GCCIA Signs Contracts for Iraq Interconnection Project

The Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) signs contract in Dammam to provide Iraq with electricity (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) signs contract in Dammam to provide Iraq with electricity (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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GCCIA Signs Contracts for Iraq Interconnection Project

The Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) signs contract in Dammam to provide Iraq with electricity (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) signs contract in Dammam to provide Iraq with electricity (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) signed five contracts worth $220 million with the companies implementing the electricity interconnection project between the Gulf states and Iraq.

The Authority will construct lines of 295 km from the al-Wafra station in Kuwait to the al-Faw station in southern Iraq to transfer 500 megawatts in the first phase, with a total of 1,800 megawatts, according to the Authority.

The project includes supplying and installing circuit breakers, electrical reactors, and measurement and control systems for the construction and expansion of substations in al-Wafra and al-Faw.

It also includes consulting services for preparing environmental and social studies and supervision of implementation.

The project would contribute to the supply of electricity to the Southern Region Electricity Network and support the demand for electricity in Basra.

It also lays the foundations for the future exchange and trade of electric energy between the Gulf state and Iraq under the umbrella of a regional and Arab electricity market to ensure the sustainability of electric power.

The contracts were signed by the CEO of the Authority, Ahmed al-Ibrahim, with representatives of companies approved to implement the project at the GCCIA in Dammam.

Ibrahim confirmed that the project would boost the electricity cooperation with Iraq and that the Authority would adopt expansion projects for the interconnection network aimed at increasing energy reliability in the Gulf network.

The project represents outstanding opportunities for energy exchange with Iraq, especially in light of the increase in the capacity of the electrical connection to achieve economical operation, especially in the summer, said Ibrahim.

He also explained that it would increase the network's security and stability, reduce interruptions, and contribute to meeting part of the demand.

Iraq signed an agreement to connect its power grid to the GCC interconnection grid in July 2022, on the sidelines of the Jeddah Security and Development Summit, under the directives of Gulf leaders to consolidate cooperation and partnership between the countries of the Cooperation Council and the Republic of Iraq.

The project will be funded by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) and the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), which also signed a financing agreement with GCCIA.



Saudi Arabia Maintains Top Global Ranking in Cybersecurity Index

The pavilion of the National Cybersecurity Authority at the World Defense Show 2024 (SPA)
The pavilion of the National Cybersecurity Authority at the World Defense Show 2024 (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Maintains Top Global Ranking in Cybersecurity Index

The pavilion of the National Cybersecurity Authority at the World Defense Show 2024 (SPA)
The pavilion of the National Cybersecurity Authority at the World Defense Show 2024 (SPA)

Saudi Arabia has retained its position as the world’s leading nation in the Cybersecurity Index, according to the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2025 released by the World Competitiveness Center of the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland.

Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban, Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, and Chairman of the National Cybersecurity Authority, said this accomplishment adds to the Kingdom’s series of successes across all fields.

He attributed the progress to the leadership’s proactive vision in establishing a comprehensive cybersecurity sector, encompassing both security and development dimensions, at local and international levels.

Al-Aiban noted that Saudi Arabia’s cybersecurity ecosystem has undergone remarkable progress in a short span since the creation of the National Cybersecurity Authority and the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE), which serves as its strategic and technical partner.

Together, these two pillars form the foundation of the Kingdom’s cybersecurity model, which has strengthened national cyber resilience, advanced technological sovereignty, localized critical technologies, and bolstered information sharing and international cooperation.

The National Cybersecurity Authority is the central entity responsible for cybersecurity in Saudi Arabia and the national reference for all related affairs. Its mandate is to safeguard vital interests, critical infrastructure, and national security.

It also aims to drive the growth of the cybersecurity sector, promote innovation and investment, and establish policies, governance mechanisms, frameworks, standards, controls, and guidelines. These efforts are designed to create a secure and reliable Saudi cyberspace that enables economic growth and prosperity.