Iraq expresses interest in cooperating with the DR in the area of hydrocarbons

This MEM release was published using machine translation.

The Minister of Energy and Mines (MEM), Engineer Antonio Almonte, received a courtesy visit from the Iraqi ambassador, Haider Shaya Al-Barrak, with whom he discussed the possibilities of cooperation between that Arab nation in the field of hydrocarbons and the Dominican Republic.

During the meeting, held in the main hall of the MEM headquarters, they also discussed aspects related to cooperation for oil and natural gas exploration in the Dominican Republic, considering the extensive experience that the State of Iraq has in the production of hydrocarbons.

Iraq's ambassador, Haider Shaya Al-Barrak, indicated that his country has the fifth largest oil reserves in the world and that it is interested in strengthening trade ties with the Dominican Republic.

The diplomat raised the possibility of a trade agreement with the Dominican Republic through the supply of oil in exchange for agricultural products.

Minister Almonte, when appreciating the interest of the Iraqi diplomat in strengthening relations between the two countries, said that with the possibility of the aforementioned cooperation, that Arab country could help develop national capacities for exploration and refining of crude oil and in the supply of refined products.

Minister Almonte explained the national energy situation, noting that the country depends on the import of more than 80 percent of fossil fuels to produce energy, for which he showed his interest in obtaining the best terms for the import from Iraq of natural gas and other fuels to the Dominican Republic.

“We have the need to find suppliers of crude oil, as long as the quality and prices are convenient for the country. We also want to ensure the supply of natural gas, and you are rich in the production of these fuels," Almonte told the Iraqi diplomat.

The Dominican Government -said Almonte- submitted this week a bill to Congress with the sole purpose of allowing foreign companies to participate in the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in the Dominican Republic, for which reason it recommended that Iraq, through an agreement and due to its vast experience in these matters, is interested in doing research in this regard.

Minister Almonte was accompanied by the director of International Relations of the MEM, Gustavo Mejía Ricart, and the person in charge of that direction, Carolina Sánchez; while the diplomat was accompanied by a delegation made up of counselor Imad Muhammad Mirza, director of the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs; counselor Alaa Majed Fakhry, deputy director of the Department of the Americas; First Secretary Nihad Hamad Enad, head of the Department of South America, and engineer Ali Nehme Muhammad, deputy head of the Department of Engineering.