AMMAN, JORDAN – gulftech…The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has inaugurated a major three-level highway intersection on the main Amman-Dead Sea Road in Jordan. The project in the Marj Al-Hammam region was funded with a US$ 19 million grant provided by Saudi Arabia through the SFD to develop the road infrastructure in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The project was inaugurated under the patronage of the Jordanian Prime Minister Dr. Bishr Al-Khasawneh and in the presence of Jordan’s Minister of the Public Works and Housing Eng. Yahya Al-Kasbi, Jordan’s Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nasser Shraideh, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Jordan Nayef bin Bandar Al-Sudairy, and the SFD’s Operations Director in the Middle East and North Africa Eng. Bandar bin Abdullah Al-Obaid.
The new intersection has been built on three levels, including a 240-meter two-lane concrete bridge connecting Marj Al-Hammam and Prince Hussein Road, and a 110-meter tunnel with four separate traffic lanes linking Amman-Na’ur to the Dead Sea Road.
The Amman-Dead Sea Road carries 40,000 vehicles per day, and a further 25,000 vehicles pass through the Marj Al Hammam junction with Prince Hussein Road. The new intersection will significantly reduce traffic congestion and increase safety.
Speaking at the inauguration, Jordan’s Minister of the Public Works and Housing Eng. Yahya Al-Kasbi said, “The new road project will help to improve Jordan’s road infrastructure. The project has been built to the highest technical specifications and standards by Jordanian workers in cooperation with Saudi engineers. This project will also help improve the living standards of the Jordanian people.”
Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Jordan Nayef bin Bandar Al-Sudairy said, “Saudi Arabia, represented by the SFD, has provided US$2 billion in loans and grants to develop several vital sectors in Jordan. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is one of the first countries to have benefited from SFD’s contributions during the last five decades. The Saudi support has helped Jordan develop several key sectors, including education, health, and infrastructure.”
“This ongoing support reflects the Saudi commitment to help Jordan and its King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein and the Crown Prince. Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, seeks to enhance the mutual relations between the two countries,” he added.
SFD Operations Director in the Middle East and North Africa Eng. Bandar bin Abdullah Al-Obaid said, “This project has been inaugurated in line with the ongoing cooperation between our two Kingdoms. It is a step further in developing Jordan’s transportation sector and will significantly reduce congestion and ensure a smoother traffic flow.
“The SFD has worked with the Jordanian Government to finance a number of priority projects which are aimed at improving the lives of local communities,” he added.
The SFD’s investment in Jordan is estimated at around US$ 2 billion. It has provided 21 loans to finance 19 energy, infrastructure, water, education, health, agriculture, and energy projects.
The SFD is one of the largest contributors of sustainable development aid. It plays a crucial role in providing financial and technical assistance to development projects across the world. Since it was established in 1975, it has supported 694 projects in 84 countries contributing stability, prosperity, and providing socio-economic support to developing nations, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals.
