LONDON: Jordanian and Turkish officials discussed on Tuesday enhancing cooperation on rail transport and freight transit at a meeting in Amman between Jordanian Minister of Transport Nidal Qatamin and Turkish Ambassador to Amman Hakan Karacay.

The two officials also discussed preserving the historic Hejaz Railway, an Ottoman-era project that ran between Damascus in Syria and Madinah in Saudi Arabia. They explored cooperation to further develop the railway’s museum at the Amman Railway Station, according to the Jordan News Agency.

The meeting focused on potential railway connections tied to Jordan’s infrastructure projects, including the Aqaba-Shidiya-Maan Railway Project, a key project to transport phosphate from mines in Shidiya, Maan governorate, to the port city of Aqaba on the Red Sea coast. The UAE-Jordan Railway Co. is carrying out the mega transport project as part of a wider national drive to connect Jordanian cities via railway.

Both sides discussed measures to improve truck movement, transit processes, and supply chain efficiency between Jordan and Turkiye to support bilateral trade. Qatamin highlighted the need to enhance cooperation in transportation, logistics, and regional connectivity, according to JNA.