Iraqi News Highlights and Points to Ponder Friday AM 2-9-24
Prime Minister: Iraq Deserves Renaissance After Years Of Corruption And Neglect
Posted On 02-09-2024 By Sotaliraq The Prime Minister, Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, confirmed on Thursday that the Baghdad metro project will be linked to new residential cities, including the cities of Al-Jawahiri, Ali Al-Wardi, and Sadr City, while noting that the high-speed train between Najaf Al-Ashraf and Holy Karbala will work to end the traffic jam caused by the million visits.
Al-Sudani said in his speech during the ceremony of launching investment opportunities for the Baghdad Metro Project and the Karbala-Najaf Express Train Project, that “the Baghdad Metro Project establishes an important shift in the movement of citizens in the capital, Baghdad, whose population has exceeded 8 million, as the project consists of 7 lines with a length of 148 km.”
It will cover most of Baghdad’s areas,” noting that “the metro project establishes a connection process with the new cities that have been initiated, namely Al-Jawahiri City, west of Baghdad, Ali Al-Wardi City, south of Baghdad, and New Al-Sadr City, east of Baghdad.”
He continued, “These projects carry a clear and significant economic feasibility for the private sector that is serious about implementing them, and that the announcement of these two projects represents a shift in the government’s work path from quick and simple projects, such as service and engineering effort projects, to major projects,” pointing out that “the work processes are continuing.”
We have worked on these two projects, launched the Development Road Project, and are directly supervising the completion of the Grand Al-Faw Port Project, concluding contracts for new cities, and soon the investment portfolio for the rehabilitation and expansion of Baghdad International Airport will be completed.”
He pointed out that “all these projects establish a development renaissance for the new Iraq, after years of neglect, poor planning, and corruption that affected all projects, especially infrastructure,” stressing that “public transportation is a goal in which we will not be satisfied with building bridges, overpasses, and tunnels, but rather we have an integrated vision for a package of Several modern means of transportation to our capital.”
He explained: “We are establishing a new philosophy of management through the state undertaking organization and planning, and making way for the technically capable private sector to undertake the implementation of these projects, as we cannot remain dependent on oil imports to implement all service projects,” noting that “Iraq is witnessing a high growth rate.”
It is the highest among countries in the region, and we must create the requirements for an attractive and supportive investment environment to pave the way for the work of local, Arab and foreign companies.”
He continued: “We need the support of members of the House of Representatives, with its specialized committees, in supporting the state’s directions with legislation that prepares the environment that attracts investment. We also sent a draft economic amendments law that includes several laws that we want to be in one package to save time, and many international companies are waiting for these amendments.”
He noted that “launching (the Year of Achievements) is not just a slogan, but rather within a vision that has been prepared since the writing of the government program, and is planned for the life of this government. We have established projects according to timings, and we raised the slogan: There is no lagging project approved and implemented in this government, and we are continuing with it.” This trend.”
The ceremony witnessed the announcement by the Chairman of the Investment Authority to set next Monday, February 12, as the date to open applications for companies on the Authority’s platform in order to submit their offers on the two projects.
while the consulting contract for the Karbala-Najaf Express Train was signed by the Director General of the General Railway Company, one of the companies of the Ministry of Transport.
It is noteworthy that the Baghdad Metro project consists of 7 lines and 14 road stations distributed among regions; Al-Alawi, Al-Shaab, Aviation Square, Al-Baladiyat, Al-Kadhimiya, Baghdad Airport, Al-Dora, Maysloun Square, Al-Zafaraniyah, Aden Square, Al-Bayaa, and Al-Qadisiyah, and passes in multiple lanes, with a transport capacity of up to three million passengers per day. It covers 85% of the area of the capital, Baghdad.
Express-type trains will be adopted at an estimated speed of (80-140 km/h), with an automated digital metro system that runs on electric power and without a driver and includes all means of communication.
The railway tracks enter through tunnels up to 20 meters deep, to avoid any conflicts with the streets and infrastructure services. The stations include facilities to receive arrivals and departures, elevators, movable and fixed escalators, commercial stores, cafeterias, bathrooms, administrative and service rooms, parking lots for cars and buses, and power generation stations.
The station consists of two departure platforms. The two reception areas are completely separate from each other, and the project also includes workshops and warehouses for maintaining, washing and cleaning trains, and maintaining railway corridors to change tracks.
As for the Najaf-Karbala train project, it consists of 4 main stations starting from Najaf Airport, passing through Karbala Airport, all the way to the Baghdad garage in the city of Karbala, on an elevated railway line, with a distance of (90) km, with a highly efficient metro system, and with air-conditioned cars at a speed of (240). km per hour. It includes special compartments for women and children, and seats for people with special needs and the elderly, in addition to the stations containing shops, cafeterias and various service facilities. LINK
Transparency: Imports From Sulaymaniyah And Halabja During The Past Week Amounted To More Than 4 Billion Dinars
Economy 2024-02-09 The Transparency website announced the non-oil imports of the Sulaymaniyah and Halabja governorates and the Garmian and Rabarin districts during the past week, amounting to more than 4 billion dinars.
According to the Transparency website, non-oil imports in the provinces of Sulaymaniyah and Halabja and the administrations of Garmian and Raparin from 2/3/2024 until 2/9/2024 are 4 billion and 809 million and 858 thousand and 790 dinars, of which 3 billion and 460 million and 255 thousand and 300 dinars are , i.e. 72% in cash, 696 million 324 thousand and 500 dinars, i.e. 14% in the form of bonds, and 653 million 279 thousand and 990 dinars in the form of clearing at 14%.
After 30 years of Kurdish rule in the Kurdistan Region, Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, announced on 12/15/2022 a project for transparency in non-oil imports in the governorates of Sulaymaniyah and Halabja and the Garmian and Rabarin administrations, which is the first of its kind in Kurdistan and Iraq in general. .
The project was widely welcomed in Kurdistan circles, demanding that it be generalized to include oil imports and imports from all regions of Kurdistan.
Qubad Talabani said in his speech announcing the project: “I am announcing an important project, which is the project of transparency in non-oil imports.”
He added: “Transparency is a program that includes all non-oil imports in the provinces of Sulaymaniyah and Halabja and the administrations of Rabrin and Garmian, which are collected daily with complete transparency and are recorded so that everyone can see the details of these imports at any time through the website shafafiat.net.
The Deputy Prime Minister went on to say “This idea came about because transparency is the basic foundation for establishing trust between the citizen and any political authority in the world, so it is important for you to look at it.” https://kirkuktv.net/AR/Details/19581
Parliamentary Talk About Financial Dues To Oil-Producing Governorates
Economy 2024-02-09 Today, Friday, the Parliamentary Oil, Gas and Natural Resources Committee called for granting the oil-producing governorates their dues in the budget for the current year.
Committee member Bassem Al-Gharibawi said in a press interview, “The budget includes a law under which oil-producing governorates are granted financial dues in the event that the price of oil rises above the number specified in the budget, but this matter has not been implemented.”
He added, “There is an urgent need for action by Parliament, especially the Finance and Strategic Planning Committees, to follow up on the dues of the oil-producing governorates in order to ensure that they obtain their dues within the budget.”
He confirmed, “There are actual parliamentary movements to ensure that the dues reach the producing governorates,” explaining, “The Parliamentary Oil Committee did not approach the federal government regarding this matter, but it moved toward the Ministry of Oil to find out the extent of its implementation of the government program and curriculum.” https://kirkuktv.net/AR/Details/19585
Iraqi Efforts To Strengthen The Oil Tanker Fleet.. What Are The Most Prominent Plans?
Information / Baghdad.. Today, Friday, the Ministry of Oil announced its efforts to strengthen the Iraqi oil tanker fleet with a new number after two Norwegian tankers entered commercial operations, while revealing plans to contract with reputable international companies to enhance the work of the National Tanker Company.
The spokesman for the Ministry of Oil, Assem Jihad, told the official agency, and its follow-up / Al-Maalouma /: “The Ministry of Oil seeks to strengthen the fleet or the national carrier with a number of tankers, and recently two tankers entered the commercial business, implemented by the Norwegian company, which is one of the companies specialized in this. the field”.
Jihad stressed that “the Ministry’s plans will not stop there, but rather seek to strengthen contracts with reputable international companies to enhance the work of the National Tanker Company, which is the national carrier of crude oil and its products.”
He pointed out that “Iraq’s main export ports are the southern ports represented by the port of Basra, the single buoys, and the port of Al-Amaya, in addition to the northern port, which is the Turkish port of Ceyhan,” noting that “the greatest weight is the southern port, which occupies most of the oil exports.” Ended / 25 R. LINK
Points To Ponder on Anxiety About the Future
Nothing in life is more remarkable than the unnecessary anxiety which we endure, and generally create ourselves. – Benjamin Disraeli
Do not think of all your anxieties, you will only make yourself ill. – The Shih King
Only man clogs his happiness with care, destroying what is with thoughts of what may be. – John Dryden
I care. I care a lot. I think of “Cosmopolitan” all day, and I run scared. So it’s a combination of fright, caring, and anxiety. – Helen Gurley Brown
Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.- William Shakespeare
http://famousquotesandauthors.com/topics/anxiety_about_the_future_quotes.html