Page 266 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - MAY 2025 ( Part 2)

5/23/25, 11:45 AM UAE-Jordan Cepa to come into effect on Thursday | The National

The Cepa programme is key for the UAE’s economic growth. The Arab world's

second largest economy aims to boost its gross domestic product to $800 billion by

2030, with a target of more than $1.1 trillion in total non-oil trade by 2031.

The Cepa with Jordan follows the signing of agreements between the two countries

for a $2.3 billion railway investment project to link the port of Aqaba with the mining

regions of Al Shidiya and Ghor es-Safi.

The deals are part of an investment package worth about $5.5 billion that Jordan

signed with the UAE during the 2023 state visit of King Abdullah II to Abu Dhabi.

Both the UAE and Jordan share expertise in sectors including energy,

infrastructure, transport and finance, Dr Al Zeyoudi said. The Emirates also aims to

benefit from Jordan’s robust industrial base, particularly in the phosphate, textiles

and pharmaceutical sectors.

"Jordan has long been a valued partner for the UAE and, through this Cepa, we

are poised to unlock numerous opportunities that will benefit both nations," the

minister said.

Bilateral non-oil trade between the two countries jumped by about 138 per cent in

the past decade. The UAE is Jordan’s fifth-largest trading partner globally and

remains its largest foreign investor, with mutual investments pegged at about $22.5
billion, according to government data.

Jordan's economy has remained resilient amid regional security risks and a cut in
assistance from the US Agency for International Development, resulting in a stable

outlook for the aid-reliant economy, ratings agency S&P Global had said in March.

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