Jordan Advances National Water Carrier with $97 Million AFD Financing
Amman: Jordan has approved a $97 million financing agreement with the French Development Agency (AFD) as part of measures aimed at advancing the National Water Carrier Project and completing its financial arrangements. The Cabinet also approved steps to connect the project with the national electricity grid
Also known as the Aqaba–Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance Project, the scheme will include a large seawater reverse-osmosis facility at Aqaba with planned production of around 300 million cubic metres per year, together with an approximately 450-kilometre transmission system carrying potable water towards Amman and other demand centres. Pumping infrastructure will need to lift water to elevations of up to about 1,100 metres.
The project’s estimated capital cost is approximately $4.3 billion, while total expenditure including financing is projected at around $5.8 billion. Jordan signed the final technical and legal project agreement in April 2026 as part of preparations for financial close. However, financial close should not yet be described as completed; the Ministry of Water and Irrigation said in July that remaining financing requirements were still being finalised.
Project preparations have since progressed through an early-works agreement, covering activities including engineering design, topographical surveys, geotechnical investigations, environmental fieldwork, temporary facilities and permitting. The ministry says renewable-energy components are planned to provide about 31% of the project’s electricity requirements
Once operational, currently targeted for 2030, the project is expected to provide around 40% of Jordan’s drinking-water requirements. The scale of the conveyance system means that energy efficiency, pumping reliability, membrane performance, brine management and integration with national water-distribution infrastructure will be central to long-term operating performance.
For the international water industry, the project represents a major opportunity across seawater RO, intake systems, high-pressure pumping, energy recovery, transmission pipelines, instrumentation, renewable-energy integration and long-term operations. Project schedules, financing and expected output remain subject to final financial arrangements and execution milestones.