Agreement for Jordan National Railway to Link with Regional Network

The 43 members of the Union for the Mediterranean have approved plans to develop the Jordanian National Rail Network to integrate with other rail networks, providing an integrated network for the efficient transport of passengers and freights throughout the region.

The backbone of the project will be a 509km north-south corridor, linking the Syrian Border at Amman to the gateway Port of Aqaba, expected to be complete in 2017.

Other phases of the project will see the development of links with Saudi Arabia and Iraq, providing assistance with the redevelopment of Iraq. Sources of cement have been developed within Jordan supplying companies involved in reconstruction projects in Iraq. Jordan is a key transit point for goods destined for both Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

When the National Railway Project is complete, Jordan will become a full signatory to the Convention on the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (COTIF). The Organisation exists to agree standard systems of law which apply to the carriage of passengers and freight in international through traffic by rail.

The project will ultimately facilitate the linking of Turkey and Europe on one hand and the Countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council on the other to build a completely integrated transport network.