His Majesty King Abdullah attends the opening ceremony of a new free zone at Queen Alia International Airport on Tuesday (Photo courtesy of Royal Court)

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday inaugurated the new free zone at Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), which will be a trade and investment hub for various sectors, offering a comprehensive package of logistical services to support investment and exports.

The free zone was revamped at a cost of JD38 million, extending over an area of 1,000 dunums, replacing the 30-dunum free zone that was established in 1998 in the cargo area of the QAIA and in line with government plans to bolster the investment climate in Jordan.

During the King’s visit, a video was screened that highlighted the construction phases of the new free zone, which offers a business-friendly environment, tax incentives, and a logistical centre for importing and reexporting.

Over the next five years, the number of direct job opportunities offered at the free zone is expected to increase from 300 to 3,500, while the number of indirect jobs is expected to rise from 600 to 4,000.

Some 59 local, Arab, and international companies currently have investments in the free zone, which includes an administrative building that houses a one-stop shop for investors, two business parks for commercial offices, a logistical services building for customs clearance and insurance companies, banks, and restaurants, and a customs clearance area.

His Majesty, accompanied by Prime Minister Omar Razzaz, also toured the one-stop shop for investors and was briefed on the services it provides in streamlining measures and registering projects in a timely manner.

The King was also briefed on the measures taken by the Jordan Investment Commission (JIC) to reach out to investors to resolve pending issues and create a specialised follow-up unit to maintain communication with local and international investors.

Jordan Free and Development Zones Group (JFDZG) Chairman Khalaf Humiesat said this project complies with King Abdullah’s vision to establish free development areas “that would ease up and simplify the procedures for investors who wish to invest in the Kingdom”.

“This free zone was established with the highest international standards, with the aim of attracting investors to use the facility and rent offices for their businesses,” Humeisat told The Jordan Times.

The chairman added that the future goal is to ensure that the entire area, including offices and conference and meeting halls, would be rented out by investors, which will “guarantee JD100,000 million in revenues on an annual basis”.

Acting General Manager at the JFDZG Amal Zanoun added that an important factor is the free zones proximity to the cargo area at the airport.

“The close vicinity to the airport will surely encourage investors to make use of this area and to rent the storage space for their merchandise,” Zanoun told The Jordan Times.

JIC Chairman Khaled Wazani said the commission is also reworking procedures in line with His Majesty’s vision to attract investors and ensure follow-up with them before and after they invest in the Kingdom through a monitoring and evaluation mechanism aimed at increasing investor satisfaction.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi, Adviser to His Majesty for Communication and Coordination Bisher Al Khasawneh, and Adviser to His Majesty for Policies and Media Kamal Al Nasser attended the inauguration.