With the government including, among its new investment opportunities and within the framework of achieving the vision of economic modernization, a strategic project to link the capital Amman to Aqaba, passing through the southern cities, with a railway and a high-speed train network, it has taken the first step to launch the largest project and development engine in the history of the Kingdom, if we take into account its future dimensions to include the main cities of Jordan in various directions, and all of this will form a basis for linking the Kingdom in the future with the neighboring Arab countries.
The project, during its construction and operation phases, will create a qualitative leap in terms of stimulating economic sectors, including construction, industry, logistics and support services, and will enhance the competitiveness of the transport and tourism sectors, among others, and create thousands of job opportunities, thus forming a real tool to combat unemployment.
The details speak of a project that will form the backbone of a sustainable national transport network in record time. Connecting Amman to Aqaba with a train network will provide the traveler, whether a citizen, tourist, or businessman, with the opportunity to shorten the journey time and reach Aqaba or vice versa in one hour and five minutes instead of more than four hours.
The economic feasibility of the project is high, especially if we take into account the increasing operating costs of traditional land transport and the rise in global fuel prices.
The project also has social and developmental dimensions, as it will enable Jordanian families and tourists to make almost daily trips, enjoy the charm of Aqaba, and return to Amman in the evening without having to think about the hardship of traveling by car for 4 hours or more, going or returning.
It will also ensure continuous passenger traffic around the clock between the capital and the southern cities, and will pave the way for transforming these cities into industrial centers that attract investment.
The importance of the project also lies in the huge positive impact expected on the tourism sector, as visitors to Jordan, especially from Europe and North America, will find a means of transportation that is compatible with their daily lifestyles, given that high-speed trains are their first choice for transportation in their countries.
Speaking about the details, informed sources reported that a high-level delegation from the French Alstom Group – one of the world’s largest and leading companies specializing in the development and manufacture of railway systems, and the production and operation of high-speed trains (TGV) and their infrastructure, operating in about 64 countries – recently visited Jordan and met with senior officials, discussing the group’s interest in implementing the project, which will take 4 to 5 years according to the BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) system, meaning that it will be operated and managed by the French company for a period of time determined by the government, and then ownership of the project will be transferred to the state. This is good for future generations, as the project will constitute a major source of income for the state treasury.
The importance of the French experience is that it offers globally recognized technology, which is the most reliable in safety systems, energy efficiency, and environmental sustainability.
It is true that the cost of building railways and operating trains is in the billions, but the economic return is many times greater if one takes into account the thousands of direct and indirect jobs that it will generate, and the support services that it needs, in addition to the fact that these projects translate into investment opportunities for the financial sectors in Jordan, foremost among them banks and investment funds, in addition to governmental and private financing bodies, both regionally and internationally.
The project has great strategic value and multifaceted benefits, and will ultimately enhance the Kingdom’s position on the regional and global investment, tourism, industry and trade map.
The important point in all of the above is that the treasury will not incur any losses as a result of the high-speed train projects, if the government can, and this is a valuable opportunity, reach an agreement to implement them on a BOT basis through negotiation. The government may consider offering tax exemptions and incentives to attract investors.
In conclusion, if the government succeeds in turning the dream of high-speed trains into a reality we live in, future generations will record that it launched the largest project in the history of the nation.