Iraq, Japan International Cooperation Agency meet in Baghdad

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – In the presence of the General Management of the General Directorate of Water, the Minister of Construction, Housing, and Public Municipalities, Bangen Rekani, met with Jin Yoneda and his delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Organization (JICA) in Iraq at the Ministry’s headquarters in Baghdad.

The discussion covered the Ministry’s water sector projects supported by JICA, including the 6000 m3/hour Samarra water project in Salah Al-Din Governorate and the 6000 m3/hour Al-Samawah water desalination project in Muthanna Governorate.

Also mentioned in the meeting were two projects in the Diyala Governorate with capacities of 2000 m3 per hour and 1000 m3 per hour.

– Close relationship –

Japan and the Iraq inked a fourth financing deal totaling $926 million for the Basra Refinery Upgrading Project in December 2022. According to JICA, the loan represents the fourth installment for the project, one of the region’s well-known Japanese cooperation mega projects. It has favorable conditions, including an annual interest rate of 0.20% and a 40-year payback duration with a 10-year grace period.

By constructing a new refinery named the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Complex in the Basra Refinery, the project intends to boost the quantity and quality of oil products, including gasoline, diesel, and kerosene.

Since 2008, JICA has signed 33 sovereign credit agreements for Iraq, totaling $7.6 billion. Since 2003, the Japanese agency has also offered various technical cooperation projects, grant-based training programs for more than 10,000 Iraqi officials, and other services.