Amman Mayor pegs fast growth to a 'social agenda'

In a 7 July power-point presentation titled "Amman, a growing city", Mayor of Amman His Excellency Engineer Omar Al Maani stressed the visions, strategies and developments for Jordan's capital city in line with those of His Majesty King Abdullah II in a special luncheon at the King Hussein Club organized by the Jordanian Canadian Business Association (JOCABA) with the support of the Canadian Embassy in Amman.

Deputizing for Mr Al Maani was Mr Gerry Post, Project Director of the Amman Master Plan Project of the Greater Amman Municipality who pointed out the development of capital is structured on a community-based approach with features of making Amman, "a livable city", an "organized city", and a "metropolis with a soul" and spirit.

The luncheon reception is part of the on-going activities organized by JOCABA to bring business leaders and executives from Jordan and Canada to interact and develop a relationship based on cooperation and acumen.

Mr Post told the select audience from Jordan's different business and trade sectors including the Canadian Ambassador to Jordan Margaret Huber and commercial staff whilst work and development are going at full-speed ahead, decision and policy-makers want to make sure the cultural and heritage preservation of the city is maintained, stressing the community-based aspect of the development process.

This involves the promotion of a variety of scales where the issue of topography of the city dictates a balance between the building of high rise towers specific in three main locations of Amman, including Al Abdalli project, as well as the current 'low' areas of minimum building heights and villas.

Mr Post, an urban planner with a 30-year, pointed out as part of the Amman Master Plan Project, GAM stresses the continuity of public spaces, public parks, gardens and green zoning where more than 200,000 trees were planted in 2007.

"It was a very interesting presentation that made us realize the vast extent of the development that is taking place in Amman and through out the Greater Amman Municipality which is being made with care through a social agenda, and which is very likely to attract international interest, including from those in Canada,"

says Ambassador Huber.

Amman, a livable metropolis is a recurring theme in the projects to ensure sustainability and development of the city in an ever-connected world. Mr Post conveyed the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead but stressed these are being made with an eye on protecting the environment.

"We at JOCABA attach great importance to the luncheon reception held regularly since we seek to bring to light important topics of vital interest to the business community in Jordan and have an international dimension and potential Canadian firms,"

says JOCABA President Mazen Kawar.