Iraq and Italy discuss dam construction, developing Ur historic city
The Iraqi Minister of Planning Khaled Battal Al-Najm, the Italian Ambassador to Iraq, Maurizio Greganti and officials from both sides. Mawazin news image.
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Minister of Planning, Khaled Battal Al-Najm, discussed on Wednesday the two projects of developing the historic city of Ur, and constructing a dam on Shatt al-Arab River, with the Italian Ambassador to Iraq, Maurizio Greganti, and his accompanying delegation, according to Mawazin news.
According to a press statement issued by the Iraqi Ministry of Planning, the meeting was attended by Director of International Cooperation Department in the Ministry of Planning, Saher Abdel-Kazim, and other officials from both sides.
The statement mentioned that the Iraqi and Italian officials discussed ways to develop cooperation between the two countries in economic, investment and commercial fields.
Both sides emphasized their keenness to develop the bilateral relations to serve developments in Iraq and Italy.
According to the statement, the meeting discussed projects financed by Italy, particularly the one related to the development of the historic city or Ur in Dhi Qar Governorate, and the construction of a dam on Shatt al-Arab River in Basra governorate.
Ur is an ancient Iraqi city located 300 kilometers (200 miles) south of the capital Baghdad and was an important Sumerian city-state in ancient Mesopotamia. It is recorded in written history as a city-state from the 26th century BC.
The Shatt al-Arab River (River of the Arabs) is 200 kilo meters (120 miles) in length, and is formed at the confluence of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in al-Qurnah town in Basra governorate in southern Iraq.