His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Dr. Jafar Hassan, Prime Minister of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, today witnessed the signing of an agreement between the UAE and Jordan to develop a railway network in Jordan and establish the UAE–Jordan Railway Company.
The agreement covers the construction and operation of a 360-kilometre railway linking the main mining areas of Al-Shidiya and Ghor Al-Safi to the Port of Aqaba. The project aims to transport 16 million tonnes annually of phosphate and potash, with a total investment value of US$2.3 billion.
The agreement was signed on behalf of the UAE by Suhail bin Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, and on behalf of Jordan by Dr. Nidal Al-Qatamin, Minister of Transport of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
As part of the agreement, the UAE–Jordan Railway Company was formally established as a joint venture between Abu Dhabi’s L’IMAD Holding Company (L’IMAD) and several Jordanian stakeholders.
The company’s founding agreement was signed by Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance and Managing Director and Group CEO of L’IMAD Holding, from the UAE side.
From the Jordanian side, signatories included Dr. Mohammad Thneibat, Chairman at Jordan Phosphate Mines Company; Eng. Shehada Abu Hdeib, Chairman of Arab Potash Company; Dr. Ezzeddin Kanakrieh, Chief Executive Officer of the Jordan Social Security Investment Fund (SSIF); Waddah Barqawi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Government Investments Management Company.
Under the agreement, the joint venture will be responsible for the implementation, operation and maintenance of Jordan’s railway network through its executing arm, Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE’s national railway network.
The agreement represents a natural extension of the US$5.5 billion investment agreement signed at the end of 2023 in the presence of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan.
The project will enhance Jordan’s export capabilities and logistics efficiency by directly linking phosphate and potash production sites to the Port of Aqaba, significantly reducing transport time and costs. It will also support comprehensive economic development and open wide prospects for job creation across multiple sectors, leveraging the extensive expertise of Etihad Rail.
The project underscores the UAE’s continued role in supporting strategic development initiatives in the region and strengthening economic partnerships based on long-term investment and knowledge transfer. It also reflects the country’s commitment to advancing vital infrastructure, enhancing economic integration with sisterly and friendly nations, and translating strong bilateral relations into tangible development projects that support regional economic growth and reinforce its position as a trusted partner in building integrated transport and logistics systems at both regional and global levels.
