PM: Gov't Advances Vital Water, Infrastructure Projects, Urges Voting In Upcoming Polls

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, August 19 (Petra) – The Special Procurement Committee has chosen Meridiam Suez the bidder for the national water carrier project after an updated bid met all technical and financial requirements, Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh announced Monday.
The project, which the government has been pursuing for over three years, will supply the Kingdom with 300 million cubic meters of desalinated water from the Red Sea through a pipeline.
"This milestone reflects confidence by major international investment groups in Jordan's economy," Khasawneh told a cabinet session, adding that the evaluation was made after the cabinet authorized assessment by the procurement committee last week. The panel will now proceed with purchase procedures and enter into negotiations with the firm for implementation of the vital project.
This brings the Kingdom closer to securing international financing, emphasizing that the project's success is an indication of the credibility of the Jordanian economy despite regional challenges.
He also said that by early September, the government hopes to announce agreements with an investment fund from an Arab country to build a railway line from Aqaba to mining areas in southern Jordan.
This project, like the national water carrier, is vital for national development, and it reflects international investment funds' trust in Jordan's economic stability and investment climate, Khasawneh said.
The Prime Minister credited the respect and credibility His Majesty King Abdullah II has at the regional and international levels, as a key factor in securing such important investments.
Additionally, Khasawneh announced that the government issued a tender for a feasibility study for construction of a 15-KM bridge over King Abdullah II Street in Amman connecting Sweileh to Marj Al Hamam.
The bridge, part of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network, will ease traffic through a toll-based route option for drivers, while the existing road remains.
This project will largetly improve the quality of life in Amman and is in line with the goals of the economic modernization vision, said Khasawneh, expressing pride
in the completion of the first and second phases of the BRT in the capital, and the operation of a BRT line between Amman and Zarqa.
commenting on upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled on September 10, Khasawneh renewed a call for citizens, especially youth and women, to participate in the polls, stressing the need to choose candidates and parties that meet national aspirations and needs, particularly economic, social and political development.
This election will be for the first time based on party programs with 41 Lower House seats allocated to party lists, he pointed out, stressing that turnout is crucial to enhance the country's democratic process and bring citizens closer to decision-making and legislative roles.
Khasawneh said the government is fully committed to supporting the Independent Election Commission, the constitutional body managing and overseeing the electoral process, to ensure it has the resources to conduct a fair and transparent ballot.

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