Amman, Apr. 17 (Petra)-- CEO of the Social Security Investment Fund (SSIF), Ezz Eddin Kanakrieh, affirmed that the fund’s participation in the Aqaba Railway Project reflects an institutional investment approach focused on major national projects with long-term strategic value and added economic impact.

In an interview on the Jordan Television program "Sixty Minutes," Kanakriyeh explained that the investment is structured along two complementary tracks.

The first is a direct investment through the fund’s 7% stake in the Aqaba Railway Project Company. The second is an indirect investment linked to the mining sector, through the fund’s holdings of approximately 17% in the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company and around 10% in the Arab Potash Company.

He noted that this partnership demonstrates the fund’s ability to build effective investment alliances at both the local and Arab levels, reinforcing confidence in the national economy and enhancing the investment attractiveness of Jordan.

Kanakriyeh added that the railway project represents the fund’s first investment in the rail transport sector, pointing to the Prime Minister’s earlier announcement designating 2026 as the "Year of Projects," which reflects a government direction toward accelerating major development initiatives under the Economic Modernization Vision.

He said the fund has been actively monitoring and evaluating investment opportunities aligned with this national direction, and its entry into the railway project comes within this broader framework.

The fund, he added, will also contribute to other railway network projects in the Kingdom and continue expanding its presence in major strategic ventures such as the National Water Carrier project, the Risha gas pipeline, and the phosphoric acid plant, along with other large-scale initiatives under the Economic Modernization Vision.

Kanakriyeh stressed that this investment reflects the integration of the fund’s role as an institutional investor within the national economy. Its impact extends beyond improving the efficiency of vital sectors to stimulating economic activity. He also noted that its benefits are reflected in the Social Security Corporation itself by generating job opportunities that expand the contributor base, strengthen the fund’s sustainability, and enhance the competitiveness of the national economy.

It is worth noting that the Aqaba Port Railway Project Company is structured as an equal partnership. Jordan is represented by the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company with a 30% stake, the Government Investments Management Company with 8%, and the Social Security Investment Fund with 7%, along with the Arab Potash Company holding 5%. The remaining share is held by the United Arab Emirates, represented by "Al Imad Holding," the sovereign investment platform of the Government of Abu Dhabi.

//Petra// MF