Amman, Nov. 29 (Petra) - Economic stakeholders said the Amra City project represents a strategic opportunity to strengthen sustainable development in the Kingdom and launch a new era of inclusive growth.

They told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the Amra City project is among the country’s most significant development ventures, marking a strategic shift in managing population growth, supporting the economic path, opening wide prospects for the private sector and stimulating economic sectors.

They said the project will be one of the biggest job generators in the construction sector in the coming decades, both in direct employment for engineers, technicians and workers, and in indirect jobs in supporting sectors.

Prime Minister Jaafar Hassan launched the Amra City project on Saturday. The project forms a new model for urban development and long-term population management, adheres to sustainability and modernity standards, and opens promising investment and economic opportunities. The project is designed as a nucleus for a model future city for youth and the coming generation, with strict planning and regulation, and its development phases will extend over 25 years, across successive governments.

Ayman Al-Alawneh, president of the Jordanian Businessmen Association, said launching Amra City is one of the most important development projects in modern Jordanian history, given its strategic shift in managing population growth and supporting the economic trajectory, in addition to providing wide opportunities for the private sector.

Al-Alawneh said the project reinforces modern urban-planning principles and reflects the state’s vision for future cities built on smart infrastructure and a productive economy that improves quality of life for citizens.

He said the project is not merely an urban expansion but a comprehensive development hub that will generate jobs and activate multiple economic sectors, including construction, transport, services, technology and tourism.

He added that the large area of Amra City and the diversity of land uses create a structured investment platform introduced for the first time in Jordan, within a stable legal and legislative environment that strengthens investor confidence and opens space for high-value investments.

Al-Alawneh said the project is expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, especially during the first phase extending to 2029, which will have a positive impact on economic growth rates and improve the business environment in the Kingdom.

He highlighted the importance of strengthening public-private partnerships to ensure the project’s success, noting that sustainable development cannot be achieved without real private-sector involvement. He said the Jordanian Businessmen Association is committed to supporting any step that advances the Kingdom’s economic vision.

He added that Amra City represents a qualitative leap toward a more advanced and stable future, calling on economic, youth and academic stakeholders to benefit from the opportunities the project will bring in the coming years.

Haitham Al-Rawajbeh, representative of the ICT sector at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, said announcing the Amra City project is a major strategic opportunity for the technology sector, placing Jordan at the threshold of a new phase of smart urban development.

Al-Rawajbeh said the project, launched in implementation of Royal directives, forms a modern model for a sustainable future city and opens space for specialized companies to provide digital solutions based on environmental technologies, clean energy and smart transport, strengthening Jordan’s position as a regional technology hub.

He said allocating investment, educational, commercial and industrial zones within an integrated master plan creates an attractive environment for ICT and telecommunications companies, particularly with the establishment of a technology hub and advanced educational facilities in the first phase.

Al-Rawajbeh added that reliance on smart infrastructure will enable Jordanian companies to develop solutions in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and smart cities, boosting the sector’s role in supporting the project from its early stages.

He noted that forming an advisory council of youth specialized in technology, architecture and sustainability adds an innovative dimension to the development efforts and supports participation by Jordanian talent and startups in building a modern urban model.

He said the project, through the jobs and broad economic effects it will generate, will create rising demand for digital services and strengthen Jordan’s standing in the technology sector, stressing the sector’s readiness for full cooperation with relevant authorities to ensure the success of this national project.

Fuad Al-Duwairi, president of the Jordan Construction Contractors Association, said Amra City represents a strategic turning point for Jordan’s construction sector, given its massive investment scale, long time frame of 25 years and unprecedented diversity of project types. He said this makes it one of the projects with the greatest potential to generate long-term and sustainable economic impact, especially for the contracting sector.

He said the project’s economic importance stems from its role as a sustained source of work for Jordanian contracting companies of all categories. Implementing comprehensive infrastructure works and sports, tourism, educational, industrial and entertainment facilities will create a long-term cycle of work that ensures continuous demand for construction services, away from seasonal fluctuations and short-term projects. This, he said, will enhance financial stability for companies and reduce default risks during slow economic cycles.

Al-Duwairi added that the project will be one of the largest job generators in the construction sector in the coming decades, both directly in engineering, technical and labor fields and indirectly, in supporting sectors such as cement, steel, building materials, transport, logistics, supply, and electrical and mechanical equipment. This will increase the construction sector’s contribution to GDP and improve its ability to absorb unemployment, particularly among youth.

He said adopting sustainability concepts, clean energy and green construction in the Amra City project will bring structural change to how Jordanian contracting companies operate by pushing them to upgrade technologies, improve workforce skills and apply modern construction systems and global standards in quality, safety and project management. This, he said, will strengthen the competitiveness of Jordanian companies domestically and regionally, enabling them to enter strategic partnerships with international firms and bring advanced expertise and technology into the Jordanian market.

He said injecting foreign and local investment into the project through a public-private partnership model will enhance investor confidence in the construction sector, expand financing available for major projects, create a more dynamic competitive environment and raise national companies’ ability to grow.

Al-Duwairi said implementing the first phase including major facilities such as the exhibitions and conference center, the sports city, the entertainment city and full infrastructure will directly stimulate investment in the contracting sector in the coming years, at a time when the sector is facing major challenges due to a previous decline in projects. He said Amra City presents an opportunity to restore balance to the market and improve liquidity within companies.

He concluded that Amra City should not be viewed as mere urban expansion but as a comprehensive national economic project that will have long-term effects on the growth of the construction sector, increase its contribution to comprehensive development, stimulate investment, create jobs and modernize production tools, in line with the next stage and the objectives of Jordan’s economic-modernization vision.

Malek Haddad, secretary-general of the Arab Union for Land Transport, said the "Amra City" project is a historic opportunity to build a modern city with global standards, stressing the importance of making public transport the backbone of development.

He said this approach will ensure Amra City does not become just another car-dependent suburb but a sustainable future city where public transport is the natural and convenient choice.

Haddad called for an urban-planning strategy that creates high-density, mixed-use residential and commercial communities around public-transport stations, allowing residents to walk or cycle to stations in 5 to 10 minutes (400–800 meters).

He also called for linking building permits near transport stations to early awareness campaigns that reinforce public-transport culture, along with early investment in smart systems and technology. He said this requires real private-sector partnership in financing and operations, with planning flexibility to adapt to future technologies such as autonomous vehicles.

Firas Sultan, representative of the financial and banking sector at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, said launching the Amra City project is a major investment and strategic opportunity for the Kingdom’s financial and banking sector.

Sultan said the project represents a modern model of sustainable urban development and enables the financial sector to provide innovative financing solutions to support economic and investment projects within the city, strengthening the role of banks and financial institutions in driving economic growth.

He said allocating land for investment, commercial, educational and industrial projects in the first phase creates a suitable environment for expanding financial and banking services for companies and investors, including trade and investment financing, project loans and infrastructure financing.

Sultan said Amra City will create new jobs and positively impact the financial and banking sector through increased investment volumes and financing needed for the city’s development phases, enhancing the Kingdom’s competitiveness in attracting local and foreign capital.

Development expert Mohammad Al-Farajat said launching the Amra City project marks a turning point in Jordan’s urban-development path. He said the project is not a temporary housing scheme but a national vision that includes involving youth in the knowledge economy, industry and production.

He said East Amman no longer needs only residential expansion but a smart, sustainable city that reduces pressure on Amman and Zarqa and opens horizons for investment, employment and development.

Al-Farajat said the project could support the creation of smart productive villages in the Badia region, redistributing population, creating real job opportunities and giving desert communities their natural role in national development. He said this is essential to protecting food, water and social security.

He concluded that Amra City is not a temporary solution but a strategic opportunity to strengthen sustainable development in the Kingdom and launch a new era of inclusive growth.

//Petra// AF

29/11/2025 21:02:20