Yusuf Mansur

International experience has shown that public-private partnerships (PPPs) are no longer merely an alternative financing mechanism for infrastructure projects. They have evolved into a comprehensive model for delivering public infrastructure, improving service quality, and accelerating economic development. Jordan appears to be moving decisively in this direction, guided by its Economic Modernisation Vision, which places PPPs at the heart of the country's long-term development strategy.

The Ministry of Investment's latest implementation report highlights this strategic shift through progress on three major projects: the Amman Bridge, the Non-Revenue Water Reduction Project, and the National Pharmaceutical Track-and-Trace System.

The significance of these initiatives extends well beyond their investment value. They reflect a fundamental transformation in the way public projects are conceived and delivered. Rather than acting solely as financier and operator, the government is increasingly leveraging the private sector's technical expertise, innovation, and financial capacity while maintaining its essential regulatory and oversight role. The objective is to strike a balance between market efficiency and the public interest.

The proposed Amman Bridge is perhaps the most ambitious of the three. Designed as an elevated expressway connecting western and southern Amman, with a dedicated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor, the project aims to alleviate chronic traffic congestion, reduce travel times, and improve the efficiency of the capital's transportation network.

Its benefits, however, extend far beyond mobility. Reduced congestion translates into lower fuel consumption, higher labor productivity, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and potentially a lower import bill for fuel, thereby contributing indirectly to an improved trade balance. Delivering the project through a PPP framework also reduces the fiscal burden on the government by sharing financing and operational responsibilities with private investors.

Equally significant is the Non-Revenue Water Reduction Project, particularly for one of the world's most water-scarce countries. Rather than focusing solely on rehabilitating water networks, the project adopts a performance-based contracting model, linking the private operator's remuneration to measurable reductions in water losses and improvements in distribution efficiency. If successfully implemented, the project could save millions of cubic meters of water annually, effectively creating a new water resource without constructing additional dams or desalination plants. It would also lower operating costs while improving the reliability and quality of water services for citizens.

The third initiative, the National Pharmaceutical Track-and-Trace System, represents a major step toward the digital transformation of Jordan's healthcare sector. By electronically tracking medicines from production or importation to the patient, the system is expected to combat counterfeit and smuggled pharmaceuticals, strengthen patient safety, improve regulatory oversight, optimize inventory management, and provide real-time data to support evidence-based decision-making.

Together, these projects demonstrate that PPPs in Jordan are expanding beyond traditional sectors such as transport and energy into water management, healthcare, and digital public services. This reflects a broader evolution in the country's approach to infrastructure investment and public service delivery.

Yet international experience also reminds us that signing a PPP contract is only the beginning. Success should ultimately be measured by the sustainable economic and social value these projects generate rather than by the size of the investment itself.

Global experience offers valuable lessons. The United Kingdom pioneered large-scale PPP implementation through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), which facilitated the construction of hundreds of schools, hospitals, and transportation projects. Although some contracts later attracted criticism for their long-term fiscal costs, the British experience established important principles for risk allocation and contract management.

Canada, particularly Ontario and British Columbia, has emerged as one of the world's leading PPP success stories. Independent institutions evaluate project feasibility, oversee procurement, and monitor performance throughout the life of each contract. As a result, many infrastructure projects have been delivered on schedule, within budget, and to high-quality standards.

Australia has adopted a rigorous "Value for Money" approach, under which PPPs are pursued only when they demonstrably outperform conventional public procurement. This discipline has contributed to successful investments in highways, metro systems, ports, and other major infrastructure while maintaining an appropriate balance between investor returns and public value.

Meanwhile, Singapore has effectively employed PPPs in logistics, public utilities, and digital infrastructure, while the United Arab Emirates has become a regional benchmark in renewable energy, desalination, and transportation projects through strong legal frameworks, transparent procurement processes, and an investment-friendly environment.

These international experiences converge on four essential ingredients for successful PPPs: selecting the right projects, conducting rigorous feasibility studies, allocating risks to the parties best equipped to manage them, and ensuring continuous oversight through strong and independent institutions. And all must be applied and coordinated with the utmost transparency and non-contestability.

For Jordan, therefore, the opportunity extends well beyond implementing three strategic projects. It is about establishing a mature national PPP framework capable of attracting investment, accelerating infrastructure delivery, improving public services, and supporting fiscal sustainability without placing excessive pressure on government finances.

Ultimately, these projects should not be judged solely by the amount invested, but by the outcomes they deliver. Have they reduced congestion? Have they conserved water? Have they strengthened pharmaceutical safety? Have they improved productivity and attracted new investment?

If the answer is yes, Jordan will have achieved far more than the successful delivery of three infrastructure projects. It will have laid the foundations for a new development model—one built on genuine collaboration between the public and private sectors, where infrastructure investment becomes a catalyst for sustainable economic growth, enhanced competitiveness, and long-term national prosperity.


The writer is a Former Jordanian Minister of State for Economic Affairs.