Qatari investments in Jordan exceed $4.5b — business council

AMMAN — Qatari investments in Jordan exceed $4.5 billion in all sectors, including $550 million as private sector investments, the deputy chairman of the Qatari-Jordanian Business Council at the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Khalifa Al Maslamani, said on Monday.

Maslamani told a correspondent of the Jordan News Agency, Petra, in Doha that $950 million is equity in companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange. Other areas of Qatari investments include real estate, tourism and hotels, banks, health, ICT and the energy field, according to Maslamani.

Maslamani, an investor in the real estate markets in Jordan and Qatar, stressed that what makes Jordan “a preferred destination” for many Qatari and Gulf investors and businesspeople is its infrastructure and “attractive and stimulating” climate.

He pointed out that Qatar's investments in Jordan are likely to rise during the coming period, in both the public and private sectors, especially in the education and renewable energy sectors.

The businessman also praised the real estate sector in the Kingdom, considering it among the most successful and profitable investment activities. He noted that the decline in the region’s real estate prices has attracted more foreign investors. 

The deputy chairman of the Qatari-Jordanian Business Council added that the real estate sector in Jordan will have a “promising future” and attract more investments from regional and international investors.

Prosperity and recovery of the real estate sector is “inevitably coming and faster than what some think”, especially since the demand exceeds supply, he reiterated.