But despite Aseza's best efforts to streamline red tape and a liberal attitude towards foreign labour, businesses speak of some difficulties in the Aqaba economic zone, which is separated from the rest of Jordan by border controls.

"The regulatory environment is not great but not worse compared with Israel or Turkey, although Jordan shouldn't be satisfied because it doesn't have those countries' advantages," said a western businessman who did not want to be named.

"For example, it's impossible to have a contract to sell land between two individuals unless it's lodged at the land registry under an antiquated law dating from the Ottomans, which can prevent proper financing arrangements.

"Planning procedures can also be held up by workers' guilds and associations. This is bad for economic development and could be changed but the king and government don't appear to want the political fight," he said.

In the Maghreb they call this, the intervention of workers' guilds and associations in all kinds of ridiculous subjects, "social solidarity and dialogue" - more often it is rent extraction by the leadership of the said "social organisations."

Two more vignettes:

Meanwhile, businesses have to take into account the conservative culture. One real estate developer, who tries to limit the number of devout Muslims in a luxury development, said: "The hijab and bikini don't really go together."

Given the reluctance of Jordanians to take jobs in construction, many companies hire workers from Egypt or as far afield as Bangladesh.

The reluctance of the Bedouine to become labourers when they get the least bit of wealth always has puzzled me. It's something very Bedou. Strange on the part of dirt-poor scum, but such is the Bedou tribalism.