Teh Arab Times reports that Kuwait is ready to sign an agreement with Iraq to guarantee that the Mubarak Al-Kabeer port project will not hinder the construction of Iraq’s Grand Faw port.

According to the Director of Information at the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Aous Al-Tamimi, the Iraqi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ali Al-Sajri held a meeting with the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Iraq Ali Al-Momen to discuss issues of mutual interest, during which they deliberated the construction of Mubarak Al-Kabeer port and its effects, where Al-Momen assured that the project will not affect Iraq’s port project, or its regional waters.

Meanwhile, Al-Momen had indicated readiness to sign an agreement to allay their fears, and went ahead to present some maps and aerial photographs of the location which showed the two projects are 20 kilometers apart. The two countries stand to gain economically, so they agreed to set up a joint technical committee to resolve the issue, whereas a high-powered delegation from Iraq, involving ministers, lawmakers and experts will soon visit Kuwait for further talks on the project.

In the wake of campaign by Iraq against the construction of Mubarak Al-Kabeer port, and statements issued by Iraqi MPs, the Director of Consultative Studies at Kuwait’s Ministry of Public Works, Sorour Al-Otaibi, has stated that almost 48 percent of the work in the first phase of the project has been completed, reports Al-Anba daily.

A few dozen Iraqis protested on Wednesday against Kuwaiti plans for a new port near Umm Qasr, Iraq’s only deep-water port.

AKnews reports that public committees from Basra organized the protests to show public opposition against the Kuwaiti Mubarak port across the border.

“Everyone knows that Kuwait does not need this port since it has a sufficient number of ports”, organizer Abd al-Lazem al-Tai said. He speculated that the current business conflict between the two countries is rooted in the historical disputes over oil wells in Safwan and South Rumaila.

Mr Tai also criticized the Iraqi government for high taxes that would diminish Umm Qasr’s competitive position.

Today’s demonstrations were attended by fewer citizens than expected. Public committees in Basra had announced on Sunday they would assemble more than a thousand citizens in front of Umm Qasr.

Last week, the Kuwaitis laid the foundation stone for the construction of Mubarak port, just over the border from the site of a new Iraqi ‘Grand Faw’ port currently in construction, and close to Umm Qasr.

According to economists, Iraq’s main port will lose 60 per cent of its business if Kuwait goes ahead with its plans.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered the formation of an emergency committee to travel to Kuwait immediately to tackle the dispute between the two countries.

(Sources: AKnews, Zawya)

According to a report from Iraq’s National Media Centre, the new port at Faw [Fao], when completed, will reduce transport costs between Europe and Asia.

Salah al-Khadir said the project will shorten the distance between Iraq and the other countries of the world, and especially the vessels coming from Asia to Eastern Europe, indicating that it will reduce travel time through the Suez Canal from one month to 14 days.

He said the cost of shipping a container from Japan to Europe through the port of Suez in $1770, while transporting it via Faw costs $1300, resulting in a big saving in costs.

He also pointed out that Faw port will provide many job opportunities.

(Source: National Media Centre)

Four people, including three children, were kidnapped by criminals then freed by the authorities in Iraq last week. In recent months consular warnings have continued to remind foreign nationals of the risk of abduction still present in the country. With a rise in foreigners travelling to the country it may only be a matter of time before one is abducted. Every week an average of one to two Iraqis are seized and held for ransom. However, with security gradually improving in the country the risk may no longer be as relevant as it used to be. The last foreign national to be seized was a US citizen of Iraqi origin, abducted from Karradah district in central Baghdad in early 2010.

Current Trends

Kidnaps continue to occur across the country, from Mosul to Basrah. Earlier in the year a kidnapping cell was arrested in the normally quiet district of al-Faw in the far south, while Baghdad and urbanised parts of the central provinces remain affected by the stubbornly persistent risk. Most victims are held for only a few days, and while some are freed in police operations, some are also released after their families have paid a ransom. Current settlement figures stand at around US$50,000 per person.

The Next Target

With a growing number of foreign nationals travelling to the south of the country there are fears that this may be the scene of the next big abduction, although a credible risk to foreigners also exists in the capital as well. The energy sector may be a particularly attractive target, given the perception that affected companies will be able to pay for a ransom. There are also concerns that politically motivated groups may also wish to target the sector in order to make their demands felt in both the government and international community.

Tackling the Problem

Current abduction rates are much lower than during the years prior to 2008; then Iraqis and foreigners were abducted on a much more regular basis. Nonetheless, the lingering presence of kidnap groups continues to pose a potential risk for investors and business travellers arriving in the country. One hugely positive development in the fight against kidnap has been a strong rise in the professionalism of the Iraqi police forces. Once heavily involved in the kidnap trade the police have undergone significant training. Levels of corruption have fallen and police links to underground militia groups have weakened. Over the past two years a growing number of kidnap rings have been broken up while tens of captives, including several children, have been freed. The growing capabilities of the police forces are a major asset in the fight against kidnap.

AKE Recommendations

For now, it remains unsafe to travel out into the Iraqi streets without a degree of protection. Adequate insurance should also be considered, with an inclusion of K&R (Kidnap and Ransom) cover. Companies sending employees to Iraq should also consider crisis management training. Travel planners, administrative personnel and health and safety officers should be prepared and well briefed on what to do in the event of an abduction. The likelihood of being kidnapped in Iraq is statistically very low, but companies and their employees still need to prepare themselves or they will present an opportunity to the criminal and militant groups still present in the country.

Further Analysis

AKE has recently produced a worldwide kidnap and ransom report. If you would like to obtain a copy please contact the AKE intelligence department at intel@akegroup.com or call +44 (0) 207 816 5454.

AKE Ltd

John F Drake is a senior risk consultant with AKE Group, a British private security firm working in Iraq from before 2003. Further details on the company can be found at www.akegroup.com/iraq

You can also follow John on twitter at www.twitter.com/johnfdrake

A group of Italian firms will provide advisory services to the project of the al-Faw Big Port [Grand Faw] in Basra province, southern Iraq, according to a contract with the Iraqi Transportation Ministry.

The ministry reported the event in a statement on Sunday as received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency, explaining that the project will be executed in stages.

“The project will be finalized by 2028,” the press release said.

It noted that firms will execute the project at a total investment cost of four billion Euros.

IBN believes that the lead contractor on the project is Technital.

(Source: Aswat al-Iraq)

10 April 2010  - Al SumariaTV

In Basra, the Ministry of Transportation set the foundation of Al Fao Great port which is expected to activate the trade and economic activity in the country and to raise the trade exchange activity with the world.

The port is expected to boost the importance of Iraq in regards of international transportation. The port’s space is huge, i.e. 14.673 million square meters and it can contain 99 million tons a year and it enjoys a strategic position.

The construction cost of this port is of 4.3 million euros and the first stage thereof will be implemented by an Italian company. The first stage is expected to end in 3 years maximum and the development thereof is expected to last till 2028.

In addition to its strategic position the attempt Iraq Ministry of Transportation is about to do by signing an agreement in order to decrease the prices of transportation with Syria and Turkey will play an important role in transforming this port into the best substitute of Suez canal which is the principal canal for transportation between the east and the west.