With the United States warplanes and tanks heading back home, the war in Iraq is close to an end in much shorter time than expected.
Now that the war is over, though officially not declared, business houses are looking for huge opportunities in view of the massive reconstruction projects. Though most of the main contracts are expected to be shared among major American companies, there is a substantial scope for other international companies and local Kuwaiti Companies by way of sub-contracts. These reconstruction projects are expected to create more employment opportunities particularly for those from third world countries.
The US Agency for International Development has issued eight solicitations to date for reconstruction activities in Iraq. These solicitation documents are being released for informational purposes only. Offers received as a result of these postings will not be considered. The eight solicitations are :
1.
Seaport Administration (RFP/Award)
This Contract has been awarded to Stevedoring Services of America on 24th March 2004.
2.
Airport Administration (RFP)
The management of humanitarian and transshipment operations by air.
3.
Capital Construction (RFP)
Emergency repairs of electrical supply, water and sanitation systems, roads and bridges, public buildings such as hospitals, schools, irrigation structures and port facilities upgrades.
4.
Theater Logistical Support (RFP)
Warehousing, customs clearance, trucking and provision of bottled water.
5.
Public Health (RFP)
Help to restore the Public Health Service.
6.
Primary & Secondary Education (RFP)
Assistance in upgrading schools, printing textbooks and training teachers.
7.
Personnel Support (RFP)
This contract was awarded to the International Resources Group on 21-2-2003.
8.
Local Governance (RFP)
Seek to maximize Iraqi participation in all phases and aspects of the reconstruction as the transition to Iraqi Administration occurs. At the province and municipal level, promote the participation, selection of reconstruction projects & setting in motion self-government activities.
Grants:
The following grants were also awarded:
1.
Health, Water & Sanitation Services:
Grant awarded to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to provide basic health, water supply and sanitation services in Iraq.
2.
Health System:
Grant awarded to the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen the overall health system in Iraq.
Note:
Details of more Reconstruction Projects in Iraq will be given in the forthcoming issues of our Newsletters.
Kuwait bars visitors from 5 SARS-hit nations
Kuwaiti Press reported that the State has announced stringent precautionary measures against the mysterious killer disease SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).
The national carrier Kuwait Airways and other airlines operating into Kuwait, have been instructed not to carry passengers coming directly from the countries listed by the World Health Organization as SARS-infected areas. The countries listed are: China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore andVietnam. Passengers who are transiting through these countries should wait at least 10 days before obtaining a permission to enter into Kuwait.
Passengers arriving at Kuwait International Airport will be thoroughly scrutinized and those who do not satisfy the requirement of lapsing ten days after a visit to any of the affected countries would be sent back to his point of embarkation at the expense and risk of the concerned airline.
No real information about POW’s yet
The head of the Kuwaiti Parliamentary Committee on POW’s has stated that there was no real information on the fate of Kuwaiti POW’s in Iraq, despite two weeks of its liberation. He stated that the Committee is working hard to deal with the abundant ‘uncertain’ information that keeps pouring in from various sources. He added that the Parliamentary Committee has urged all
relevant bodies to intensify their efforts and coordination in the search for the Kuwaiti POWs. Two teams are already in Iraq search for the missing in the cities of Basra and Baghdad.
Kuwait wants to see coalition forces pull out of Iraq after Government formation.
Kuwait, one of the few Arab States to support the US-led war on Iraq, said it wanted to see coalition forces pull out of Iraq once a government acceptable to all the Iraqi people is formed.
“After the formation of a government acceptable to all Iraqis, we, like all other Arabs, will ask for a withdrawal of foreign forces” Kuwait’s First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Sabah said, after talks with the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Sheikh Sabah said Kuwait was “aware that the Iraqi people aspire to freedom”. “It is for this reason that we backed the liberation of the Iraqi people”. Kuwait was the launch pad for the US-led war on Iraq.
First Kuwaiti plane heads to Baghdad International Airport
The first Kuwaiti plane carrying humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people left to Baghdad International Airport, initiating the first Kuwaiti human supplies to reach via air. Head of Operations & Supplies Faisal Al- Tannak told that the Kuwaiti C-130 Air Force Plane carried 10 tons of various humanitarian aid, including “badly needed” foodstuff from Kuwait Red Crescent Society besides a number of volunteers from the society, who would contribute in distributing the aid to the Iraqi people in coordination with the Iraqi Red Crescent Society. This plane is the first from outside the international coalition to land at Baghdad International Airport and is the first of the series of Kuwaiti relief supplies planes to reach Baghdad.
Kuwait delivers mail from Kuwaitis to their relatives in Iraq
Not only does Kuwait continue to offer humanitarian aids like food and medicine to the people of Iraq, but it also delivers mail to them from their Kuwaiti relatives, a Kuwaiti Official told Kuwait News Agency.
The Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS), in recognition of the fact that many Kuwaitis have relatives in Iraq, from whom they have not heard for the past 12 years since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, has been delivering mail from these Kuwaitis to their relatives in Iraq. KRCS has also been helping some Iraqis to make phone calls via cellular or mobile phones to their relatives in Kuwait.
Awarded
ARABI ENERTECH has been awarded the following projects in March 2003:
1.
Pipeline Repair Services in South, East,West and North Kuwait Areas
Client : Kuwait Oil Company
Value : US $ 27 Million
Duration : April 2003 to June 2008
2.
Trunk Lines Replacement/Upgrading
Client : Joint Operations (Kuwait Oil Co/ Saudi Arabian Texaco)
Value : US $ 4.5 Million
PMC for PIC AROMATICS PROJECT
M/s. Petrochemical Industries Co (PIC) have awarded the Project Management Consultancy (PMC) for their Aromatics Plant Project to M/s. BECHTEL. This is one of the biggest jobs to be executed in Kuwait. The estimated budget for the project is about US$ 2000 Million.
It is reported that the work is proceeding in full speed and soon tenders will be invited for EPC Contracts for the various units.
