Development Areas Sector

Al Daman for Development Areas Company:

Al Daman for Development Areas Company (DDC) was established in 2009 as a private shareholding company fully owned by the Social Security Corporation. DDC is the investment arm of the Investment Fund for infrastructure development, services and marketing for the King Hussein Bin Talal Development Area in Al Mafraq and the Irbid Development Area, which were demarcated by royal initiatives as special economic development areas in order to contribute to the redistribution of the fruits of development, particularly in economically promising provinces.

DDC owns 80% of the capital of the Mafraq Development Corporation, which is the main developer of the King Hussein Bin Talal Development Area - Mafraq and 100% of the capital of the North Development Corporation, which is the main developer of the Irbid Development Area.

1. King Hussein Bin Talal Development Area:

- Geographic location:

The King Hussein Bin Talal Development Area (KHBTDA) in Mafraq is located 60 kilometers northeast of the capital Amman, covering an area of 21 square kilometers. It is situated on a network of fast and modern highways connecting Jordan with Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
With the presence of regional markets in the area, and with the studied conversion of the King Hussein Airbase adjacent to KHBTDA into a multi-use airport, the site has the potential to become not only a leading site for industrial production, but also a regional transportation hub for the movement of goods from all parts of the region and the world. In addition, the free trade agreements and the numerous bilateral agreements between Jordan and many countries provide an unparalleled opportunity for the KHBTDA to become a pioneering site for industrial production and a trading hub for the exchange of goods in the region and surrounding Arab countries.

- The area’s investments value:

The area has attracted (71) factories including those under establishing or designing and (4) solar projects with a total investment value of around JD 700 million for the operating factories. The current investments created 1850 jobs.

2. Irbid Development Area:

- Geographic location:

The Irbid Development Area is located 20 kilometers to the east of the city of Irbid and 80 kilometers north of the capital, Amman, on an area of 1.8 square kilometers. It is also close to the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), which is a leading scientific institute in Jordan and one of the best universities in the Middle East in information technology, telecommunications, and health care. JUST includes the King Abdullah the Founder University Hospital, and there are four other universities in the Irbid Governorate.

- The area’s investments value:

The area has attracted (10) projects with an investment value of around JD 46 million. The existing ‎projects in the area have created around 2315 jobs.‎

Benefits of investment in development areas:

1- Investment Law

The Investment Law in force aims to create a competitive business environment capable of attracting local and foreign investments. The Law empowers the private sector to play an active role in developing and managing development areas, and provides a "one-stop service" through the Jordan Investment Commission (JIC) that works to facilitate and expedite procedures for investors. The Law also draws a clear policy on land ownership, removes restrictions on foreign capital, and provides a range of investment facilities including tax incentives, exemptions from customs duties, and transparent practical implementation mechanisms that include:

Specialized Investment Window services.
Allowing direct registration of non-Jordanian companies.
Exemptions from customs duties and taxes for the launch and operation of investments.
Facilitation for investors’ ownership of land and real estate.
Facilitation of import and export procedures.
Exemption from taxes on profits.
Expedited customs procedures.
No restrictions on foreign ownership or foreign capital.
No restrictions on foreign labor.