The Saudi Foreign Minister confirms his country’s cooperation to complete the electrical connection between it and Iraq
The Saudi Foreign Minister confirms his country’s cooperation to complete the electrical connection between it and Iraq
2022-09-25 07:39
Shafaq News/ The Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, affirmed his country’s keenness to cooperate with Iraq in various fields.
In his speech before the General Assembly in New York, the minister said, “In the Kingdom’s keenness to support Iraq’s security, stability and development, it (the Kingdom) has worked to develop various aspects of cooperation with Iraq, both bilaterally and collectively.” Among them, he mentioned the electrical connection between the Kingdom and Iraq, and between the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf and Iraq.
In mid-July, Iraq and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement on providing electricity in a stable manner and at a reduced cost through an agreement with the Gulf Interconnection Authority.
Earlier, US President Joe Biden confirmed that the United States had concluded an agreement to link the Iraqi electricity grid to the network of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries through Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Iraq has been suffering from a chronic electricity shortage crisis for decades as a result of the siege and successive wars. For many years, residents have protested against frequent power cuts, especially in the summer, when temperatures sometimes reach 50 degrees Celsius.
Iraq is holding talks with Gulf countries, led by Saudi Arabia, to import electricity from them by linking its organization with the Gulf system, after it had depended on Iran alone during the past years by importing 1200 megawatts as well as gas fuel to feed local electric power stations.
Iraq also intends to import electricity from Jordan and Turkey, in an effort from Baghdad to fill the shortage until it builds power stations that are able to meet local consumption.
shafaq.com
