Iraq to save Lebanon from Blackout
Shafaq News / The Minister of Energy and Water in the Lebanese caretaker government, Raymond Ghajar, revealed on Wednesday that Iraq will provide his country with 500 thousand tons of oil for a year to operate the electric power plants.
Ghajar said in a press statement, followed by Shafaq News agency, that the Iraqi Council of Ministers decided to supply Lebanon with half a million tons of crude oil as a first stage and for a year, after the negotiations it had held with the Iraqi side to secure fuel for the Lebanese power stations.
"We have requested more quantities. However, what we have achieved so far is considered good," he added, expressing his gratitude to the Iraqi government.
Ghajar indicated that Iraqi fuel "does not conform to the specifications that we adopt in Lebanon. However, we might be able to transform it in Iraq or carry out a swap with an Iraqi company that can provide us with fuel that matches our specifications."
Ghajar added, "reports emerged that Lebanon will enter a blackout after Sonatrach cut out the oil supply. We have set transparent conditions, and the Oil Directorate is placing bids to buy fast shipments for the benefit of the Ministry of Energy in Lebanon. We received offers from local and foreign companies, and we managed to save half a million dollars with each 35-thousand-tons shipment."
The Lebanese Minister of Energy and Water, Raymond Ghajar, visited Iraq at the head of a delegation from his country on December 21, 2020, and held talks with the Iraqi Oil Minister, Ihssan Abdul-Jabbar, on supplying Lebanon with fuel during 2021.
