Khaberni - The House of Representatives approved by majority the bill ratifying the executive agreement for the evaluation, development, and exploitation of copper and associated minerals in the Abu Khashiba area.
This occurred during a session held on Sunday, chaired by the council president Mazen Al-Qadi and attended by the Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and members of the government team.
The chairman of the Parliamentary Energy and Mineral Resources Committee, Ayman Abu Henia, during the session which is the last in the second ordinary session of the 20th House of Representatives, affirmed that the copper mining project in Wadi Araba has gone through clear legal and technical stages since the signing of the memorandum of understanding in 2022, leading up to the signing of the executive agreement in preparation for the production phase.
He said the concerned company executed exploration and mining works during the past period and provided an initial economic feasibility study, in addition to consulting a global expert house to estimate copper reserves according to international standards, which paved the way for the next phase of the project.
Abu Henia explained that a specialized Jordanian company named Wadi Araba Minerals Company was established to be the developer of the project, clarifying that its establishment was a legal requirement for signing the executive agreement, which will not come into effect until ratified by the National Assembly, pursuant to the provisions of Article 117 of the Jordanian Constitution.
He indicated that the agreement obliges the transformation of the company into a Jordanian public shareholding company before commercial production begins, enhancing governance and transparency, expanding ownership base, and allowing broad national participation, including financial institutions like the Investment Fund and Social Security.
He pointed out that investment in the project is open to entities that possess technical and financial capability, stating that there is a possibility for investors to employ global companies to ensure operational efficiency, under strict regulatory programs by the government.
Regarding the returns, Abu Henia said that the "royalty" system in the agreement is variable and ranges between 3-10 percent of the production, which is within international standards, emphasizing that this percentage is calculated from total production and not net profits.
He continued that returns are not limited to royalties only, but also include income tax and mining fees, in addition to indirect returns, pointing out that the agreement includes a progressive tax system on profits.
He emphasized the importance of the project in positioning Jordan on the global mining map, along with its indirect economic impact through the creation of job opportunities and the employment of local labor, urging for a comprehensive evaluation of the agreement and not just focusing on the royalty percentage.
The "Representatives" postponed during a session held last Wednesday, the approval of the bill, to allow all members to express their opinions, observations, and suggestions regarding the "Abu Khashiba agreement".
It should be noted that the House of Representatives referred on November 24, 2025, the bill ratifying the agreement concluded between the Jordanian Government, represented by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, and Wadi Araba Minerals Company for the license to carry out exploration, mining, development, operation, and marketing of minerals (copper and associated minerals) for the year 2025, to the Parliamentary Energy and Mineral Resources Committee, which approved it on April 13 of the current year.
The cabinet approved the bill during a session held on November 16, 2025.
The bill comes in compliance with the provisions of Article 117 of the Jordanian Constitution, which stipulates: "The necessity of ratifying any concession related to the investment of mines or minerals or public utilities by law", and also in execution of the provisions of Article 9 of the Natural Resources Law No. 19 for the year 2018, which states: "The necessity of ratifying production sharing agreements or executive agreements and grants granted in accordance with the provisions of Article 117 of the Constitution".
This agreement is part of the government's efforts to support investment in the mining and natural resources sector, enhancing its contribution to the national economy, developing local communities, providing job opportunities, in addition to enhancing the competitiveness of the local product and reducing dependence on traditional sources.
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