Attempts to attract investments to the marshes

BASRA / IraqiNews.com: Basra’s Investment Commission disclosed today that efforts are being made to attract local and foreign investors to the Al-Ahwar (The Marshes) areas south of Iraq, as financial allocations are not enough. Haidar Ali Fadhil, Director of the Commission, added that the attempts shall be directed towards all fields, but to the touristic and agricultural sectors in particular. The Marsh areas extend to Basra, Misan, Thi Qar provinces and cover 8500 square kilometers. He pointed out that the current allocations do not suffice these areas, “so we have to resort to other means, including investment.” Fadhil elaborated that touristic investment includes establishing an overall area to be called “Eden Paradise” in the center where the marshes meet for the three provinces, with a space of 25.000 square meters with an approximate cost of 10 million dollars. The second phase is to establish independent “Habitats” in different parts of the marshes. Other investment projects shall concentrate on the agricultural production. Hundreds of Arab and foreign tourists used to come to these areas in 1970s and 1980s, but these areas were damaged due to the Iraqi-Iranian war. In addition, drought in the areas turned them to dusty lands. Most of the inhabitants here depend on agriculture and fishing. Archeologists and anthropologists believe that the inhabitants of these areas are the descendants  of the Sumerian civilization, that lived in this area before five thousand years. RM (TS)/SR 512