Conflict

To ‘make Qatar an island’ Saudi Arabia plans to dig canal along border: Report

The waterway, which will be the Salwa Canal will create a water barrier between the two

Saudi Arabia will facilitate bidding among foreign engineering firms for digging a canal that will turn Qatar into an island, reports Saudi newspaper Makkah.

Five companies will participate in the tender which will take place on June 25. The winner of the bidding will be announced in three months time, kickstarting the construction of the canal.

The waterway, which will be the Salwa Canal will create a water barrier between the two, symbolic of their deteriorating relations on international ground.

The waterway which will be along the Qatari border in Eastern Saudi Arabia will be 60 kilometers in length and 200 meters wide.

The cost of the project is estimated to be 2.8 billion Saudi riyals (around $746 million).

The canal will be marked with luxurious hotels, private villas, yacht piers along the shore, also including water sports and leisure related infrastructure.  The expected 15-20 meter deep canal will also three seaports which will accept large cruise liners.

Saudi media had earlier reported that the canal would be built at a distance between one and five kilometers from Qatar’s border with the country, with the left over land to be assigned for military and border purposes.

One Jun 5, 2017, Saudi Arabia had accused Qatar of supporting terrorism, cutting diplomatic ties over the government’s support for islamist groups and trade relations with Iran.

Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had issued a trade blockade and an ultimatum citing shutting down of Doha’s broadcaster Al Jazeera, expeling Turkish troops from territory among others.

In response, Doha had rejected the demands, calling them ‘unrealistic’.

 

 

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