Client

Jordan Valley Authority

Joint venture

Keios (Italy), Hani Sahooly & Associate (Canada), Orient Engineering Consultancy & Design (Jordan),
iPlan Jo (Jordan)

Location

Jordan

Period

2015-2016

Project Description

Wadi Araba is the part of the Jordan Valley that extends from the southern Ghors to the Gulf of Aqaba over an area of 24,000 krn2 with a total length of about 165 km and a width of 9-25 km. It is bound by the eastern escarpment to the east and the Jordanian-Israeli border line to the west. The population of the area is sparse, consisting of around ten thousand inhabitants distributed over eight settlements.

The general objective for the study was to provide the Jordan Valley Authority with an Integrated Master Plan guiding the planned development of Wadi Araba region in an efficient, balanced and sustainable way over the next 30 years for the benefit of Jordan and the local communities (by improving living conditions and employment opportunities, developing economic activities and infrastructural networks, safeguarding the fragile environmental and cultural assets, etc.).

The Wadi Araba Integrated Development Master Plan (WAIDMP) has, amongst others: planned the sustainable use of land, determined investments needed to improve the quality of life of local communities, outlined investment potential for economic activities including strategies to attract investment, plan transport and infrastructure required to support the future development, ensured sustainability through environmental, social and economic assessments based on the principles of social progress, ecological balance and economic growth.

Moreover, the WAIDMP has also included an effective implementation mechanism encompassing recommendations for the institutional set-up and legal and institutional arrangements, the use of land for select development areas and site-specific development guidelines, a phased development plan and a capital investment plan determining the financial resources needed and the sources of financing (public, private) with a focus on PPP strategies.

Scope of Services

Team leading and organisation, spatial planning and tourism development-related contribution to data gathering, analysis of existing conditions, vision formulation, scenarios / alternatives elaboration, integrated development strategy, development and implementation plans for action areas (proposed investment lands).