamin highlighted that rail transport is far more efficient for bulk commodities like phosphate and potash compared to trucks, which were previously the primary mode of transport.

He added that the project is part of Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision and aims to reduce transportation costs, enhance logistics services, and strengthen supply chains thereby boosting the competitiveness of industrial sectors and supporting future investment.

The Aqaba Railway is also seen as the first step toward a broader national railway network that could eventually connect Jordan to neighboring countries, including Syria and Turkey, and link Aqaba Port with Mediterranean ports.

Qatamin stressed that while rail transport will play a growing role, trucks will remain an essential component of the transport system, with demand expected to increase alongside economic expansion.

Describing the initiative as a comprehensive infrastructure and development project, he said it will generate both direct and indirect employment opportunities across multiple sectors, including logistics, industry, and services.

He concluded that the project reinforces Jordan’s historical role as a regional crossroads, aiming not just to serve as a transit route but to become a key regional hub for transport and logistics, integrating land, sea, and air transport systems along with advanced logistics services such as storage and distribution.

//Petra// MF