Iraq's transport minister appoints acting head of General Ports Company for three months

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Transport Minister Riza Haidar al-Hasnawi has issued a ministerial order appointing Alaa Abdulhasan Ali Obeid to lead the General Ports Company on an acting basis for three months, according to ministry records. The order remains in force until a permanent appointment is made under the country's legal framework. The ministry said the decision takes effect from the date the appointee assumes the role and is based on a letter from the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers regarding acting management positions. The new order formalizes an earlier acting assignment for Obeid. In late May 2026, the ministry removed the company's previous director general, Farhan al-Fartusi, from his post. Obeid had been serving in an acting capacity before the new order was issued. The General Ports Company is among Iraq's main institutions managing operations at the country's ports on the Persian Gulf. No further details on the timeline for a permanent appointment were immediately available.