Jordan and the United Arab Emirates signed today four agreements to launch a USD 2.3 billion railway project aimed at connecting the Port of Aqaba with the mining areas of Shidiya in the governorate of Ma’an and Ghor Al-Safi in the Jordan valley.

 

This project is part of a broader investment package, valued at approximately USD 5.5 billion, signed by Jordan and the UAE at the end of 2023 in the presence of His Majesty King Abdullah II and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.

 

The railway is expected to take five years to become operational, with a targeted start date in 2030. Detailed studies on the rail routes and the handling requirements for potash and phosphate are set to be completed between 2024 and the end of 2025, with construction tenders expected to be issued in early 2026.

 

Once completed, the railway will significantly enhance Jordan's logistical and export capacities, initially handling 16 million tons of phosphate and potash products (13 million tons of phosphate and 3 million tons of potash).

 

The railway will connect key mining sites to the industrial port and the phosphate port in Aqaba, improving logistical efficiency and export capabilities, while also creating new job opportunities in various sectors including logistics, mining, and railways.

 

The railway will start from the phosphate port and industrial port in Aqaba, extending north to Shidiya and west to Ghor Al-Safi via Wadi Araba.

 

The project, which will be executed under the Jordan Investment Fund Law, is expected to establish a collaborative framework in the railway sector, contributing to the transfer of technical expertise and skills in railway construction and operation.