Aqaba agencies sponsor Arab British forum

AMMAN — The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) and the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) are premium sponsors of the 2nd Arab British Economic Forum held in London Tuesday. 

The Aqaba delegation was headed by ASEZA Chief Commissioner and ADC Chairman Kamel Mahadin and Sharhabeel Madi, ASEZA’s commissioner for economic development and investment affairs, along with ADC’s vice president, Bashar Abu Rumman, according to an ASEZA statement. 

Organised by the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, the 2nd Arab British Economic Forum brings together senior government officials, diplomats, business executives, investors and decision makers from the UK and the Arab World to discuss new opportunities for business and investment cooperation in partnership with Jordan Chamber of Commerce, League of Arab States, the General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, and United Kingdom Trade & Investment (UKTI).

Mahadin was quoted  as saying that his team seeks to have “strong and effective presence for Aqaba in this important event as it very much serves our marketing efforts and goals on both the tourism and investment levels ”.

In his remarks at the event, the chief commissioner  described Jordan as “an oasis of security and safety. With its competitive investment climate, infrastructure, and world-class transport system, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone represents a strategic choice for investment in sectors that serve the region as a whole."

He stressed Jordan’s ability to attract investment from the Arabian Gulf, Europe, Asia, and from countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) that are facing political instability.

Highlighting some of the major developments taking place in Aqaba, Mahadin said $700 million has recently been invested in Jordan's ports development , noting that the goal was to attract $6 billion in investment in ASEZA over two decades, he said, but it has already surpassed the $20 billion mark. He added that 85 per cent of what Jordan imports comes through Aqaba, 65 per cent of what Jordan exports goes through Aqaba, and half of what passes through the port ends up in Iraq, he pointed out.

He listed the sectors Aqaba is currently promoting, namely, tourism and real-estate development, trade, logistics, services, health, education and industry. He invited British investors to visit Aqaba and explore what the zone offers in terms of its competitive investment climate, streamlined procedures, decentralised governance model, modern
multimodel transportation network and tourism attributes.