RIYADH, 13 April 2003 — Saudi businessmen, eyeing a share in contracts for post-war Iraq’s reconstruction, have gathered a team to spearhead their participation.
The team was formed late last week by the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry and is headed by Ibrahim Foudah, the executive director of the Saudi Export Development Center.
“We have the products, we have the expertise and we also have large firms that can undertake huge projects. Many of our products are of international standards,” Foudah told reporters.
The purpose of the team is to prepare a detailed list of what the Saudi enterprises are capable of delivering and then pursuing the legal channels to secure the contracts, he said.
The team will most likely undertake negotiations on behalf of Saudi businessmen with the authority that will supervise the reconstruction of Iraq, he said.
Saudi Arabia has experience and products for major infrastructure projects, especially in water treatment and sewage networks.
Saudi firms are also established in the electrical overhead and underground cables sector, in addition to power distribution networks. They have vital experience in reviving Kuwait’s electricity after its liberation in 1991, he said.
Saudi companies also have a broad experience in power pylons, steel and pre-cast structures and some of them are doing projects in Mexico and Brazil, in addition to Syria, Egypt and Jordan.
A number of major Saudi companies already have established important alliances with multinational firms with vast experience in reconstruction projects, Foudah said.
A number of such alliances had existed for several decades and this will prove decisive for winning important contracts in post-war Iraq, he added.
The Saudis are not likely to compete in the design and management fields, but instead will focus on execution and supplying products and raw materials.
