AMMAN — Minister of Investment Tariq Abu Ghazaleh said that the Zarqa Industrial Estate will be “the first eco-industrial city in Jordan,” developed under a new investment strategy aimed at enhancing complementarity between industrial zones and avoiding competition between them.

 

Interviewed by The Jordan Times on site, Abu Ghazaleh said that the “strategy is based on building a clear value proposition for each industrial city, allowing for a more balanced distribution of economic activity and strengthening Jordan’s overall investment competitiveness.”

 

He said that the eco-industrial model is designed to attract export-oriented industries, particularly by aligning with international environmental regulations, including the European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (C-BAM), which enables exporters to reduce costs through compliance with green standards.

 

“This represents an opportunity for local and regional investors to use Jordan as a stable export base,” he said.

 

Abu Ghazaleh said that the development zone offers a competitive investment package, including a preferential 5 per cent income tax rate for key investments.

 

“Other activities, such as engineering manufacturing and factory conversion projects, are subject to a flat 10 per cent income tax rate.”

 

He added that additional tailored incentives are also available to improve profitability, facilitate ease of doing business, and support first-time investors in establishing operations.

 

Director-General of the Jordan Industrial Estates Company Oday Obaidat said that the project is “the very first smart industrial zone in Jordan, and hopefully in the MENA region.”

 

Obaidat said that the industrial city spans around 2,500 dunums, with the first phase covering approximately 1,400 dunums, including more than 21,000 square metres of standard factory buildings.

 

He added that implementation has reached 98 per cent completion in phase one, with the city expected to be ready to host investments by the end of next month.

 

Obaidat also said that the first phase is expected to attract more than 200 companies and create over 8,500 direct jobs.

 

Chairman of the Jordan Industrial Estates Company Obeid Yasin said the project is designed as a smart, clean-energy industrial zone targeting value-added industries capable of generating quality employment.

 

He said that the targeted sectors include electronics and electrical industries, pharmaceuticals, and food industries, noting that industrial cities are planned according to the comparative advantage of each region.

 

He also said that investment distribution across Jordan’s industrial estates currently stands at 63 per cent Jordanian, 21 per cent Arab, 4 per cent foreign, and 16 per cent mixed Arab-Jordanian, noting efforts to increase both local and foreign investment participation.

 

The project, developed by the Jordan Industrial Estates Company, will rely on smart and sustainable solutions, including solar energy, electric vehicle charging stations, recycling systems, drip irrigation, green spaces, and energy-efficient infrastructure aimed at reducing environmental impact.

 

The city will be implemented in three phases, making it the largest industrial city in the Kingdom upon completion. The first phase includes infrastructure works, service facilities, and 10 industrial hangars, while later phases will expand based on demand.

 

Zarqa Industrial City benefits from its strategic location and connectivity with Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Syria, positioning it as a regional logistics and export hub.

 

The project aims to open new export markets, particularly in Europe, while supporting green financing opportunities and aligning with Jordan’s Economic Modernisation Vision.

 

The remarks came during a visit by His Majesty King Abdullah to Zarqa Industrial City to oversee development progress and review investment plans for the project.