Interior ministry to facilitate permits, security procedures

AMMAN –– The Ministry of Interior will ease security procedures for investors as well as measures related to labour permits, a government official said Tuesday. 

According to a statement issued by the Jordan Industrial Estates Corporation (JIEC), director of the interior ministry's local development directorate Raed Odwan said the ministry plans to sign an agreement with the corporation soon to relax security measures for non-Jordanian investors in a bid to boost investments in the Kingdom. 

Odwan was quoted by the statement as saying that the agreement would be in line with the ministry's strategy to achieve economic development, particularly in governorates. 

The statement said the official made the remarks as he was attending a visit by JIEC Director General Loay Sehwail to Balqa Governorate. 

Sehwail revealed that JIEC has floated a tender to design an industrial estate in Balqa, noting that it will be built on 221 dunums. 

Sehwail said the corporation has attracted a total of 21 investments in the industrial sector during the first quarter of 2014, with an estimated value of JD69 million. 

The investments are projected to create 3,500 jobs, he added. 

According to the JIEC chief, the value of investments in industrial estates reached JD2.29 billion by the end of 2013 compared with JD2.1 billion in 2012. 

The investments are expected to create 40,000 employment opportunities, he added.