The Jordanian cabinet has accepted the resignation of Mohammad Kalaldeh as head of the board of commissioners in charge of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ), reported the Jordan Times newspaper on Thursday.
Kalaldeh was appointed to the post at the end of 2000 and took over after resigning as minister of transport in the present government.
Informed government sources were quoted as saying that the vacant post would be filled by a current cabinet member specialized in economic affairs, after the expected government reshuffle.
Kalaldeh's deputy Mohammad Balkar will fill in until a new ASEZ president is found, officials said.
The Jordanian press speculated Kalaldeh could be replaced by Tourism Minister Akil Biltaji.
The ASEZ's commissioner for investments and economic development, Imad Fakhuri, told AFP on Thursday that six international companies out of 13 had been "short-listed" to run and develop the zone.
"We expect to select by mid-September a strategic developer from among six international companies which qualified out of 13 that bid for the job," Fakhouri said.
The firms vying for the position include Hillwood Strategic Services, which belongs to a group run by US industrialist and former presidential candidate Ross Perot, and Jabal Ali Free Zone International of the United Arab Emirates.
The other bidders include the US-based firm Fluor Daniel, the British firms TCI Infrastructure Limited and Mersey, Docks and Harbours as well as the Greece-based Consolidated Contractors International, Fakhuri told AFP.
The winner will be selected on technical and marketing capabilities as well as its capacity to bring in investors and develop a zone that can bring in meaningful returns to the Jordanian economy.
It will run and operate the development corporation with an initial capital of $150 million and eventually open up to other local and international investors.
Through the ASEZ, Jordan plans to transform Aqaba, its only port and outlet to the sea, into a major regional trade and tourism center that will attract $6 billion in local and foreign investment by the year 2020 – Albawaba.com
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