Jordan has been granted $900,000 by the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) last week, which has been allocated to developing Amman into a “smart city,” in partnership with the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), the USTDA said in a statement on Sunday.

The USTDA will finance the technical assistance to develop a ten-year comprehensive Smart City Roadmap by employing ICT innovations, which will enhance city operations, public services and the quality of life for the citizens of Amman.

The grant will also support the implementation of the Traffic Control Platform project to reduce traffic in the congested city.

Since 2004, the population of Amman has grown to four million people. The ambitious “smart city” project will help absorb this rapid growth.

The Mayor of Amman, Yousef Shawarbeh, said that GAM is proud to have partnered with the USTDA on this project.
On his part, Thomas Hardy, the Director of Congressional and Public Affairs at the USTDA, said that the Agency is happy to work with GAM on this project.

If GAM can enhance the capital and eliminate as many of its problems through the “smart city” project, does that automatically make the “New Amman” project redundant?