PM lays cornerstone for Azraq-Omari road project

ZARQA — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Monday laid the foundation stone for a project to reconstruct and develop the Azraq-Omari road, funded by Saudi Arabia.

The 110-kilometre road, financed through the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) at a cost of $270 million, has over the years been the scene of fatal accidents involving Jordanians and Saudi nationals, Ensour said.

The accidents have been blamed mainly on the bad condition of the highway.

During the ceremony, the premier voiced Jordan’s appreciation of Saudi Arabia’s support, which is part of the deals signed between the two countries under the first phase of Riyadh’s grant to the Kingdom within its contribution to the Gulf Cooperation Council’s $5 billion grant.

These funds are earmarked to serve projects in several sectors, including healthcare, education, water and transport.

Public Works Minister Sami Halaseh said the scheme is deemed as one of the most important projects implemented by the ministry, noting that it will be executed by a coalition of Jordanian and Saudi contractors.

Ten agreements, worth $890 million, have been signed between Jordan and the Gulf kingdom so far, while preparations are under way in cooperation with the SFD to fund the second phase of Saudi Arabia’s grant, according to Planning Minister Ibrahim Saif.