Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Jordan Investment Commission Secretary General Faridoun Hartoqa said Monday that Jordan is a gateway and a launchpad for reconstruction projects in war-ravaged Syria and Iraq.

He told the Silk Road3 business conference held in Amman that many sectors had great opportunities to contribute to reconstruction projects in the region, estimated at about 500 billion dollars, the most important among these are infrastructure, health, energy, construction, education and housing.

Hartouqa pointed to the major investment opportunities available in the Kingdom, including the $280 million Aqaba Express train project, the $1 billion Aqaba Lake Resort, the $300 million Al Reeshah Oil Shale Project and the $100 million Al Okeider Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant.

He also mentioned the construction of a $100 million hospital in the Aqaba Governorate and the Dead Sea Corniche at a cost of 1.3 billion dollars, in addition to other opportunities in all the governorates, at a rate of 10 projects for each region spread over the various economic sectors at an estimated volume of JD302 million, which together will provide about 3,800 jobs.

He also pointed out that the new investment legislation provides key privileges to investors, which enable representatives of the investment window to issue the necessary permits and direct exemptions (sales tax and customs duties) for goods, services and production inputs for industrial purposes and fixed assets as well as other facilities.

During the conference, which was organized by the Jordanian-Palestinian Business Forum, Hertouqa outlined the sectors that have high added value in the Kingdom, including the health, pharmaceutical, renewable energy and ICT sectors.

The two-day conference drew 500 businessmen from 30 Arab and world countries in addition to Jordan to highlight the investment environment in the Kingdom and the marketing of development projects and entrepreneurship projects for young men and women entrepreneurs.