AMMAN — The Cabinet, during a session chaired by Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Tuesday, approved a $203 million US grant agreement to support the Aqaba–Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance Project (the National Water Carrier).

 

The government said the project ranks as the third-largest water initiative in the region and is considered one of the Kingdom’s largest infrastructure projects, expected to drive economic growth and create jobs.

 

Scheduled for completion within four years, the project will supply 300 million cubic metres of desalinated water annually once operational, while financial close is expected within weeks, paving the way for construction to begin, according to a Prime Ministry statement.

 

The Cabinet also reviewed progress in implementing the 2026 cleanliness strategy, under which 165 clean-up campaigns targeting public areas not served by municipal services have been carried out.

 

Around 15,000 volunteers participated in the campaigns, collecting more than 90 tonnes of waste, the statement said.

 

The efforts also included the distribution of around 30,000 reusable bags across several governorates, in addition to installing thousands of bins, roadside baskets and waste-sorting containers in schools.

 

Minister of Environment Ayman Suleiman said each municipality has been allocated a weekly day for community clean-up campaigns, alongside preparations for a special plan during the Eid Al Fitr holiday, focusing on tourist destinations.

 

He added that monitoring efforts to address violations will continue in accordance with relevant regulations, while complaints can be submitted through the designated hotline and the online reporting system.