Amman

Amman’s Resilience Journey

Amman is one of the Middle East’s most thriving metropolises. It is the political, cultural, and commercial center of Jordan, and a regional economic powerhouse.

The city hosts refugees who have fled regional conflicts over the last two decades, which has increased the pressure on the city’s infrastructure and on its ability to deliver basic services.

Amman is struggling with a lack of natural resources including energy and water. This renders the city extremely reliant on imports from the wider region, compounded by increasing demand from the city’s growing population.

While Amman benefits from well-managed road, tunnel, and bridge infrastructure, there are few reliable public transport alternatives, meaning that residents rely heavily on cars.

Amman also faces climate-related challenges. Exceptionally heavy rains often lead to flooding in lower-lying areas of the city, while its elevation exposes it to hazardous blizzards. Recent snowstorms have paralyzed the city, affecting schools, transportation, and the power grid. Amman has responded to these disruptions by establishing protocols for emergency operations, including rapid-response communications centers and elaborate community coordination processes.