AMMAN, 1 October 2004 — Jordan is spearheading a move for the construction of a regional railway network at an estimated cost of $1 billion with a view to connecting the kingdom with neighboring countries, including Iraq, where huge quantities of hardware are needed for rebuilding.
The Jordanian government is about to float a tender, whereby international firms will be invited to present their proposals about the best ways for carrying out this project, said Alaa Batayneh, secretary-general at the Transport Ministry.
“We are currently studying the tender’s terms of reference with an international expert before floating it,” he said.
“The move is essentially part of the government’s strategy to enhance trade exchanges with Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Egypt,” he added.
Batayneh expected the complete construction of the railway network to take 20 years at an estimated cost of $1 billion.
“The government will bear the cost of the railway’s infrastructure, while the private sector is expected to operate the network’s routes,” he said.
Earlier this week, Iraqi Transport Minister Louai Hatem said negotiations were under way between Jordan and Iraq for establishing a rail system for linking the two countries.
He pointed out that an Iraqi technical team would travel to Amman shortly to discuss details of the project.
Baghdad’s early involvement in the project reflects Jordan’s mounting ambition to become the gateway for Iraq’s reconstruction.
Since the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime, the Jordanian Red Sea port of Aqaba has been witnessing unprecedented congestion due to a flurry of import orders by Iraqi traders, and the maritime outlet is increasingly becoming the main conduit of Iraqi trade.
