Jordan’s Ministry of Public Works has singed an agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to help improve trade and passenger flow between Jordan and Palestinian territories by expanding and refurbishing facilities of the King Hussein Bridge crossing terminal.

Minister of Public Works and Housing Sami Halaseh said Thursday that the project aims to facilitate the movement of goods and travelers between Jordan and Palestine.

IFC said in a statement that the agreement aims at engaging the private sector in constructing and operating new facilities at the terminal, currently the only crossing point for West Bank residents to travel abroad.

Existing facilities at the crossing terminal are straining to cope with increased traffic and cargo, with 97,000 cargo trucks and 2.2 million people traveling through the crossing in 2016, the statement said.

The IFC team will conduct a legal, technical, commercial, environmental and social review of the project to help develop a robust public-private partnership (PPP) transaction structure and appropriate risk allocation for the public and private sectors, it added. 

The proposed new terminal is expected to have "state-of-the-art" truck and passenger handling facilities, including modern cargo and luggage scanning, multi-traffic lane entry and exit points with electric gates and check booths, a duty-free facility, and a medical emergency center. 

“IFC has significant experience in structuring complex PPPs around the world and we are delighted to bring our expertise to this key project,” said Emmanuel Nyirinkindi, global head of PPP Advisory from IFC in the statement. 

“The new facility will help improve passengers’ experiences and also boost the flow of trade between the West Bank and Jordan,” he added.