Partner Khaldoun Nazer of Khalifeh & Partners has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Energy Charter Secretariat in recognition of the firm’s contribution to the 2019 edition of the Energy Investment Risk Assessment (EIRA) report.

Khalifeh & Partners was invited by the Secretariat to provide legal and regulatory insights on the Jordanian energy sector, contributing to the evaluation of investment-related risks across key policy, regulatory, and legal frameworks. The firm’s input supported the Secretariat’s preparation of EIRA 2019 — a flagship publication launched on 30 September 2019 under the Albanian Chairmanship of the Energy Charter Conference.

In addition to Mr. Nazer, Associates Siwar Saket and Dana Mubaidien were acknowledged as individual contributors for Jordan.

EIRA 2019 evaluates energy sector investment risks in participating countries, including Jordan, and offers comparative insights on how legal stability, regulatory effectiveness, and market openness are evolving globally. The findings are publicly available via the International Energy Charter’s EIRA platform, which also hosts regulatory updates for all assessed jurisdictions.

Jordan’s engagement with the Energy Charter framework has deepened in recent years. The country ratified the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) in April 2018, becoming the 51st Contracting Party. In December 2018, Jordan also acceded to the 1994 Protocol on Energy Efficiency and Related Environmental Aspects (PEEREA), committing to clear policy objectives on energy efficiency and environmental impact mitigation.

The Energy Charter Secretariat has affirmed that Jordan’s participation in the ECT is expected to enhance investor confidence, attract foreign capital to the energy sector, and strengthen the Kingdom’s role as a secure and reliable energy transit hub in the region.

In 2019, Khalifeh & Partners acted for Al Arabi Investment Group “AB Invest”, the Investment Manager of the Jordanian Banks’ SME Investment Fund, in connection with four strategic equity investments in targeted Jordanian companies across key sectors.

In December 2019, Khalifeh & Partners advised on the Fund’s acquisition of a 26% stake in the Eye Specialty Hospital, the first hospital in Jordan dedicated solely to ophthalmology. The team advising on this transaction included Khaldoun Nazer (Partner), Noor Abu Al Samid (Senior Associate), and Saed Obeidat (Junior Associate).

Earlier in 2019, the Fund acquired a 36.4% stake in ATICO Fakhreldin Group, a prominent hospitality holding company in Jordan. Khalifeh & Partners served as legal counsel on the transaction, which involved both a share transfer and a share subscription. The team advising on this matter included Khaldoun Nazer (Partner), Dana Mubaidien (Senior Associate), and Mera Alamat (Junior Associate).

The same K&P team also advised on the Fund’s acquisition of a 46% equity stake in Japanese Flavor Co., a limited liability hybrid food chain, through a capital raise at the company level.

In July 2019, Khaldoun Nazer (Partner) and Siwar Saket (Associate) acted as legal counsel to AB Invest and the Fund on the investment in a 35.63% equity stake in International Company for Outsourcing Services (“Crystel”), a Jordanian multilingual contact centre.

“Working with Khaldoun and the K&P team has been an absolute pleasure,” says Jameel Anz, Head of the Jordanian Banks’ SME Investment Fund.
“The level of commitment and unwavering support we have received from them played a key role in a swift and successful closing of these investments. We will most certainly be engaging K&P in more transactions going forward.”

Khalifeh & Partners continues to advise AB Invest and the Jordanian Banks’ SME Investment Fund on their investment activity across Jordan, supporting the growth of the local SME ecosystem and contributing to broader market development.

Jordan is rapidly positioning itself as a regional hub for renewable energy, driven by regulatory reform, investor interest, and the Kingdom’s strategic commitment to sustainability.

In January 2017, the EDAMA Association for Energy, Water and Environment, in partnership with USAID, released the first-ever Jordan Clean Technology Sector Report, identifying renewable energy and energy efficiency as the most mature clean technology sectors in the country. The report also highlighted future opportunities in hydropower and biogas.

Momentum in the sector has continued to build. In a recent milestone, His Majesty King Abdullah II presided over the launch of 12 photovoltaic power plants that are expected to contribute an additional 200 MW to the national grid. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) has also invited expressions of interest for the development of a major utility-scale battery storage facility in the Ma’an governorate — one of the largest of its kind in the region — with phased commissioning scheduled through 2020.

Meanwhile, Jordan’s first commercial wind farm in Tafila recently marked its first anniversary of successful operations.

“The wind farm project in Tafila has laid the foundation for the government to achieve its goal of diversifying energy sources. Since the launch of this project, we’ve advised numerous developers, lenders, and EPC contractors in connection with a number of solar and wind projects,” said Ala’ Khalifeh, (Managing Partner) at Khalifeh & Partners.

Active renewable energy developments are now underway in Ma’an, Fujeij, El Quweira, Mafraq, and Aqaba, supported by a mix of domestic and international financiers, including the International Finance Corporation, ACWA Power, and the European Investment Bank.

Regulatory Landscape

Recent legislative changes — notably the Regulation for Organizing Non-Jordanian Investments No. 77 — have eased restrictions on foreign ownership, making Jordan a more attractive jurisdiction for clean energy investment. In parallel, the Renewable Energy and Efficiency Law (REEEL) provides robust support through long-term PPAs, tax and customs exemptions, and dedicated government incentives.

Jordan has committed to deriving 10% of its total energy mix from renewables by 2020, with continued growth expected beyond that target.

Private Sector and Employment Impact

According to EDAMA, 82% of companies active in the clean energy sector are Jordanian-owned, employing nearly 13,000 individuals — 72% of whom are engineers or technicians. The geographical spread of renewable projects also supports job creation in rural areas, improving local economies and social outcomes.

The sector’s growth has driven the expansion of university-level programs focused on energy engineering, environmental management, and water resource planning, building a talent pipeline for long-term industry development.