Cabinet approves JD200m-worth joint projects

AMMAN —The Cabinet on Saturday approved a number of public-private partnership (PPP) projects funded by capital spending worth JD200 million, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The projects include investment in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) infrastructure between Amman and Zarqa and inside Amman.  Initiated upon the recommendations of the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) and the Transport Ministry, the project, which will deal specifically with the infrastructure of the BRT, is expected to cost JD20 million.

Other projects include service management and complaints follow-up for ministries and government institutions, upon the request of the ICT Ministry, at a cost of JD2.8 million.

Among the projects is the partnership to develop, renovate and invest in Amman Civil Airport in Marka, at a cost of JD80 million.

The Cabinet also approved a project to establish a new building for the science faculty within Tafileh Technical University, at a cost of JD11 million, under a build-operate-transfer formula.

The Council of Ministers also approved the formation of steering and technical committees for a fibre optic network programme, the collection and recycling of expired lead-acid batteries and the central industrial water treatment plant in Halabat.

In addition, the government tasked its Partnership Unit, in cooperation with the Municipal Affairs Ministry, to draft a feasibility study for the establishment of slaughterhouses in Irbid and Karak.

It also tasked the Finance Ministry to prepare a framework study to establish a fund for supporting partnership projects in cooperation with French Development Agency.

Previously, the Cabinet has approved several PPP projects, including Amman›s new slaughterhouse, which will cost JD30 million, the collection and recycling of expired lead-acid batteries at a cost of JD2.5million, a fibre optic network project, Zarqa industrial water treatment plant, at a cost of JD24 million, as well as industrial and medical waste treatment units in Swaqa, at a cost of JD30 million. 

Since establishing the government’s public-private partnership programme, 10 PPP projects  were initiated and are now under implementation, with a total capital spending of JD200 million.