Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has approved funding for the construction of facilities and buildings at the al-Jamima border crossing with Saudi Arabia. The move aims to complete the requirements for its expected opening in 2027 and boost trade ties between the two neighbors. In a statement on Saturday, Governor of Al-Muthanna Tawfiq Al-Hassani said that rehabilitating the highway linking the city of Samawah to the border crossing with Saudi Arabia, alongside the construction of its facilities, will help stimulate trade activity and boost the local economy. The project will also enable the governorate to benefit from border crossing revenues in accordance with established legal frameworks, he added. The local government, in cooperation with the provincial council, is working to complete the requirements necessary to operate the crossing, he said, noting its economic and developmental significance for al-Muthanna. Former MP Haider al-Mulla said the move reflects the Iraqi government's efforts to build economic relations with neighboring Arab and non-Arab countries through trade, energy, and transportation. Al-Mulla added that developing relations with Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Syria through economic cooperation and energy transit serves Iraq's interests. Iraq and Saudi Arabia are linked through the Arar border crossing, located within the boundaries of al-Anbar Governorate, which was reopened in 2020 after a closure lasting about 29 years. Al-Jamima crossing, located in the desert of al-Muthanna Governorate, is historically considered one of the main pilgrimage routes. In a related context, a local official in the Najaf Governorate announced that the security situation in the border areas with Saudi Arabia is stable, saying that no breaches have been recorded along the border fence. In an interview with state television on Friday, PM al-Zaidi said that Baghdad is keen to "establish good relations with Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries."
