Shafaq News / The Parliamentary Services and Reconstruction Committee revealed on Sunday that internal and external interventions hinder the implementation of Al-Faw Grand Port project, indicating that it gave a deadline to the Ministry of Transport to complete the contract for the implementation of the project until the middle of this month.

A member of the committee, Burhan Al-Maamouri, told Shafaq News agency, "Al-Faw port project is an important strategic file for Iraqis. Everyone is waiting for the implementation of this project. It will be considered a global trade gateway upon its completion."

He added, "There is procrastination to delay and disrupt the implementation of the project. We do not know whether it is external or internal interference, or a deliberate delay by the Ministry of Transport, as with previous governments."

Al-Maamouri added, "The Services Committee and Parliament and insistent. We are pressing on the government to conclude the contract with any company qualified to implement the Al-Faw Grand Port project."

Al-Maamouri explained, "The Parliamentary Services Committee, in its last meeting with the Minister of Transport and staff in the ministry gave them until December 15 to conclude a contract with any company qualified to implement Al-Faw Port project," stressing, "the Parliament has allocated 400 billion dinars to implement The project".

By the beginning of this month, Minister of Transport, Nasser Hussein Al-Shibli, said that upon the completion of the project, Iraq would be the center of the Silk Road on which China is working to connect Europe with Asia, "the completion of the project will follow the construction of the dry canal that connects the port of Al-Faw to Turkey. This project will complete the link line from China to Pakistan and the Al-Faw port by sea, and by railway to Europe."

He explained that the implementation of the "Silk Road" through Iraq would provide thousands of jobs and a great economic resurrection for the country, equivalent to oil revenues, and it is dependent on the completion of the large port of Faw.

The Minister of Transport confirmed that his Ministry will complete the first phase of the Al-Faw port at the beginning of next year, explaining that the amount allocated to the contract is 2.65 billion dollars. The Ministry is negotiating with the Korean company to agree on this price and reduce the contract's value, "the port of Al-Faw includes five projects. It is expected to be completed by three and a half years. "

It is noteworthy that, in 2013, China announced its initiative to establish the "New Silk Road", which is a network of ports and railways that will connect nearly 65 countries around the world.