Iraq's al-Faw port project's endless delays

The al-Faw grand port project has been long delayed due to financial problems, among other issues.
A man sits in fishing boat in the water of Shatt al-Arab in Iraq's southern port city of al-Faw, 90 kilometres south of Basra near the Gulf, on May 18, 2020. - In Iraq, a national lockdown to halt the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has found some unexpected fans: local businesses who no longer have to compete with Turkish, Iranian or Chinese imports. Those countries, as well as Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kuwait, typically flood Iraqi markets with inexpensive products at prices local producers can't compete wit
A man sits in fishing boat in the waters of the Shatt al-Arab in Iraq's southern port city of al-Faw, 90 kilometers (56 miles) south of the city of Basra near the Gulf, on May 18, 2020. - HUSSEIN FALEH/AFP via Getty Images
AzharAlRuabie.jpg
Azhar Al-Ruabie

Although 10 years have passed since the Iraqi government started laying the groundwork for the al-Faw grand port in southern Iraq, the project is still far from completion.

Iraqi minister of transportation Nasser Hussain Bandar said Aug. 15 that his ministry is planning to sign a contract with the South Korean company Hanwha for resuming the al-Faw project.

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