ASEZA continues to excel following 23 years of establishment

AMMAN — Launched 23 years ago by His Majesty King Abdullah, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) has transformed into a global logistics hub and a destination for tourism, trade, investment and entertainment.

Interviewed by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, ASEZA Chairman Nayef Fayez said that in a “record” time, Jordan’s sole port city of Aqaba has turned into a hub linking three continents, thanks to His Majesty’s vision and guidance. 

ASEZA was established under a Royal decree on April 20, 2000, as per a plan to transform Aqaba into a special economic zone and a global commercial centre.

Fayez said that the population of Aqaba has increased from 88,000, at the declaration of the special zone, to over 240,000, attributing the rise in to improvement to services and infrastructure and the increase in investments, meeting the region’s workforce needs.

Fayez said that Aqaba’s port now hosts 32 active and multipurpose berths to serve the Kingdom and the countries of the region, and has also an advanced customs centres to facilitate inspection, handling and clearance operations

Fayez pointed out to the expansion of King Hussein International Airport, transforming it into an international airport works according to “Open Skies Policy” and capable of handling two million tourists annually.

Fayez highlighted the increase in industrial zones from two to five zones, while the logistics centres (free zones) increased from five to ten, which foster diverse investments.

Fayez said that His Majesty’s follow-ups, visits, and continuous meetings have put Aqaba back on the map of various investments, especially tourism, which accounts for more than 50 per cent of the total volume of investments, distributed among real estate, industrial, tourism and other investments.

He added that the authority is working within its strategic plan for 2024-2028, which focuses on enhancing Aqaba’s position as a global destination for environmental and heritage tourism, and as an investment hub and a regional centre for technology, entrepreneurship and innovation.

In higher education, the authority has supported numerous educational institutions with higher education courses, and established specialised universities, including the Aqaba University of Technology, he said.

“These projects serve as potential investments for other sectors, supporting education and health. Additionally, Aqaba hosts the University of Jordan in Aqaba, Al Balqa Applied University. It also attracts four universities, three aviation academies, an international school, government and private schools, and five hospitals.”

“These universities attracted more than 70 per cent of the student capacity from outside Jordan and neighbouring countries, and also attracted many people from Aqaba and the governorates of Jordan,” Fayez said.

According to Fayez, the total investment volume in the Aqaba Economic Zone is approximately JD26 billion, consisting mainly of agreed-upon and existing projects, which are mainly tourism and infrastructure projects, including the Ayla Oasis Resort and the Saraya Aqaba project.