Amman, Aug. 26 (Petra) -- Jordan on Wednesday signed contracts for two projects to supply the Muwaqqar and Rawda industrial cities with natural gas, with $70 million in funding from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, in a move aimed at reducing industrial energy costs and enhancing the sector's competitiveness.
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh signed the contracts during a ceremony attended by Abu Dhabi Fund for Development Director General Mohamed Suwaidi and representatives of the companies implementing the projects.
The Muwaqqar Industrial City project was awarded to a consortium comprising Petrojet and Ahmad Yousef Tarawneh and Partner, while TAQA Arabia Group was awarded the project to supply Rawda Industrial City in the Ma'an Development Area with natural gas.
Kharabsheh expressed appreciation for the United Arab Emirates' continued support for Jordan, noting that the two projects form part of the Kingdom's strategy to reduce energy costs across economic sectors, particularly industry.
He highlighted the projects' role in providing an alternative energy source for industrial facilities, enabling factories to reduce production costs, improve competitiveness, access new markets, expand production and establish new production lines, while creating additional employment opportunities and supporting economic growth.
The projects are being financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development under a memorandum of understanding with the Jordanian government, represented by the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, to finance several development projects in the Kingdom. They also align with the objectives of the second executive program of the Economic Modernization Vision and the government's efforts to develop energy infrastructure and support the industrial sector.
Suwaidi noted that the fund's partnership with Jordan dates back to 1974, with financial support to the Kingdom totaling AED 9.4 billion. He highlighted the strategic role of the projects financed by the fund in supporting the Jordanian economy, describing the signing as a reaffirmation of its commitment to Jordan's development efforts.
Taqa Arabia Group CEO Pakinam Kafafi described Jordan as a promising market with a strategic location, noting that the company's project involves constructing a 14-kilometer natural gas pipeline to supply Rawda Industrial City.
Kafafi noted that the pipeline project will help meet the energy needs of the industrial sector and provide reliable energy solutions, adding that the group plans to draw on its expertise in infrastructure development to support industry and sustainable growth in Jordan.
The two projects are expected to provide factories with a sustainable and cost-effective energy source, reduce production costs, and improve the investment environment, thereby strengthening the ability of industrial cities to attract new investments and create employment opportunities.
//Petra// AJ
