President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan held a telephone call on Tuesday to review bilateral ties and regional developments across the Middle East, albayan.ae reported. The conversation focused on economic and developmental pathways operating under the framework of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement signed between the two nations.
Advancing the Aqaba-Shidiya-Ma’an Railway Project
A central focus of the discussion between the two leaders involved the Aqaba-Shidiya-Ma’an railway project. Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and King Abdullah II had witnessed the ground-breaking ceremony for the infrastructure initiative in Aqaba, 24.ae reported. Developed by the Jordan-Emirates Railway Company, the undertaking represents a $2.5 billion investment and spans a 403-kilometer rail network designed to connect the port city of Aqaba with key mining sites and the Ma’an logistical zone.
The system is engineered to handle approximately 16 million tons of phosphate and potash annually. By moving bulk goods and containers away from local highways, the rail network aims to lower logistical expenses and cut annual transportation costs for raw materials by roughly $40 million, 24.ae reported.
Railway Project Creates 5,000 Jobs in Southern Jordan
The railway initiative forms part of a broader push to deepen industrial and commercial cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Engineering, construction, maintenance, and logistics sectors across southern Jordan are projected to draw up to 5,000 jobs from the ongoing construction work, which includes building roughly 55 bridges and six tunnels, 24.ae reported.
Beyond domestic infrastructure expansion, the leaders dedicated a portion of their telephone consultation to geopolitical conditions in the Middle East. Both heads of state emphasized the necessity of maintaining ongoing dialogue and coordination to support regional security and diplomatic stability, Sharjah24.ae reported.
