Jordan Times
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Development zone launched in
Ajloun
By Mohammad Ghazal
AJLOUN - His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday announced the establishment of the
Ajloun Special Development Zone, which officials said is expected to attract
investments worth billions and create thousands of jobs over the next 15 years.
The development zone includes 24 proposed tourism projects, including a
2,000-dunum tourism city that will comprise 900 hotel rooms, restaurants and
other entertainment facilities with environmental considerations taken into
account.
Also yesterday, His Majesty laid the cornerstone for the JD35 million
Jerash-Ajloun Military Hospital, which will be established over 51 dunums and
serve the two governorates, whose total population is 300,000. The hospital's
initial capacity of 100 beds can be expanded to 300.
The King also laid the foundation stone for a Ranger Academy that will be
established over a quarry near Ajloun Natural Reserve for the training of about
100-150 students annually on ecotourism, guiding and ecosystem preservation.
The JD3.5 million academy, which will be located over 2,500 square metres, is
expected to be completed in early 2010 and will train Jordanians and students
from other countries on issues of ecological conservation and ecotourism
services, Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) Director General
Yehya Khalid told reporters yesterday.
At a meeting with community leaders from the governorate yesterday, King
Abdullah said he constantly follows up on the needs and affairs of Ajloun to
improve its situation, instructing the government to take the required steps to
achieve development in the governorate and enhance the living standards of its
residents.
His Majesty also directed the government to “seriously” respond to demands made
by residents of the governorate at the meeting, especially those related to
education, health and youth.
Prime Minister Nader Dahabi said the government and citizens share
responsibility for accelerating the implementation of the development plan.
He added that the government will start expansion and renovation work worth JD5
million at Al Eman Hospital in the governorate, a demand that was pressed
heavily by area residents at the meeting.
The premier added that a tender will be floated next month for the construction
of a dam in the Kufranjeh area, saying the implementation of the project, which
is estimated to cost JD20 million, will start next year.
Minister of Environment Khalid Irani said the development plans for Ajloun take
into consideration the preservation of the environment, pledging that "no trees
will be cut when implementing the proposed projects".
The minister, who said the King gave directives to come up with a master plan to
announce Ajloun as a development zone in 2007, said the master plan entails land
usage in the area.
According to the minister, the tourism city alone is expected to attract about
$1 billion in investments, in addition to creating over 3,000 jobs.
"There are investors who have already shown interest in starting projects in the
zone," said Irani.