Lebanese caretaker Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar signed on Saturday morning the final contract to import fuel from Iraq.
The contract that Ghajar signed with the Iraqi government enables Lebanon to import one million tonnes of oil.
The oil is set to arrive in Lebanon in the next few weeks, following the completion of the related administrative, technical, and logistical procedures.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi had asked Ghajar and the Lebanese General Security Director-General, Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, to head to Baghdad to finalize the procedures of the oil shipment.
Iraq‘s oil donation is aimed at helping Lebanon solve its electricity problem.
The import of Iraqi fuel has been a subject of controversy due to evidence that it is unsuitable for Lebanese power plants.
In this regard, Al-Kadhimi’s office has said in a statement that he had insisted that the largest part of the oil be compatible with power stations in Lebanon without the need for refining.
Iraq was initially planning to send 500,000 tonnes of fuel, but the amount was reportedly raised to one million tonnes on Friday.
Lebanon recently dodged a potential diplomatic crisis with Iraq after an incident involving Iraqi nationals took place at the Beirut Airport. The airport has since dedicated special corridors for Iraqi nationals to facilitate their entry into Lebanon.
