Baghdad – WAA – Hassan Al-Fawaz
Today, Thursday, the Prime Minister’s Advisor for Industry, Development and Private Sector Affairs, Hamoudi Al-Lami, detailed the details of the three industrial contract projects signed under the auspices of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, in numbers.
Al-Lami told the (INA): “A partnership contract was signed between the Southern Fertilizers General Company/Ministry of Industry and Minerals with an investment company to establish a urea fertilizer production plant with a capacity of (1) million tons/year in the Abu Al-Khaseeb area in Basra Governorate, at a cost of (1.470) billion dollars,” indicating that “the project will provide (2000) direct and indirect job opportunities, and the project will be established within (36) months, and will provide urea fertilizer to farmers to implement their agricultural plans.”
He added, “A contract was signed between the General Company for the manufacture of Northern Fertilizers and one of the investment companies to develop and establish a factory for the production of urea fertilizer in Baiji with a capacity of (672) thousand tons annually and at a cost of about (1) billion dollars, for a period of (4) years, as it will provide (1500) job opportunities directly and indirectly.”
He pointed out that “a partnership contract was signed between Al-Furat General Company for Chemical Industries to establish a plant to produce caustic soda with a capacity of (27) thousand tons annually, including (14) thousand tons of caustic soda flake, for the first time in the country, as well as the production of chlorine gas with a capacity of (24) thousand tons annually, in addition to hydrochloric acid with a capacity of (25) thousand tons annually, in addition to the production of membrane cells at a cost of up to (45) billion dinars, as it will provide more than (500) job opportunities directly and indirectly,” noting that “the project will be completed within (42) months.”
He added, “The chemicals are used to sterilize water and treat wastewater, as well as provide a hypo solution for sterilization, and have many uses in the oil and petrochemical industries. The importance of this comes within the government’s directions to implement what is stated in its government program to attract investments and develop the industrial sector in partnership with the private sector, as fertilizer projects are considered strategic projects.”
Earlier, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani sponsored the signing ceremony of 3 contracts for industrial projects, including the establishment of a urea factory, a soda and chlorine factory, and the rehabilitation and operation of the Baiji fertilizer factory.
During the signing ceremony, the Prime Minister reiterated “the government’s orientation towards the industrial sector to cover the needs of the local market and export the surplus,” referring to “the three projects that will meet Iraq’s full need for fertilizers, especially the Baiji fertilizer project, which was reconstructed after it was destroyed by terrorism.”
The Prime Minister stated, “The government is keen to secure operating gas at subsidized prices for these projects, in order to provide the necessary chemical products for the oil industry, which used to require hard currency to import them from abroad.”
The Prime Minister urged “the implementing companies to shorten the contractual period for completion, and to direct those in charge of the work to present the problems and obstacles facing the projects in order to expedite their resolution. He also directed the administrations of public companies to support the investors implementing these projects.”