Amman, Aug. 26 (Petra) — Jordan on Wednesday signed contracts for
two projects to supply the Muwaqqar and Rawda industrial cities with
natural gas, with $70 million in funding from the Abu Dhabi Fund for
Development, in a move aimed at reducing industrial energy costs and
enhancing the sector’s competitiveness.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh signed the
contracts during a ceremony attended by Abu Dhabi Fund for
Development Director General Mohamed Suwaidi and representatives of
the companies implementing the projects.

The Muwaqqar Industrial City project was awarded to a consortium
comprising Petrojet and Ahmad Yousef Tarawneh and Partner, while TAQA
Arabia Group was awarded the project to supply Rawda Industrial City
in the Ma’an Development Area with natural gas.

Kharabsheh expressed appreciation for the United Arab Emirates’
continued support for Jordan, noting that the two projects form part
of the Kingdom’s strategy to reduce energy costs across economic
sectors, particularly industry.

He highlighted the projects’ role in providing an alternative energy
source for industrial facilities, enabling factories to reduce
production costs, improve competitiveness, access new markets, expand
production and establish new production lines, while creating
additional employment opportunities and supporting economic growth.

The projects are being financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development
under a memorandum of understanding with the Jordanian government,
represented by the Ministry of Planning and International
Cooperation, to finance several development projects in the Kingdom.
They also align with the objectives of the second executive program
of the Economic Modernization Vision and the government’s efforts to
develop energy infrastructure and support the industrial sector.

Suwaidi noted that the fund’s partnership with Jordan dates back to
1974, with financial support to the Kingdom totaling AED 9.4 billion.
He highlighted the strategic role of the projects financed by the
fund in supporting the Jordanian economy, describing the signing as a
reaffirmation of its commitment to Jordan’s development efforts.

Taqa Arabia Group CEO Pakinam Kafafi described Jordan as a promising
market with a strategic location, noting that the company’s project
involves constructing a 14-kilometer natural gas pipeline to supply
Rawda Industrial City.

Kafafi noted that the pipeline project will help meet the energy
needs of the industrial sector and provide reliable energy solutions,
adding that the group plans to draw on its expertise in
infrastructure development to support industry and sustainable growth
in Jordan.

The two projects are expected to provide factories with a sustainable
and cost-effective energy source, reduce production costs, and
improve the investment environment, thereby strengthening the ability
of industrial cities to attract new investments and create employment
opportunities.

//Petra// AJ