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- 30 year agreement bans exports of unprocessed copper
- Gov’t says agreement aims to maximise national economic returns
AMMAN — The Cabinet on Wednesday, during a session chaired by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, approved a 30-year executive agreement with Wadi Araba Minerals Company for copper mining in southern Jordan.
The deal grants mining rights over a 25-square-kilometre area and stipulates that extracted raw materials must be processed locally to maximise national economic returns, prohibiting the export of unprocessed copper, according to a Prime Ministry statement.
The company will be registered as a public shareholding company, with a portion of its shares to be offered for public subscription. Government revenues from the project would be linked to international copper prices. Copper is classified as a strategic resource in Jordan, requiring a special concession law for its exploitation, according to the statement.
The Council of Ministers also expanded the scope of customs fine exemptions to include violations discovered or recorded before January 1, 2025. Under the new measures, fines can be waived by up to 90 per cent, an extension of the previous cutoff. Previously, the exemption applied only to cases identified before 2022.
The measure aims to ease the financial burden on investors, traders and citizens by resolving pending customs cases, accelerating revenue collection, and supporting the government’s broader Economic Modernisation Vision goals and its investment-focused driver, the statement said.
The Cabinet also granted quarry operators in the alternative Samad area (zones 1, 2, and 3) a five-year grace period to wind down operations. No new mining licenses will be issued in the area, and existing operators will be required to rehabilitate their sites.
The Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission was tasked with studying incentive options for operators who exit the area ahead of schedule.
As part of efforts to position Jordan as a regional hub for green hydrogen and ammonia, the Cabinet approved a land-use agreement with Indian firm Ocior Energy to conduct feasibility studies for a green hydrogen project.
The government has signed multiple memoranda of understanding to develop Jordan's green hydrogen and ammonia sectors to support the Economic Modernisation Vision’s 2023–2025 executive plan under the “Sustainable Resources” pillar and aims to attract investment in this vital and environmentally friendly energy sector.
Green hydrogen is a renewable energy source with wide-ranging applications in electricity generation, industry, and heating. The government seeks to make Jordan a leading producer and exporter of green hydrogen in the region, the statement said.
The Cabinet also approved recommendations to resolve 419 outstanding tax cases between taxpayers and the Income and Sales Tax Department. The move is part of efforts to ease regulatory pressure on businesses and promote sustainable growth by enabling tax settlements and reducing obstacles to expansion.
The Cabinet also agreed to amend financing agreements under the results-based programme for education sector reform and approved an increase of approximately JD7 million to the Ministry of Education’s 2026 budget allocation.
The programme aims to improve the learning environment, boost kindergarten enrolment, modernise assessments and exams, enhance the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination (Tawjihi), expand student registration support, and establish a National Centre for Innovation in Educational Technology and Artificial Intelligence.