NNA – Caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ali Hamieh, indicated that the first Lebanese truck has crossed today the border with Jordan, and is currently inside Iraqi territory, heading to its final destination in Kuwait through the Safwan border crossing, following coordination by the Lebanese embassy this morning with the Iraqi authorities.

Hamieh thanked the Iraqi authorities for facilitating customs procedures and passport control.

According to a statement, this came after Hamieh’s visit in February 2022 to the Republic of Iraq, and based on the meetings he held at the time - and in the presence of the Lebanese ambassador to Iraq - with all concerned Iraqi officials in the Iraqi state., whereby discussions tackled all the dossiers that the Ministry of Public Works and Transport in Lebanon handles, especially allowing the transit system for Lebanese trucks loaded with goods to pass through Iraqi lands en-route to the Gulf countries and other countries neighboring Iraq.

"Given the utmost importance this issue poses to Lebanon at the various economic and financial levels, and after follow-up and continuous contacts with the Iraqi side, the Iraqi authorities, thanks to a decision of the Iraqi Prime Minister's office, instructed all concerned parties at the Iraqi borders to permit Lebanese trucks to access the transit system and pass through Iraqi territory to their final destination in the other neighboring countries of Iraq,” a statement by the ministry indicated.

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