New saltwater pipeline enables green growth in Aqaba

New saltwater pipeline enables green growth in Aqaba  

Sahara Forest Project (SFP) and Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) has signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a pipeline to the project site fulfilling ambitions to scale up to commercial operations for large scale environmentally friendly food production, revegetation and green job creation.

“It is with great excitement that today we enter this agreement with ADC. A saltwater pipeline leading to our facility is crucial to future scale up of SFP. In addition this pipeline will also allow for other business to develop along side it and contribute to meeting the ambition to creating more green jobs and business in Aqaba”, Kjetil Stake, Managing Director SFP. 

The current demonstration facility is located 12 kilometers outside the city center of Aqaba. It uses saltwater, sunlight and desert areas to produce vegetables, freshwater, biomass and clean energy. The ambition of the project is to rapidly scale up- It is the understanding of the parties that the new land will have an area of 200,000 SQM allocated to develop the project, and another 300,000 SQM for further roll-out.

Chief Commissioner Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), Nayef Bakheet said “It is with great pleasure and utmost honour that I welcome their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway to Jordan. As we gather in the spirit of partnership between our beloved countries, the Sahara project, has and continues to be a symbol of the special ties between Jordan and Norway. This is a project that we are particularly proud to host in Aqaba. Since the inauguration of ASEZA in 2001, we maintained and applied the highest of environmental standards and we practiced Sustainable development at its best as well as utilization of solar energy and sea water deem SFP in order to create ideal launching point for projects utilizing green technology in the region. Therefore, the partnership evolved between ASEZA and SFP’s project and will continue to be a platform showcasing Norwegian technology, advocating green technology and demonstrating international collaboration at its best.” 

Bashar Abu Rumman the CEO of Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) praised the project stating that he is “proud to say that this Project very much goes hand in hand with the Aqaba Development Zone’s vision. His Majesty King Abdullah II’s vision for Aqaba has and continues to emphasize sustainable development, putting the welfare of the community and preserving Aqaba’s natural heritage at the heart of the development process.

“As we sign this MOU today, ADC, is further enabling the existing SFP to expand and insure its success, continuity and sustainability. This partnership, upon which we embark today, marks the launch of a new phase of the project and commemorates the special relationship between Jordan and Norway. We remain grateful for the investment SFP has put in this project and look forward to furthering means of cooperation between both countries. This partnership is also about promoting green technology for sustainable agriculture in Aqaba, Jordan and the region, as a way to protect the environment and empower agricultural communities struggling with water shortage. Our cooperation will indeed place Aqaba on the map as the host of a pioneering project that will have countless benefits on communities reaching Wadi Araba region and the southern region in general ”.

Abu Rumman stressed that “ADC will work hand in hand with SFP and ASEZA to collaborate to insure the saltwater supply to the Project, avail additional land areas in and beyond Aqaba attract other entities and industries to develop within and/or alongside the project”.

The facility was opened by His Majesty King Abdullah II and HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway in September 2017. Since 2017 the project has successfully shown that it is possible to produce vegetables in Aqaba using saltwater and renewable energy.

About ADC: ADC, is the central development arm for the Aqaba Special Economic Zone. It is a private shareholding company that is owned by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA). ADC is mandated to develop Aqaba Zone’s infrastructure, provide business enablers and attract new investments to

 Aqaba while maximizing the role of the private sector through creating public private partnerships.