Exclusive: Iraq builds $1 BN high-tech border barrier |
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Iraq is about to award a $1 billion contract to build a high-tech perimeter around its border to prevent Al Qaeda terrorists entering the country.
In an exclusive interview with Noozz, former Iraqi Minister of Communications and current Iraqi MP Mohammed Allawi revealed that Iraq is about to award a contract to foreign contractors to create a high-tech surveillance system along the country's borders to prevent intruders entering illegally.
"The first phase will involve securing the border with Syria. Ninety per cent of terrorist attacks in Iraq are by non-Iraqis and many of the terrorists come through the borders between Iraq and Syria," said Allawi.
"Technologies will include wimax [wide area wireless networks], sensors, cameras and other equipment capable of differentiating between animals, human beings and vehicles."
According to Allawi, the border technology is to be provided by outside security consultants and designed to help the Iraqi authorities identify and apprehend terrorists such as Al Qaeda suicide bombers before they can enter the country.
Allawi added that 20 companies from countries including Britain, France, Germany and the US have been shortlisted for the $1bn contract. He said the all the companies offer security consultancy and to be awarded within the next few weeks. The former Iraqi communications minister said that the contract could be awarded to a single company or to a consortium.
The contract has been drawn up by five Iraq government ministries: the Ministry of CommunicationsMinistry of Communications
, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of National Security.According to Allawi, another security contract will also be awarded for the city of Baghdad for surveillance equipment such as closed circuit TVs. The value of the Baghdad contract is estimated at between $100 million and $300 million.
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Whether it be business intelligence on the world's capital and commodity markets, breaking developments in the Middle East and Asia, mergers, partnership and contract announcements or the latest regulatory and legal changes, Noozz provides the critical knowledge and analysis required to do business successfully in today's rapidly growing global emerging markets.
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© Press Release 2008
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