Al-Najm directs the establishment of an industrial city in Basra

Baghdad - INA

The Minister of Industry and Minerals, Khaled Battal Al-Najm, today, Thursday, directed the establishment of an industrial city at the site of the General Iron and Steel Company in Basra.

The ministry said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “Minister of Industry and Minerals Khaled Battal Al-Najm chaired the first session of the opinion committee for the current year 2024 in the presence of agents, advisors and general directors in the ministry and all its formations to discuss the topics and issues included in the agenda.”

The ministry added, "At the beginning of the meeting, the Minister issued several directives, including taking into account the actual need for scientific specializations and the study plan in nominations to complete postgraduate studies outside Iraq with the aim of developing the capabilities of the members and developing their knowledge, adhering to the approved mechanism and procedures and the powers granted to grant leaves to employees, and forming a ministerial committee to study scientific specializations in transferring employee services between formations, taking into account the department’s need and in a way that does not affect the flow and efficiency of work.”

The ministry continued, "The directives included increasing cooperation and joint work between the ministry's companies, which will reflect positively on the production and marketing reality of the companies, setting a clear working mechanism for reviewing contracts concluded within the planning budget, providing the competent departments in the ministry with these contracts, and conducting continuous evaluation and review of the employees assigned to administrative positions in the ministry according to technical standards and following legal instructions and powers to make the work successful, and directing the relevant departments in the Ministry to follow the procedures for disbursing the debt amounts that were collected from the Ministry of Electricity in a way that contributes to securing work requirements and increasing production.”

The ministry added, “The Minister also directed the preparation of the Ministry’s development plan and goals for the year 2024, focusing on mineral exploration and geological surveying in line with the Ministry’s plan for the next stage towards mining and exploration, and with the assistance of international companies and bodies specialized in this field, and continuing to implement the reform and anti-corruption plan and giving it the highest priority and importance by setting a mechanism for investigative committees in companies, and following up on procedures for revaluing assets and raising companies’ capital with the Board of Advisors.”

The ministry also indicated, “The meeting included discussing the topics on the agenda and issuing the necessary decisions regarding them, including: the technical, legal, and economic aspects of the export issue, where directives were given to urging companies to export their products, and establishing an industrial city at the site of the General Iron and Steel Company in Basra, where it was decided voting on completing the procedures for establishing the city in cooperation with the implementing Chinese company and granting a license in accordance with the Industrial Cities Law.”

The ministry confirmed, "It was approved to transfer the establishment of the compound fertilizer project affiliated to the General Company for the Northern Fertilizer Industry in Beji, and directives were given to urging companies to complete the requirements of the investment opportunities that were announced in the Industrial Partnerships Forum."