The ultimate goal? The construction of a new power station to provide water to Basra's oil fields - turbocharging production and creating a powerhouse in the Middle East.
In a bid to tackle the water scarcity problem and rapidly initiate a Seawater Desalination Plant project in Basra province, the Iraqi Cabinet has amended its 2021 resolution made under Cabinet Decision No. 315 and transferred responsibility for the project to the Ministry of Construction, Housing, Municipalities, and Public Works.
Basra Governorate will coordinate with the ministry to assemble a team of consultants and experts to review the economic and technical study prepared by ILF Consulting Firm. They will also have the authority to negotiate with the consortium of companies for project execution and set up an executive body that will manage, operate, and maintain it post-handover. Regular progress reports on project implementation stages must be submitted to the Prime Minister every quarter.
In a bold statement of intent, the Iraqi Government unveiled its carefully-constructed consortium to bring about a powerful transformation. Samsung, Makinasinayi, Biwater, Wood Group, and Al-Rida Group formed this ambitious initiative's core- ensuring that the Trade Bank of Iraq and a loan from UK Export Finance funded it all.
