Jordan Times
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
King launches plan to establish Irbid Economic
Development Zone
By Mohammad Ghazal
IRBID — King Abdullah on Tuesday launched a plan to establish an economic
development zone in Irbid, in a bid to alleviate poverty and unemployment in the
northern governorate.
The zone, which will be constructed over 3,195 dunums, close to the Jordan
University of Science and Technology (JUST), is designed to improve the living
standards of citizens in the governorate, King Abdullah said during yesterday’s
launch, which marked Labour Day. The plan is the third of projected development
zones after the Aqaba Special Economic Zone and the $750 million Mafraq zone —
all of which seek to realise sustainable and comprehensive development. The
Irbid plan will include several IT, health, residential, industry and services
projects.
King Abdullah said the zone will create jobs and reduce unemployment in Irbid,
where around 17.5 per cent of its one million inhabitants are jobless.
The project, key to economic and investment activities in the governorate, is
expected to create some 23,000 jobs in various fields.
“The zone will build partnerships between JUST students and future companies in
the area to utilise the capabilities of the younger generation,” the King said.
Hoping that the project would improve living conditions in the governorate, King
Abdullah said the zone will be a hub for economic and scientific activities.
Hospitals, clinics and medical facilities will be constructed at the zone, where
patients from Arab countries can receive treatment. Currently, some 100,000
patients from Arab states seek treatment in the Kingdom annually. Medical and
nursing institutes, as well as development centres in the field of pharmacology,
are to be established to meet the shortage of healthcare staff in the country.
The zone will also include hotels, conference halls, restaurants, therapeutic
facilities, libraries, public parks, schools, gas stations, post offices, police
stations, housing for workers and students’ dormitories.
An Irbid Development Company will be created to manage the zone. King Abdullah
allocated part of the company’s shares to aid underprivileged students.
Labour Minister Bassem Salem, meanwhile, said the Irbid zone seeks to attract
investments and recruit labourers in the field of industry and services.
He also spoke about the Mafraq Special Economic Zone, which the King launched in
November.
The Mafraq zone will evolve over the next 19 years and serve as a transport,
logistic and industrial hub serving not only Jordan, but also neighbours like
Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iraq.
Mafraq, where six of the country’s 20 poverty pockets are located, is 20km from
Zarqa Governorate, home of four others.
The special economic zone is expected to create 13,000 direct jobs by 2015 and
32,000 jobs a decade later, in addition to a similar number of indirect jobs —
all will be available for residents of Mafraq and neighbouring districts.