JEDDAH, 30 March 2004 — The reopening of the Arar border crossing on the border with Iraq in July will boost Saudi exports to the war-torn country and promote trade relations between the two Arab neighbors.
“The opening of the border post will be announced officially soon after the handover of power by the occupation forces to the Iraqis,” said Isa ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Qudaibi, director of customs in Arar.
He said the post has the manpower and technical facilities to carry out its mission. He also announced plans for a number of development projects at the post.
“The mosque, the administrative building, the pilgrims center, the warehouse and the joint operation room have been expanded,” Okaz Arabic daily quoted him as saying. Work on a water treatment plant and 30 housing units is in progress.
Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Zamil, executive president of the Saudi Exports Development Center, said the Arar post was ready for exports from both sides.
“The Iraqi interior minister has promised us that the first decision to be taken by the Iraqi Governing Council after taking over power in June will be the opening of the Arar post,” he said.
The border post, 340 km southwest of Baghdad, had been closed since Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
It was opened only for pilgrims who come to the Kingdom for Haj.
Saudi exporters now send their goods through Jordan, and this has increased their transport cost by eight to 10 percent.
Saudi exports to Iraq include mostly foodstuffs, chemicals, medicine, spare parts and plastic and paper products.
According to official figures, Iraq imported more than $1 billion worth of goods from Saudi Arabia within the framework of the oil-for-food program with the United Nations, in force since December 1996.
