Jordan, finding in Gulf of Aqaba its only access to the sea, began to rapidly develop the town, its harbor, and the surrounding coast. The city of Aqaba is the southernmost part of Jordan, and at the northeastern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, on the Red Sea. The total area of Aqaba is 6,583 km², while Aqaba’s territorial waters are around 94 km². The coastal line of Aqaba is very limited, extending to around 27 km, providing Jordan with the only access to the sea for activities such as ship transport, fishing, tourism, and recreation as well as various industrial developments.

In the light of the threat posed by this rapid development, there is widespread concern about the future of the Gulf of Aqaba, which has significant biodiversity and nonliving resources. This project is expected to offer an opportunity to promote an effective management, sustainability, and conservation of all marine resources within the Gulf. Consequently, it will offer an essential support to the economic growth and prosperity in Jordan.

The goal of this project is to mainstream biodiversity conservation in order to promote more effective and integrated management of the coastal zone in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone.

Credits goes to my partner Ahmad Yassin.