Dead Sea: The 33rd Middle East Rail conference kicked off on Thursday, in collaboration with Jordan Hijaz Railway Corporation (JHRC) and the International Union of Railways.
Participating member states include Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Turkey, France, Afghanistan, and Iran, and engaged remotely in the event.
During the opening speech, Zahi Khalil, JHRC Director General, emphasized Jordan’s strategic geographical location as a crucial transportation hub, facilitating transit trade between Europe, Turkey, and neighboring countries.
Highlighting the transportation sector’s pivotal role in economic advancement and social development, Khalil noted Jordanian government’s “significant” investments in expanding the transportation network and fostering sectoral liberalization to enhance private sector participation.
Jordan, he noted, aims to leverage its geographic advantage to enhance regional and international competitiveness, developing a secure and efficient railway system fo
r passenger and freight transport.
Veysi Kurt, Director General of Turkey Railways (TCDD), viewed the conference as an opportunity to exchange insights to serve railway operations across the region.
Meanwhile, Turkish Ambassador to Amman, Erdem Ozan, underscored the strategic significance of the region’s location, citing a significant increase in trade volume between the European Union, Central Asia, and China by 38.8% between 2012 and 2022, from pound 34.2 billion to pound 47.5 billion.
Ozan also emphasized the region’s dynamic railway investments, highlighting the opportunities presented by Asia-Europe transport volumes.
The conference agenda features discussions on various topics concerning railway transportation, inter-country train services, and the industry’s future.
Jordan Hejaz Railway, an old regional network, dates back to 1900. Although its operations to Syria are currently disrupted, the line continues to operate within Jordanian territory, linking Damascus, Amman, Ma’an, and the Red Sea via
a branch line to the Gulf of Aqaba.
Source: Jordan News Agency
