Khaberni - The Prime Minister launches the Umrah City project, which forms a new model in urban development and long-term population growth management, taking into account sustainability and modernity standards, and opens promising investment and economic opportunities. It serves as the nucleus for a futuristic model city for youth and the next generation, organized and planned meticulously, with its development phases spanning over 25 years and transcending governments.
The project launch is in execution of the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II to the government in the Royal Mandate letter, which was directed to continue working on this project; due to its pivotal role in alleviating pressure on the cities of Amman and Zarqa through partnership with the private sector, and for its significant economic, investment, and social dimensions, aligning with the goals of the economic modernization vision, within the quality of life axis.
The Prime Minister reviews the plans for the projects that will be established in the first phase of the Umrah City project, which will be held on an area of 40,000 dunums out of half a million dunums, and the Jordanian Company for the Development of Cities and Government Facilities will follow up and facilitate the stages of their completion. Work on them will begin at the beginning of next year and will extend until 2029, with some of them being completed within two years.
Upon its completion, Umrah City will not be a new capital or administrative center, but its project comes to meet the future population needs of the Kingdom, especially in the cities of Amman and Zarqa, which are expected to reach a population of 11 million within 25 years if the population growth continues on its path from the past decade.
The project predetermines land uses of various types; investment, educational, commercial, industrial, service, residential, and tourist, in a sustainable manner that is consistent with the master plan and its future updates.
The Umrah City project is a green city project that provides opportunities for experts and youth to participate in developing a futuristic model city that offers modern housing and service alternatives, utilizing the latest environmental, technological, and clean energy technologies, and public transport.
An advisory council of distinguished and proactive youth in the fields of architecture, arts, environment, energy, real estate development, sustainability, public transport, and technology will be formed; to leave a clear mark of Jordanian youth on this national, model, futuristic project.
The first phase of the project includes allocating lands for productive investment projects including an international center for exhibitions and conferences to be completed in 2027, a comprehensive sports city including an international football stadium to be completed in 2029 alongside an Olympic city, halls equipped with Olympic standards for various sports such as basketball, handball, volleyball, combat sports, tennis courts, athletics, and a car racing track, in addition to a model environmental park on an area of no less than 1000 dunums, an entertainment city to be completed in 2028 according to the highest specifications, commercial and service areas, an educational city, and a technological center for investing in the education sector, in addition to allocating museums and facilities for cultural events including an expansion to the Royal Automobile Museum, and these projects will be financed through foreign and local investment.
The investment projects will be implemented on an area of 40,000 dunums, out of approximately half a million dunums, which are all lands of the state treasury. The lands of the Umrah City project have been allocated for the benefit of the Jordanian Governmental Investment Fund, which established Jordanian Company for the Development of Cities and Governmental Facilities; to be its development arm.
According to preliminary studies, the projects of the first phase will provide thousands of job opportunities, and these projects will have vital reflections on the sectors of contracting, construction, commerce, construction industries, transport, tourism, and others, and will have a positive impact in stimulating economic growth.
Upon the completion of the first phase projects by the end of 2029, the Umrah City project will be linked with the rapid transit bus system which will reinforce its role as a vital center for living, working, and commuting and enhance its competitiveness in the long term.
The Jordanian Company for the Development of Cities and Government Facilities will follow up and facilitate the stages of project completion, offer opportunities, handle investors, and build partnerships for attracting local and foreign investments to the Umrah City project.
Investment in the Umrah City project will be consistent with the master plan and within specified regulatory frameworks to be announced in the coming months.
A partial public subscription window in the Umrah City project will be considered after the completion of its first phase; to allow citizens from various categories to benefit from this national investment.
The Umrah City project is distinguished by its strategic location on international roads connecting Jordan with Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Iraq, as well as being 40 km away from downtown Amman, and 35 km from both the city of Zarqa and Queen Alia International Airport.
10% of the lands in the Umrah City project will be allocated for the benefit of the Jordanian Armed Forces, which will contribute a part of the development works and in equipping the infrastructure through the Engineering Corps.
Alongside the launch of the first phase of the Umrah City project, 20,000 dunums of adjacent state treasury lands will be allocated to the Public Housing and Urban Development Corporation for developing and organizing them for housing purposes to benefit the employees, retirees, and residents of Mowaqqar district.
