In 2007, Jordan faced a growing infrastructure bottleneck. Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), the kingdom's primary gateway handling over 97% of the country's air traffic, needed to be upgraded to support economic growth, trade, and tourism. The outdated facilities could not handle increasing passenger traffic. For Jordan, a nation that relies heavily on tourism and trade, modern, efficient transportation infrastructure was essential for economic development and regional connectivity. To address this challenge without placing additional strain on the national budget, the government of Jordan turned to a public-private partnership, with IFC advising on its structure to attract investors.

Airport International Group (AIG), the consortium selected to operate QAIA, took on the task of modernizing the airport. Over time, rising demand created opportunities for further investment to enhance commercial offerings, improve the passenger experience, and strengthen Jordan’s position as an aviation and tourism hub.

 In early 2018, Meridiam Eastern Europe Investments 2 SAS (Meridiam), an international infrastructure investment firm became a shareholder in AIG by acquiring a 32 percent stake. Meridiam’s strategy focused not only on physical upgrades but also on strengthening QAIA’s commercial ecosystem and providing a sustained income stream throughout the concession period. 

Attracting additional international investors remained challenging, with some concerned about political risk and long-term stability in the region. AIG needed a solution that would lower investment risks and still ensure real economic gains