Etihad Rail will spearhead a major new railway network in Jordan as part of a $2.3bn investment by the UAE into the country’s mining and railway sectors.

The state-owned rail company has signed an agreement with the Jordanian Ministry of Transport to facilitate the development of railway projects in Jordan as it builds a 360km network linking phosphate and potash mines to the Port of Aqaba.

Etihad Rail CEO Shadi Malak said: “We are keen to leverage our proven expertise in developing and operating the UAE national railway network to support the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s ambitious plans for advancing its rail infrastructure and driving economic growth.”

The project will see the UAE and Etihad Rail oversee the construction of the rail network and supporting infrastructure, including loading and unloading terminals, and provide maintenance, repair, and operation services for the network.

The investment also saw Etihad Rail sign two memorandums of understanding with the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company and the Arab Potash Company on the rail transportation of around 16 million tonnes per annum of phosphate and potash to Aqaba.

According to the Jordanian Government, the project is not expected to begin construction until 2030, with detailed studies on its development to be conducted first by the end of next year before bids for construction work will begin in early 2026.

Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh said the project would greatly enhance the country’s logistics and export capabilities by improving efficiency and creating new jobs in the logistics, mining and railway sectors.

The project continues Etihad Rail’s expansions outside of the UAE as it builds on the 900km rail system it constructed in its home country, which currently operates only as a freight network.

Earlier this year, the rail company also signed a contract with a Siemens Mobility lead consortium for the construction of a 303km line connecting the UAE’s rail network with the country of Oman.