Jordan Transport Minister Mohannad Qudah and his Iraqi counterpart Hadi Al Amiri signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to pave the way for implementing a railway connectivity project between the two countries. The MoU was signed in the presence of Egypt’s Transport Minister Atef Abdel Hamid during a visit to the Jordan Academy for Maritime Studies. Qudah said the two countries also agreed to develop the Aqaba-Baghdad route, stressing its importance in serving international and regional trade. Jordan Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit said that transport was one of the main pillars of economic cooperation and development in the Arab world, and stressed Jordan’s commitment to boost cooperation and coordination with Egypt and Iraq in the transport sector. 1

• 1. “Jordan, Iraq to build Aqaba-Baghdad railway”, The Jordan Times, May 30, 2011 at http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=37979