Amman: The Jordan Engineers Association (JEA) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Syrian Engineers Association (SEA) to promote collaboration across engineering, professional, and scientific domains. Under the memo, signed on Wednesday, the partnership would seek to advance shared interests, bolster Arab engineering initiatives, and support Syria's reconstruction efforts.
According to Jordan News Agency, the memo was signed by JEA President Abdullah Ghosheh and SEA President Malek Haj Ali in a ceremony at the JEA offices in Amman. The JEA and SEA representatives discussed unifying efforts in training, consulting, and strategic projects, leveraging mutual expertise to elevate the engineering profession and enhance technical competencies.
The memo envisions a strategic roadmap for engineering collaboration, with a particular focus on reconstruction. It aims to foster a sustainable professional partnership between Jordanian and Syrian engineers, especially in areas vital to rebuilding efforts. Key areas of cooperation outlined in the agreement include training and continuing engineering education through the Engineers Academy for Engineering Development and Training; exchanging expertise, information, and best practices; joint engineering consulting projects; organizing conferences and seminars; and sharing engineering publications, bulletins, books, and periodicals.
A central theme of the memo is reconstruction as a model of collective Arab solidarity. It emphasizes professional solidarity, technical integration, and rebuilding communities on modern, sustainable foundations. The JEA announced it is preparing a comprehensive study to explore opportunities in Syria to develop an integrated engineering vision to support Jordan's role in reconstruction and foster long-term cooperation with Syrian institutions.
The study would focus on seven key areas: urban planning, sustainable urban development, and housing strategies. It would assess the needs of Syrian cities, propose modern rehabilitation concepts, and address infrastructure requirements such as energy, water, sanitation, transport, and roads, which are fundamental components for economic and social revival.
The study would consider the rehabilitation of heritage and historical buildings, ensuring the preservation of cultural identity while maintaining structural safety and integrating new planning approaches. Environmental, economic, and social factors would also be addressed, including urban migration, safety, and the integration of information technology and smart systems to support digital transformation, efficient service delivery, and transparent data management.
The study emphasizes governance and risk management by strengthening institutions involved in engineering and community development to ensure flexible, effective project management capable of responding to future crises. It highlights the importance of partnerships and financing, proposing mechanisms to attract funding from international organizations, technical partners, and the private sector to facilitate transparent and professional project implementation.
To oversee the implementation of the memorandum's provisions, a joint follow-up committee will be established. Both parties stressed the importance of confidentiality in information sharing and the documentation of any future cooperation initiatives through additional annexes. This partnership marks a significant step toward fostering regional collaboration in engineering and reconstruction, reinforcing the collective effort to rebuild and develop affected communities.