Ammon News - The Aqaba-Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance Project (National Carrier Project) moved from vision to reality Sunday with the signing of a historic contract between the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and the Meridiam-Suez investment alliance, setting in motion one of the region's most ambitious water infrastructure ventures.

The Build-Operate-Transfer agreement, inked in Amman, will establish a state-of-the-art desalination facility capable of producing 300 million cubic meters of drinking water annually through advanced Reverse Osmosis technology.

The system will stretch across 450 kilometers from the Gulf of Aqaba to Amman, incorporating cutting-edge seawater intake mechanisms, high-capacity pumping stations, and renewable energy infrastructure.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, who witnessed the signing ceremony, was joined by U.S. Ambassador Yael Lempert, reflecting the strategic partnership that helped bring the project to fruition through USAID's technical support.

Water and Irrigation Minister Raed Abu Al-Saud emphasized the project's transformative potential, noting it will serve approximately 4 million citizens and mark a significant shift in Jordan's water security landscape.

The Meridiam-Suez consortium, represented by General Manager of Meridiam Jordan Jad Hreibe, will manage the facility for 26 years before transferring ownership to the Jordanian government.

The initiative represents a cornerstone of Jordan's economic modernization plan and aligns with its renewable energy targets, aiming to generate 31 percent of the project's electricity needs from sustainable sources by 2030.

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Zeina Toukan and Minister of Government Communication Mohammad Momani attended the ceremony, underlining the project's national significance.

This mega-infrastructure project stands as the largest in Jordan's history, designed to address the kingdom's pressing water scarcity challenges while protecting groundwater resources for future generations. Petra