Amman, January 31 (Petra) – Experts and specialists participating in the urban development session on the Amra City project, held Saturday at the Prime Ministry, said that the project is a national, economic and developmental urban initiative and represents a vital, integrated investment.
Participants called for defining a clear identity for the city, envisioning it as a knowledge-based development hub that attracts residents and serves as a model for smart, sustainable and investment-oriented cities, rather than merely a residential area.
They also called for capitalising on the project's strategic location and to market Amra City internationally and urged conducting a comprehensive market study by the implementing company, alongside a coordinated media campaign to explain the city's advantages, incentives and exemptions.
The experts called for halting urban expansion in areas and cities adjacent to the project to prevent overlap and emphasised the provision of advanced infrastructure services, including transport, energy and water.
They stressed the importance of establishing high-quality universities, schools and hospitals to attract residents, as well as leveraging nearby historical sites to help define the city's identity.
Participants affirmed that the Amra City project offers significant investment opportunities across several sectors, including agriculture, noting that the project area is arid rather than desert land.
They emphasised the necessity of conducting geological and topographical studies of the project site.
Responding to the participants' observations, Minister of Local Administration Walid Masri said the Amra City project is not a residential real estate development, but a comprehensive developmental and investment initiative.
He said that the project would not fall under the jurisdiction of the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) and would not constitute a municipality but a new city developed from the ground up under a distinct governance model.
Masri noted that the project comorises several major components, such as a sports city, an international stadium, an exhibition ground and conference halls, all scheduled for completion during the first phase by 2029.
Additional components include an environmental park, a racetrack and an amusement park. He added that the proximity of Al Muwaqqar Industrial City would provide employment opportunities for residents of Amra City.
He said that dialogue sessions on the project would be held, with a particular focus on engaging youth, given that future generations would be among the primary beneficiaries of the project.
Minister of Public Works and Housing Maher Abu Al-Samanm in turn, said the outcomes of the ongoing discussions would be used to enhance and refine building and zoning regulations within the Amra City project.
He noted that the ministry has begun opening roads within the project area and has issued tenders for the racetrack and the international stadium, with completion targeted for 2029.
The session focused on urban planning and development principles, the developmental role of Amra City and its impact on the surrounding environment and local community.
It aimed to establish general guidelines for urban development, formulate a clear vision for the project's urban and developmental role and prepare a list of key urban considerations to be incorporated into future market studies and the comprehensive master plan for the project's first phase.
The discussions sought to identify potential urban risks to be mitigated during the planning and development stages and to compile a list of essential urban questions to be included in the scope of work for comprehensive planning consultants in the upcoming phases.
The session was one of five specialised dialogue sessions held Saturday by the Prime Ministry on the Amra City project. More than 150 experts in engineering, urban planning, environment and transport participated. The session saw the participation os academics and specialists in architecture, energy, water, economics and investment, as well as representatives of relevant professional associations.
The specialised sessions addressed urban development, economic impact and future technologies, water, energy and the environment, culture and education, sports, health and mobility.
//Petra// AK
