Shehadeh meets Qatari officials over investment pledges

AMMAN — Minister of State for Investment Affairs and Chairman of the Jordan Investment Commission (JIC) Muhannad Shehadeh has met with Qatari Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani in Doha, with whom he discussed means to forge closer cooperation between Jordan and Qatar, mainly in the investment field.

A statement by the JIC, carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra on Tuesday, said that Shehadeh met with Al Thani and Finance Minister Ali Sharif Al Emadi to review ways to increase Qatari investments in the Kingdom, as part of the package of investments ordered by the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani two months ago.

The pledge included providing 10,000 job opportunities for Jordanians and funding investments worth $500 million in infrastructure projects to assist the Kingdom in facing economic challenges. 

Shehadeh pointed out that a number of projects have been presented in various sectors, with a focus on energy and tourism, noting that these projects will provide job opportunities for Jordanians, which is the first challenge tackled by the Jordanian government. 

"The Jordan Investment Commission welcomes any foreign investment projects that will help in achieving economic growth and combating unemployment," Shehadeh added.

An online platform was launched last week, advertising the job opportunities available for Jordanians as part of the Qatari pledge. 

Three days after its launch,
www.jqpee.jo had recorded a total of 118,000 applications from Jordanian citizens.  

Out of the 10,000 job opportunities announced, 1,000 will be available within two months, Qatar announced in July.