Transit between Baghdad and Beirut... Economic benefits and security concerns

POSTED ON[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] BY [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

[size=52]Transit between Baghdad and Beirut... Economic benefits and security concerns[/size]

[size=45]Iraq's important and strategic location, linking most of the countries under world trade... made attention turn to it as a corridor for "transit"... despite its economic feasibility, but it was countered by security warnings of the possibility of terrorist elements entering under the name of "trade".[/size]
[size=45]During his meeting with his Iraqi counterpart Nasser al-Shibli on February 12, 2022, the Lebanese Minister of Transport Ali Hamiyah stressed the importance of transit movement through Iraqi territory and support for Lebanon's inclusion in transit lines, especially with Kuwait and Iran, starting from the Iraqi-Syrian border crossings and the Iraqi-Jordanian borders to Gulf area.[/size]
[size=45]Hamiyeh added, "The talks with Iraq dealt with the entry of Lebanese trucks whose final destination is Iraqi territory into Iraqi cities and governorates so that the process of unloading the cargo or loading the trailer does not remain in the exchange yards at the Iraqi-Syrian border, which affects the revitalization of the desired trade movement between the two countries. In addition to discussing the possibility of preparing agreements at the level of air and sea transport between the two countries, in addition to activating land transport between the two countries.[/size]
[size=45]Numerous positives[/size]
[size=45]The head of the extension of the parliamentary bloc, Muhammad Al-Nouri, indicated that there are many positives regarding the transit movement between Iraq and Lebanon.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Nouri, in an interview with Al-Mada, said that “among these advantages are the employment of manpower, in addition to the presence of land transport lines to benefit from them, and the presence of rest stations for goods exported from Lebanon to other countries, given that Iraq will be a transit station, and these stations enjoy many advantages in addition to To sell fuel and employ a good group of labour.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, "There will not be many negatives, and there may be some side issues related to the use of roads, but these methods will be used for money and not for free."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Nouri pointed out that “the security control over these goods will be dense and within convoys and not individuals, given that the situation in Iraq is completely unstable and terrorist cells are still present, and this will be a security follow-up and the goods will be subject to sonar, but all possibilities exist,” noting that “the security audit will be greater.” to maintain this process.[/size]
[size=45]Warnings of security risks[/size]
[size=45]On the other hand, security expert Imad Alo stressed the need to monitor trucks in addition to the intelligence effort to detect the activities of organized crime and terrorist organizations that intend to bring dangerous goods, contraband or drugs into Iraq.[/size]
[size=45]Alo, in an interview with Al-Mada, said that "the important issue is related to the issuance of Law No. 10 of 2015 regarding the possibility of customs pricing for border ports from which goods enter Iraq through ports or through neighboring countries."[/size]
[size=45]He explained, "Iraq has signed with more than one country, including the Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Lebanon, and this means that Iraq sells its customs imports to these countries and does not benefit from them, and there the customs pricing is done and the fees are paid to that country, and then it enters without fees to Iraq."[/size]
[size=45]Concerning the security risks from the Iraq agreement with Lebanon, Alo stressed that “the oversight and security services are responsible for them, as there are precautions and procedures to maintain the security and safety of the country, and even when goods enter via planes, they must be monitored and searched through sonar and radiological detection devices that are supposed to be present in Border crossings and military controls on all roads.[/size]
[size=45]Great financial return[/size]
[size=45]In addition, the economic expert, Malath Al-Amin, explained that “the economic benefit will be limited to customs duties and services that will be provided to transporters of these goods, such as restaurants, repair services or gas stations, all of which return with a financial return to Iraq.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Amin indicated, "The transit process is in order to facilitate customs procedures between countries, as Iraq will become a corridor for goods coming from Iran to ports on the Mediterranean and in a reverse process from the Mediterranean to Iraq through Syria or Lebanon."[/size]
[size=45]And he continued, “As for Iraq to facilitate the process of transferring goods and shipments to Iran, it will receive customs taxes when any truck passes through it, and that the transfer process will be in accordance with legal procedures, and that the Iraqi authorities will have knowledge of the way shipments enter and exit. The dates of entry and exit are determined with the presence of escorts.” With the goods and the presence of surveillance cameras along the road and at the border crossings as well.”[/size]
[size=45][You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]