President Sheikh Mohamed and King Abdullah of Jordan discussed the $2.5 billion Aqaba-Al-Shidiya-Maan Railway Project by phone as the cross-border initiative moved ahead with a ground-breaking ceremony in Aqaba. State news agency Wam reported their call on Tuesday.
The Jordanian-Emirati Railway Company is developing the railway. The leaders reviewed relations between their countries and discussed ways to deepen cooperation in developmental and economic fields. They called the initiative a reflection of “a shared vision for a sustainable and extended development partnership.”
The railway project
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, joined King Abdullah at Monday’s ground-breaking ceremony in the Jordanian port city of Aqaba. The project, named the Aqaba-Al-Shidiya-Maan Railway Project, has a stated value of $2.5 billion.
The project forms a cornerstone of the two countries’ long-term development agenda. It’s expected to strengthen economic connectivity between the UAE and Jordan, support their mutual interests and deliver broader prosperity for their people. The project account accompanying the leaders’ discussions set out those aims.
Sheikh Khaled and King Abdullah attended the ceremony in Aqaba. President Sheikh Mohamed discussed the project with the Jordanian king by phone, and the call also covered bilateral relations and potential cooperation in developmental and economic fields. Wam reported the conversation on Tuesday.
Regional coordination and rail links
Sheikh Mohamed and King Abdullah exchanged views on regional matters, including developments across the Middle East. They stressed the need for continued consultation and coordination on significant regional issues. The leaders reaffirmed their determination to support efforts to consolidate security, stability and peace across the Middle East, saying those efforts served the interests of all people in the region.
The UAE is involved in several national and cross-border rail initiatives. Etihad Rail is a 1,200km network that spans all seven emirates and is designed for heavy freight and passenger services. The UAE describes it as a flagship railway project.
The UAE is also co-developing Hafeet Rail, also called Oman-UAE Rail. The line is intended to link Abu Dhabi to Sohar Port. The railway discussed by Sheikh Mohamed and King Abdullah is another UAE cross-border initiative, this time with Jordan.
The UAE is a key signatory in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, a multinational transport framework designed to link India to Europe through a combined ship-to-rail transit network. Its route crosses the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel.
The railway talks coincided with the Aqaba ceremony and the leaders’ exchange on regional developments. The project aims to improve economic connectivity, support mutual interests and bring broader prosperity to people in the UAE and Jordan. The leaders also reiterated their commitment to consultation on regional issues and to efforts they said would support security, stability and peace across the Middle East.