Iraq Yields $100 Mn in Revenues after Expelling Militias from Frontier

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at Mandali border crossing between Iraq and Iran (Reuters)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at Mandali border crossing between Iraq and Iran (Reuters)
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Iraq Yields $100 Mn in Revenues after Expelling Militias from Frontier

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at Mandali border crossing between Iraq and Iran (Reuters)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at Mandali border crossing between Iraq and Iran (Reuters)

Iraq's Border Ports Authority announced record financial revenues from customs duties as a result of the measures taken by the government of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at all border crossings to combat customs corruption, impose order and expel armed factions from the country's frontier.

Head of Iraq's Border Ports Authority Omar al-Waeli said the revenues amounted to $100 million in July despite customs exemptions on several goods and closure of the outlets due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He indicated that the revenues came from seven or eight crossings out of Iraq’s 21, stressing that the authority intends to achieve more revenues to support the state treasury in light of the country’s financial issues.

During his visit to Mandali crossing with Iran last month, Kadhimi vowed to pursue the “ghosts” who were transporting cargo trucks across the border without paying customs fees.

He ordered a team from the Emergency Response Division to take over the crossing, saying they are authorized to use live fire to stop anyone from attacking people working at the border.

Meanwhile, an informed source at the Ports Authority confirmed that the measures taken by the government have made a total difference in terms of increasing the financial revenues achieved and imposing the law.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, the source said that units of the armed factions were present at the ports under the pretext of supervising religious groups arriving from Iran during the pilgrimage season, but their presence became permanent.

They used the ports for trade operations, customs clearance, and illegally imposing fees and royalties, he added.

The source said that the government recently expelled all the factions and groups working outside the customs area, and dismissed several employees cooperating with those groups.

He also said he expects the revenues to increase in the coming months compared to previous years, noting that over half of the border ports are shut due to the COVID-19, and operating crossings are not at full capacity.



Aramco Inaugurates Regional Center for Sustainable Fishery Development on Abu Ali Island

tthe inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, was made in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Aramco
tthe inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, was made in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Aramco
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Aramco Inaugurates Regional Center for Sustainable Fishery Development on Abu Ali Island

tthe inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, was made in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Aramco
tthe inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, was made in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture. Aramco

Saudi Aramco announced on Thursday the inauguration of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.

Through this collaboration, Saudi Aramco aims to highlight its investments in citizenship initiatives and its efforts to drive economic growth, support local fishermen and their livelihoods, build expertise, and adopt the best practices to enhance production and cultivate fish of marketable sizes that can compete globally.

The center is part of the company's broader efforts to protect marine life in the Arabian Gulf. It involves the establishment of a fish hatchery on Abu Ali Island in Jubail, located on the Arabian Gulf coast, designed to produce local fish species that have experienced population declines due to fishing practices and to reintroduce them into Gulf waters.

The center's operations are designed to encompass the complete fish life cycle within designated tanks, from broodstock for egg production to larval rearing using plankton produced on-site and finally to the release of juvenile fish into the Arabian Gulf. The hatchery employs advanced aquaculture technologies to ensure fish health, and it utilizes top-tier water recycling techniques to enhance performance and meet the company's circular economy objectives.

The project aligns with Saudi Aramco's mangrove plantation initiative, under which more than 43 million trees have been planted to date. Mangrove forests provide vital nursery habitats for the juvenile fish released into the Gulf, further supporting the sustainability of marine ecosystems.