Iraq, JICA Ink Japanese ODA Loan Agreement

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) concluded a Japanese ODA loan agreement with the Republic of Iraq to provide funding for the Port Sector Rehabilitation Project (Phase II), at the Ministry of Finance, Baghdad.

This is the 20th loan agreement under the Japanese ODA loan to Iraq, which brings Japan’s cumulative commitments to this country to over 4.4 billion dollars.

The objective of the Phase II project is to recover the functions of the Iraqi port system, by rehabilitation works related mainly to the Khor Al Zubayr Port (KZP), following the rehabilitation of the Umm Qasr Port (UQP) having been implemented under the Phase I of this project.

For Iraq, with coastal line of 48km only, rehabilitation of the UQP and KZP is vital to its national economy, as those two are the major ports that handle heavy cargoes required for the various reconstruction projects across the country.

The on-going Phase I Project, started in 2008, is covering rehabilitation works for the UQP. It has been progressing smoothly to be completed in a few months’ time, thanks to the outstanding project management by the General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI).

Captain Hussain, the GCPI Team Leader for the Phase I, said: “After a remarkable achievements in the Phase I, the actual enhancement of the services meeting the increasing volume of cargo handled in the UQP. Now, thanks to the good progress of the Phase I, larger ships are being handled, resulting in increasing proficiency in international commerce (see photos). We are happy to have the Phase II with a support by new Japanese ODA Loan for the KZP. GCPI is fully geared to apply expertise acquired from the implementation of the Phase I with JICA, in order to execute successfully new projects in the area of the KZP such as dredging, wreck removal, civil and utility works.“

[mappress]

Press Release, February 17, 2014