Saudi Arabia announces “mega projects” for it in Iraq and is glad to open Arar
The Saudi ambassador to Iraq, Abdul Aziz Al-Shammari, said today, Thursday, that the opening of the Arar border crossing represents a good artery and a real beginning for distinguished commercial relations between the two countries.
Al-Shammari said, in a press statement, that “the outlet will be a tributary to the economy, a door of communication between the two peoples, and support for the arrival of Saudi products to Iraq in the easiest way and at the lowest costs.”
He added, “Iraqi products can enter the Kingdom as well, and the Saudi product instead of entering through neighboring countries will enter directly into the Iraqi market at the lowest cost. All industrial and agricultural products, foodstuffs, and manufacturing industries.”
He continued by saying: “The Iraqi market is open and promising, and all Saudi products are welcome.”
The Saudi ambassador pointed out that “there are giant projects that will be implemented in the next stage, and the presence of a new port in Arar is a tributary for these projects to enter Saudi goods and basic materials for projects that will be established inside Iraq in the fields of mining, energy, oil and agriculture.”
He went on to say, “We and the Iraqi people are optimistic about the port, and it will be a good tributary and witness a very heavy movement, used for import and export, and it will be a distinct outlet.”
For his part, the Iraqi Minister of Transport, Nasser Hussein Al-Shibli, said, “His ministry signed several memoranda of understanding and agreements with the Saudi side during the work of the Iraqi-Saudi Coordination Committee, most notably the agreement to open a new Arar border crossing, which will be inaugurated and operational after (7) days, as well as the conduct of the shipping line between Iraqi ports and Saudi Arabia. ”
On the other hand, sees the President of the Council of Chambers of Saudi Arabia, Ajlan Ajlan, that given the two countries , such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq , and the size of their economies, the economic their integration would represent a major shift and in the interests of both parties.
Al-Ajlan pointed out, in a press interview, that “investors in the two countries have a strong desire to invest and seize opportunities,” adding, “Iraq is looking for strong companies to invest, and Saudi companies have proven their worth in the level and quality of their services. The Iraqi market is large and cannot be underestimated.”
He added, “We have economic and tourism relations between the two sides, in addition to Hajj and Umrah, all of which are matters that the opening of the port will strengthen for the benefit of the two countries’ economies and peoples.”
Ajlan added, “Although the current trade exchange numbers are not large, the opening of the Arar port and the continuous visits between the two countries, especially from businessmen, will lead to a significant increase in economic exchange in the coming period.”
He went on to say: “We expect an increase in a greater pace in the coming period, especially since the Iraqi economy is on the cusp of future growth, and this will benefit the two countries.”