Amman, Nov. 5 (Petra) — The general assembly of the Saudi Jordanian Investment Fund (SJIF) has approved an increase to the company’s authorized capital to a total of JOD100 million, according to an SJIF statement following an extraordinary general meeting held via teleconference on Thursday.

The meeting was chaired by Mr. Hisham Attar, the Chairman of SJIF, and attended by the company’s shareholders, its Board of Directors and senior management, as well as the Companies General Controller, and its external auditors, Ernst & Young.

The Saudi Jordanian Investment Fund was formed in 2017, with an initial capital of JOD 7,100,000.

Attar said that the increase in SJIF’s capital comes in response to the progress in identifying suitable investment projects, particularly in the healthcare and information technology sectors, and to enable SJIF to start the execution of the projects in the near future.

He emphasized the deep-rooted ties between Saudi Arabia and Jordan and that the company seeks to fulfil the vision of the leaderships of the two countries to enhance joint economic cooperation, stressing SJIF’s interest in long-term investment opportunities offered by the Jordanian economy in various vital sectors, especially in the field of infrastructure.

Attar pointed out to the decision of the Jordanian Cabinet issued on October 18, 2020, which officially approved the inclusion of SJIF’s healthcare project under the provisions of Jordan Investment Fund Law No. (16) of 2016.

The project will be implemented based on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, as ownership of the project will be transferred to the Jordanian Government after the end of the investment period.

Attar expressed SJIF’s appreciation of the Jordanian Government, highlighting the importance of the mega project in improving the quality of healthcare and medical education in Jordan, and enhancing the competitiveness of medical tourism in Jordan regionally and internationally.

With an initial investment of USD 400 million, the project will include partnerships with leading global healthcare institutions, and will consist of a general academic hospital which includes 300 beds, 60 outpatient clinics, and a medical university with a total capacity of 600 students, with a projected annual student intake of 100 students.

SJIF’s chairman noted that the company seeks to position itself as a leading investment company in Jordan by establishing long-term investment projects aimed at contributing to advancing economic growth in Jordan, enhancing the competitiveness of the sectors in which it invests, and serving the local communities.

He pointed out that the company is in continuous contact with various government and investment entities to explore areas of cooperation related to priority developmental projects.

“One of the most important objectives of the company is to contribute to economic development in Jordan by investing in strategic, sustainable, and economically viable projects, especially the projects included in the Jordan Investment Fund Law No. (16) of 2016, and projects of priority to the Government”, he added, noting that one of these projects is the National Railway Network Project.

SJIF is currently reviewing the technical and financial studies related to the railway project, and the outcome of these studies will determine the investment decision in this regard, Attar said.

The Saudi Jordanian Investment Fund held its third General Assembly meeting via teleconference on July 15, 2020, during which shareholders were briefed on the progress of key investment projects. The General Assembly meeting also approved the Board of Directors’ report and the audited annual financial statements for 2019.

The Saudi Jordanian Investment Fund is a Jordanian Limited Public Shareholding Company formed in 2017 as a partnership between the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, which owns 90% of the company, and 16 Jordanian banks, which own the remaining 10%.

The company was registered per the Jordan Investment Fund Law No. (16) of 2016, and its formation was an outcome of the Jordanian Saudi Cooperation Council and the MOU signed between the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and the Jordan Investment Fund on August 25, 2016.

The company’s Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association were signed during the visit of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on March 27, 2017, in the presence of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, at the Royal Hashemite Court in Amman.

SJIF’s investment strategy focuses on three pillars: infrastructure projects based on a public-private partnership model, strategic sectors such as healthcare, technology, and tourism, and growth capital investments through supporting the growth of large, promising Jordanian companies.