Jordan Mandates 30% Local Partnership on Public Projects
Jordan requires 30% local partnership in public project tenders as part of an investment drive ahead of a November EU conference.
Tariq Benali Tariq Benali covers business and corporate news across the UAE and MENA for Anecdoted, tracking the deals, leadership moves and regulatory shifts behind the region's companies. tariq@anecdoted.com
Jordan's government has approved a policy that bars any public investment project from being tendered unless local investors hold a stake of at least 30 percent. Investment Minister Tariq Abu Ghazaleh presented the measure at an Investment Council meeting on Wednesday chaired by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan. State news agency Petra cited Ghazaleh on the decision.
The requirement is designed to increase the role of local investors in government projects. It falls under Jordan's Economic Modernization Vision.
Hassan told the council that the country holds promising economic opportunities that outweigh its challenges. He described development, industrial, and free zones as vital for job creation in the governorates.
The project list behind that claim is sizeable. Flagship efforts include the Aqaba Port Railway, the National Water Carrier, a dry port linking Ma'an to Aqaba, and development of natural gas infrastructure at the Risha gas field.
Separate public-private partnership projects cover the Amman Bridge, a water loss reduction initiative, and a light rail line connecting northern Zarqa with Amman and Queen Alia International Airport. Energy storage, green hydrogen, and urban development projects are also in the investment pipeline.
Ghazaleh said the ministry is drafting a 2026 Investment Funds Law.
Hassan also referenced King Abdullah II's recent visit to China as a chance to expand trade beyond Europe.
The local-partner rule is the domestic half of that outward push. The government is courting foreign capital for ports, railways, and pipelines while reserving a share of public work for Jordanian investors; the EU financial package and the China outreach run along the same lines. Conditions on outside money narrow its terms, but they give a broader set of domestic stakeholders a direct interest in whether these projects get built.
The most concrete European step comes in November. The Jordan-EU Investment Conference is scheduled for November 19, 2026, at the Dead Sea, under the patronage of King Abdullah II. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to attend. Ghazaleh called the conference the practical implementation of the Jordan-EU strategic partnership. The meeting builds on the Jordan-EU Summit held in Amman in 2025.
Behind the conference is a support package worth roughly $1.7 billion (€1.5 billion) for 2026 and 2027, assembled from financing instruments, guarantees, and incentives. Jordan lists five priority sectors for investment: renewable energy and clean technologies, digital economy, industry, logistics services, and infrastructure.
Trade data strengthens the case. Jordanian exports to EU countries rose 49.3 percent in the first four months of 2026, reaching $307.4 million (JD 218 million), compared with $205.9 million (JD 146 million) in the same period of 2025. Growth was strongest in industrial, food, pharmaceutical, and chemical sectors.
Mohammed Samadi, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Jordan, said the export increase confirms the competitiveness of Jordanian products in European markets. He also called for stronger public-private cooperation to support exporters.
