Baghdad: The head of the Border Ports Authority, Lieutenant General Omar al-Waeli, has confirmed that Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi is determined to elevate the Rabia border crossing to become Iraq's most pivotal gateway.

According to Iraqi News Agency, al-Waeli made this assertion during his visit to the Rabia border crossing. He stated that Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi is keen on transforming Rabia into a critical hub due to its strategic position connecting Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. This crossing is significant for facilitating direct trade with Syria and managing an increasing volume of tanker traffic.

Al-Waeli highlighted that although the crossing has been operational only for a few months, it already surpasses many other crossings in trade and oil tanker traffic volumes. Efforts are underway to rehabilitate the crossing's infrastructure, which had previously suffered damage from terrorist activities. He assured that within a month or two, comprehensive upgrades would be implemented, including improvements to passenger terminals, yards, roads, lighting, and the camera network.

He further stressed the importance of boosting transit traffic to 300 vehicles and over 1,000 oil tankers daily. Al-Waeli warned that strict actions would be taken against customs brokers who do not cooperate or engage in illegal activities.

Concluding his visit, al-Waeli reiterated the commitment to expedite transactions while ensuring thorough inspections of trucks, vehicles, and tankers using advanced technologies such as sonar, K9 units, and manual checks.