Jordan and the UAE Sign Agreements to Launch the Aqaba Railway Project

(Flag of the UAE and Jordan)

Jordan and the UAE Sign Agreements to Launch the Aqaba Railway Project

The official Jordanian news agency, Petra, reported that the Jordanian Prime Minister and the UAE Vice President signed agreements to begin the practical procedures for implementing the $2.3 billion Aqaba Port Railway project and to establish a joint Jordanian-Emirati company for its construction and operation.

The agreement includes the construction and operation of a 360-kilometer railway line linking the mining areas of Al-Shidiyah and Ghor Al-Safi in Jordan to the port of Aqaba.

The project aims to transport 16 million tons of phosphate and potash annually, with a total investment value of $2.3 billion, according to Reuters.

The Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported the launch of the Emirati-Jordanian Railway Company as a joint venture between several Jordanian entities and Al-Emad Holding, Abu Dhabi's newest sovereign wealth fund.

The official Jordanian news agency reported, "This step is the first in building the Jordanian national railway network project, which aims to connect Aqaba and Jordan with neighboring Arab countries, and link the port of Aqaba with ports in Syria and the Mediterranean."