Amman's Achievements: Reflecting on the Growth and Progress under the Leadership of King Abdullah II - Jordan News

Jordan News

31-01-2025

Amman's Achievements: Reflecting on the Growth and Progress under the Leadership of King Abdullah II Amman– Amman has witnessed significant developments, growth, and prosperity since His Majesty King Abdullah II assumed the throne, transforming the city into one of the largest and most stable cities in the region. اضافة اعلان The city's population grew from 2 million in 2004 to 4.2 million in 2015. On this occasion, Amman Greater Municipality Secretary Dr. Yousef Al-Shawarbeh highlighted that the city of Amman expanded its urban area, now comprising 22 administrative districts, hosting 15 universities and around 72 hospitals. This development made Amman a key destination for medical tourism in the Middle East, with 365 hotels, ranking 4th in the region among the most visited cities, surpassing 1 million visitors annually. He further explained that the municipality operates under a comprehensive urban plan developed in 2007, which has won several global awards, including the Global Leadership in Urban Planning Award and the 2007 Asia City Award. The municipality has also implemented numerous projects, such as studies on Northern Amman and the development of Eastern Amman, the Jordan Street, and urban intensification corridors. Significant investments were made in the creation of recreational zones and visionary projects for the future of Amman. In terms of infrastructure, the municipality invested nearly 2 billion Jordanian dinars in infrastructure development, spending around 780 million dinars on land expropriations, and paved over 28 million square meters of new roads at a cost exceeding 310 million dinars. Additionally, 52 bridges and tunnels for vehicles, 130 pedestrian bridges, and stormwater drainage lines were constructed or rehabilitated, totaling an investment of 167 million dinars. The city also saw the creation of 77 new parks and the rehabilitation of 93 others, with major parks like King Abdullah II Gardens and Al-Hussein Gardens being established at a cost of 178 million dinars. The municipality also established the "Amman Vision" investment framework, which includes three companies: "Amman Vision for Transport" (2018), "Amman Vision for Investment and Development" (2020), and "Amman Vision for Waste Treatment and Recycling" (2023). In 2021, the first law for the municipality was issued, granting the city an official legal entity. Furthermore, Al-Shawarbeh noted the transfer of public transportation planning and operation authority to the municipality in 2007. In 2010, the Comprehensive Amman Transport and Traffic Plan (TMMP) was launched, aiming to develop environmentally friendly mass transit models. The "Amman Bus" project was implemented in two phases, with a total of 271 buses operating across 42 routes, alongside the introduction of a rapid bus system offering high-level service. Energy-efficient street lighting using LED units was also implemented, reducing energy consumption by 50%. Amman has focused on water resource management through projects like water harvesting, waste management, and energy-efficient solutions, including the installation of electric and hybrid vehicles in its fleet, and investing 405.6 million dinars in waste management and construction vehicles. The municipality also created the Al-Ghubawi landfill and waste-to-energy plant, capable of processing 23 million tons of waste, generating 4.6 megawatts of electricity. Amman has become the first national institution to offer all its services electronically, reducing the number of visitors to municipal offices by 98.7%. The city has also been recognized internationally, ranking 14th in technology services in 2022, and has received several prestigious awards, including Bloomberg's Global Challenge for City Mayors in 2022 and the 2023 A-List for climate action. Al-Shawarbeh emphasized that Amman has established 42 twinning agreements with other cities worldwide and is a member of various international organizations.
The city was also the first Arab capital to submit its voluntary report to the United Nations for the localization of sustainable development goals.