On Tuesday, December 5, 2023, EDAMA Association for Energy, Water, and Environment, in collaboration with the Norwegian Embassy in Amman, held a business forum between the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Kingdom of Norway.

Dr. Maher Matalka, a board member of EDAMA, emphasized the strong relations between Jordan and Norway, which have lasted for over fifty years. The Norwegian Ambassador to Jordan, Mr. Espen Lindbæk, expressed his pleasure in hosting the event, noting that the forum aimed to explore economic cooperation and strengthen long-term ties between the two countries, in line with King Abdullah II’s economic vision.

The forum began with presentations from Norwegian companies, showcasing their work and goals all of which share a common focus on sustainable resources use for a better future, as well as opportunities for collaboration with Jordanian businesses.

The discussion session was opened by Mr. Fadi Marji, who stressed the importance of cooperation with Norwegian companies interested in these sectors, highlighting Jordan’s challenges in the fields of energy and water. He also addressed the issue of water scarcity in Jordan, noting a need for 2.7 billion cubic meters of water. He concluded by discussing the National Carrier Project as one of the national priorities, in line with the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II.

Mr. Ole Johan, Chairman of the Arab Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, praised Jordan as a model for investment and confirmed Norwegian companies’ commitment to providing excellent renewable energy services to Jordan.

During the session Mr. Yaqoub Marrar, Director of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Directorate, shared Jordan’s success in renewable energy, which now accounts for 27% of the energy mix, with plans to increase it to 31% by 2030. He also emphasized investment opportunities in solar and wind energy and Jordan’s ambition to become a hub for green energy and green hydrogen.

The session concluded with agreement on the importance of partnerships for achieving environmental goals and clean energy.

At the end of the forum, Jordanian companies had the chance to meet with eight Norwegian companies to explore collaboration and sign memoranda of understanding.

This forum builds on momentum from King Abdullah II’s visit to Norway in March 2020, which launched the Jordanian Norwegian Business Forum. Positive outcomes continued in December 2022, with the signing of MoUs on green hydrogen and renewable energy during the visit of Jordanian Minister of Energy and the Minister of Environment to Norway.