Details of projects presented by Kushner during Bahrain workshop to be implemented in Jordan

Jordan

Published: 2019-06-26 10:42

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 12:07


Senior Adviser to the US, President Jared Kushner
Senior Adviser to the US, President Jared Kushner

The White House has officially published the details of the economic aspects of the US peace plan, known as the "Deal of the Century", that were presented by Senior Adviser to the US, President Jared Kushner during the Bahrain workshop that kicked off on Tuesday, June 25, 2019.

The draft of the projects published by the White House through its official website showed a number of private projects to be implemented in Jordan, which were included in Kouchner's economic plan for the peace process in the region, entitled "Peace for Prosperity".

The documents stated that the donor countries and investors are expected to contribute about $ 50 billion, where $ 7.5 billion of which will be given to Jordan.

According to the draft, the projects earmarked for Jordan will be implemented in three phases as "concessional financing" with a total value of $ 7,365,000,000 as follows:

  • Phase 1: About $ 740 million will be given to Jordan, including 465 million in grants, $ 200 million of loans and $ 75 million of special financing.
  • Phase 2: $ 1,850,000,000 will be given to Jordan, including $ 1,200,000,000 in grants, $ 325 million of loans and 325 million of special financing.
  • Phase 3: $ 4, 775,000, 000 will be given to Jordan, including $ 38 million in grants, $ 2,375,000,000 of loans and $ 2, 363,000,000 of special financing.

Following are the projects to be implemented in Jordan with a description of each:

  1. Regional Trade and Commerce: Allenby, Amman, Zarqa Bus Rapid Transit: Support a new bus system that would connect the cities of Amman and Zarqa, Jordan's two largest cities, as well as points within each city.
  2. Cross Border Services: Red Sea-Dead Sea Conveyance - Stage 1: Provide support for the "Red-Dead" project, which will provide water to Israel and Jordan while also slowing the declining water levels in the Dead Sea. Key features are envisioned to include a desalination plant on the Red Sea to provide water to southern areas of Jordan and Israel, the sale of Israeli water to northern Jordan, an Israeli-Palestinian agreement for provision of the additional water to the West Bank and Gaza, and brine production from the Red Sea desalination plant to be combined with sea water and sent to the Dead Sea to reverse declining water levels.
  3. Economic Stabilization: Solar Program: Support the continued development of Jordan's solar power generation program.
  4. Economic Stabilization: Jordan SME Fund: Expand the existing U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) program, which supports small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the region. OPIC could create an expanded guarantee facility for loans to SMEs in Jordan.
  5. Economic Stabilization: National Broadband Network: Install a broadband, fiber-optic network in Jordan to connect public schools, hospitals and healthcare centers, businesses, and government entities in areas including, but not limited to, Irbid, Mafraq, Jerash and Ajloun.
  6. Economic Stabilization: National Data Center: Create a central office, under the National Information Technology Center, with technical infrastructure and equipment to house all of the Jordanian government's electronic data.
  7. Regional Trade and Commerce: Develop and Upgrade Airports: Improve facilities at King Hussein and Marka Airports and develop a new airport in southern Shuna.
  8. Cross Border Services: Red Sea-Dead Sea Conveyance - Stage 2: Support continued development of the Red Sea-Dead Sea conveyance project.
  9. Cross Border Services: Jordan River Improvement Project: Implement a mitigation program to rehabilitate the Jordan River and prevent pollution from agricultural and wastewater run-offs.
  10. Economic Stabilization: National Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Capacity Building: Build a national cyber security capability and provide technical assistance to support Jordanian government efforts to protect both public and private sectors, including banks, hospitals, and critical infrastructure, against state and non-state cyber attackers, as well as open up opportunities for more international cyber collaboration.
  11. Market Integration: Ma'an Dry Port: Establish a dry port in Ma’an that will serve the industrial park in Ma’an governorate, close to the proposed route of the national railway project, and connect it to several national and international roads with neighboring countries and key trade infrastructure.
  12. Regional Trade and Commerce: Jordan+Regional Rail Network: Support Jordan's proposed national railroad project to develop a regional rail network connecting population centers. Key features are envisioned to include a rail line connecting Amman to Aqaba, which would decrease the cost of shipments and trade from Jordan's major population centers, and a potential additional rail extension to the Arabian Gulf.
  13. Regional Trade and Commerce: Jordan Transport Corridors: Improve Jordan's road infrastructure including the four primary corridors, two of which are primarily for regional trade and can support increased trade with the West Bank and Gaza. These improvements will help enhance road safety and reduce the cost of transportation and trade.
  14. Cross Border Services: Jordan—West Bank Transmission Line: Upgrade the Jordan-West Bank interconnection by building a 400 kV line.
  15. Regional Tourism: Aqaba’s Corniche District / High Lakes Resort: Support the creation of a resort built on land north of Aqaba's coast and adjacent to the Marsa Zayed project, as well as the development of Aqaba's Corniche District including water parks, an ecological park, beaches, and hotels. These developments will bolster regional-tourism packages, which will also support the tourism industry of the West Bank and Gaza.

Also read: Details of economic projects to be discussed at Bahrain workshop