$2bn Baghdad airport renovation

A $2bn re-build of Baghdad International Airport will start in March, Iraq Civil Aviation Authority D-G Dr Adnan Blebil told Gulf News. Three new terminals will be added to lift capacity to 7.5m passengers a year by 2010. Blebil said Iraq is aiming to sign air service agreements soon with Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iran, with talks ongoing with other countries.

$ 2 billion is alot of money. Great for Baghadad but I think there are more important things to spend money on before an airport renovation.

$ 2 billion is alot of money. Great for Baghadad but I think there are more important things to spend money on before an airport renovation.
Ill go for a holiday to Iraq in 2010 but wont leave the airport. :)

Ill go for a holiday to Iraq in 2010 but wont leave the airport. :)
Loooooooooool, you better not

2010!!! thats fast, we have to wait until 2020 for the complete renovation of eldorado, and a little bit offtopic i heard that emirates is going to make daily flights to bogota :cheers:

$ 2 billion for an airport that might not even be used in any significant way in 2010 due too...I don't know a massive civil war??? That money would be better spent on security, or schooling, healthcare, or things that would actually facilitate social cohesion and entice people to go to Iraq without metallic neck defenses.

The airport renovation is awesome! I hope that while that is taking place other renovations (city, roads, etc) will also take place. :) Iraq can be such a grand nation , let's not forget Babylon. :D

and of course the one who is going to build it is a joint between an Iraqi company and an American company.

It will take 4 years (how?)

sorry I couldnt find an english source.

لعراق بصدد تنفيذ مشروع الميناء الكبير بالبصرة بتكلفة 80 مليار

Mar 16, 2006 - 07:04 -

.

دبى فى 16 مارس / وام / اشار مصدر عراقى مسؤول الى ان بلاده بصدد تنفيذ مشروع الميناء الكبير بالبصرة كميناء ترانزيت عالمى يحقق ربطا حيويا بين اسيا واوروبا.

وقال يعرب المرديني مستشار وزير النقل العراقى فى كلمة له بالجلسة الختامية لمؤتمر النقل الطرقى الدولى الذى عقد بدبى ان بلاده بصدد تنفيذ هذا المشروع الحيوى الذى سيكون هاما فى مستقبل العراق وتركيا ويعتبر بوابة رئيسية بين العراق وتركيا باعتبارهما البوابة الرئيسية لاوروبا.

وفى تصريح خاص لـ/وام/ اوضح المرديني ان المشروع يتضمن تشييد مائة رصيف بطاقة ما بين 400 الى500 مليون طن سنويا ويتوقع البدء فى التنفيذ خلال هذا العام ويستغرق التنفيذ اربع سنوات تقريبا وبتكلفة تصل الى 80 مليار دولار وقد ارسي تنفيذ المشروع بعد قرار الحكومة العراقية على شركة عراقية مشتركة مع شركة عملاقة امريكية

this will dwarf UAE's ports :runaway:

anyway it is good for Iraq in the long run if things worked smoothly

this is great news i hope that the iraqies can see through these things that america wants the best for iraq.

They can just use Kuwait!! This is a waste of MONEY!

lets hope its 80billion dollars for the CITY OF BASRA, then I don't have problems with the contract.

But to spend that much on just the port is such a waste of resources.

LMAO wipe out UAE ports?

What a stupid stupid article!

This will fail anyway because who the hell wants to do business in Iraq? I hope it fails at this point. 80 billion in the drain because of stupididy.

What doesn't make sense? All I said is that imposing something by external force is illegal, like what is happening in Iraq. And I never mentioned any other governments in the ME because they have nothing to do with what we're talking about.

The usa spent $300 bn dollars of american tax money. In return all these nice beatiful contracts and rich oil fields will go to american compaines. The same compaines ran by politicans and the same compaines who pay $$$ for politican campaigns.

What doesn't make sense? All I said is that imposing something by external force is illegal, like what is happening in Iraq. And I never mentioned any other governments in the ME because they have nothing to do with what we're talking about.


Bro,

What i'm trying to get at is, the only thing that was enforced in Iraq was the removal of Saddam and the occupation forces remaining there that are by and part mainly Western forces.

If you think there is a puppet regime being installed in Iraq then that is a very cynical opinion on the democratic process in that country and you are entitled to what you believe in.

But trust me the Kurds and the Shiite's are ready to move forward with the new governing body of Iraq and its constitution. The problem is that there are some insurgent forces in Iraq that are both Shia and Sunni that are fighting the Western Occupation force. Along with some crazy fanatic muslim groups that are going around blowing up shit left right and center with road side bombs. I'm not going to get into who was responsible for the Shrine bombings but if some of you think that the US is responsible for the Shrine bombings think again, The US only gains profit when there is peace in Iraq.

Regardless of all of this above, the truth of the matter is there are literally hundreds of Imam's in Iraq that have differing intrepretations as to how the country should be run.. Democracy and an electorial process is the only hope along with unity between the three different sectarian groups.

Mosul, Iraq

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b6/Republic_of_Iraq_COA.svg/175px-Republic_of_Iraq_COA.svg.png

Mosul: Population - 1,739,800
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mapimages/middle_east/iraq/iraq.gif


------------------------------------------------------------------------------


http://static.flickr.com/44/128420280_ac16b69405_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/45/128417471_0772fe5d5a_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/24/56883578_524724aaf1_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/24/56883577_2bbb260c39_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/28/56883579_2e48d9187a_b.jpg

Saint Elijah's Monastery
http://static.flickr.com/45/114015131_f6093a6664_b.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/48/114015132_1127be4d98_b.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/54/114015137_c62cfe536f_b.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/41/114015136_8efcf49214_b.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/55/114015133_9eb439bd50_b.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/54/114015134_2e2d817bb6_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/22/36166398_1d6b528c1f_b.jpg

Mosul Palace
http://static.flickr.com/78/166627322_7973a79ba5_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/60/153927259_aa3abf9968_o.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/71/153927198_81113d4608_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/56/153927188_470140bf33_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/67/153927166_476c12eac3_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/67/153927150_b86421816c_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/45/153927142_ada736edc9_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/77/153927131_f78a6dfcab_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/76/153927100_8bde674163_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/44/166589771_e951a47723_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/59/166589586_5a84e46b6f_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/58/166588236_00d7ad8d29_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/58/166588209_6fccef1ccc_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/59/166588129_386df3567f_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/51/166587972_bfd80325b5_b.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/75/166587814_7353b928c3_b.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/61/166587761_d640c2148e_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/72/166587713_b9a3036602_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/72/166587611_0902f20da5_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/73/166587527_cb04bb574c_b.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/61/166587538_af83f32190_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/47/166587499_ee4d5a5de7_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/52/166587484_ea5253a00f_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/44/166587429_6549aae351_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/56/166587414_cb69976dd3_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/77/166587387_f7d2062850_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/71/166621910_7847e337d5_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/75/166621273_4f39342ba6_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/72/166621259_7a20e47a8a_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/74/166621173_e4633a64d1_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/45/166621131_c9dfd31d8c_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/63/166621116_172ef03523_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/55/166621095_75073abc0a_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/63/166621056_c42e1318eb_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/61/166621038_48cd40c19d_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/49/166620744_809f8df690_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/49/166620166_c2495cff89_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/58/166620159_fbe35a3cdd_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/66/166619979_fe03a8f672_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/67/166619976_fd8846d5c0_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/65/211111517_7e325093cc_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/73/166589163_f39d75fcc9_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/51/166589213_877830131a_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/55/166589561_be8bf53ab6_b.jpg

Is that a big mosque under construction?

Interesting pics... i assume the area is in need of devolopment.. i bet once things settle down construction cranes will pop up all over the place lol

Pretty sad that the people of Mosul travel to Duhok now for all their shopping and leisure time. A decade again Duhok was a village. Now it's a booming city.

I have to say it looks depressing. You'd never be able to tell it's population is almost 2 mil.

meh.... looks like a south african township... but mkay... i hope that after the war it can be a city again...

I've been to both Mosul and Baghdad (before the American invasion),and the difference was striking. Iraq, like most Arab countries adopted a policy of excessive centralization, where heavy investments were made in the capital and other cities were largely neglected.
That was really unfortunate, many "second cities" in the Middle East turned from major urban centers into cities in decline, while historically they were almost on par with the capital cities (Mosul,Alexandria, Aleppo, Tripoli etc...).
maybe in the future Mosul can return as a major trading center that links Syria and the Eastern mediterranean to the Iraqi hinterland. I have to say, the people of Mosul are really special, very kind and very welcoming to other Arabs (Mosul has a long Arab-nationalist history).

I don't know if anyone posted this before? :D

The Proposed Baghdad Renaissance Plan

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/df/BRP1.jpg

The Proposed Baghdad Renaissance Plan, is a 25-year scheme, designed by architect Hisham N. Ashkouri to transform 9 km² of silt deposits into an "an up-market commercial and residential neighborhood" astride the Tigris River in central Baghdad, as well as nearby Tahrir Square. Tahrir Square was originally part of the central business district of baghdad, and Phase I of the plan focuses on the redevelopment of this area. When finished, the "commerce, banking, medical, housing, broadcast and IT, exhibition, conventions and cultural centers" of which the plan is comprised would be occupied by up to one-half million people. The project received encouragement by the U.S. Department of Commerce as well as other US and Middle East organizations. It is a vision for the future of Baghdad, Iraq and the region. A smaller-scale proposal of Dr. Ashkouri's is the Sindbad Hotel Complex and Conference Center, a high-rise hotel and movie theater complex which would be Baghdad's first skyscraper.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0a/BRP2.jpg/800px-BRP2.jpg

The Sindbad Hotel Complex and Conference Center:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/34/CS003.jpg

The Sindbad Hotel Complex and Conference Center was designed by architect Hisham N. Ashkouri in 2004 to be the first new high-rise hotel, conference center and movie theater complex in modern Baghdad, as a bold and visible symbol of the reconstruction of Iraq. At the ground level, the Sindbad Hotel Complex houses a restaurant and grand entryway. Above that is a two level movie theater complex and conference center. The main body of this new addition to Iraq’s skyline and symbol of its rebirth as a modern nation is comprised of twenty floors of standard hotel rooms and luxury suites. Topping it all off is a rooftop restaurant reminiscent of nomadic tents, offering a spectacular view of the Tigris River and the city below. This new commercial center will become an important symbol for the New Iraq. Not only will it be a place for gathering and recreation, and a place to conduct the business of the emerging Iraqi economy, but it will also be an employer of several hundred construction workers and after construction will employ several hundred more citizens in an ongoing capacity.

Total project cost was estimated in 2005 to be approximately $113 M USD.


The Baghdad Tahrir Square Development is the first phase in architect Hisham N. Ashkouri's (ARKADD) proposed Baghdad Renaissance Plan. Based around an established traffic circle on the banks of the Tigris River in Baghdad's Central Business District, the proposed development would develop just under 150,000 square meters at a cost of approximately $860M. Included would be hotel, office, retail and residential space.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Tsq002.jpg/250px-Tsq002.jpg

The first component is Tahrir Circle, an eight story cultural center with a theater situated in the courtyard of the building. The next part of the development is office complex A, which forms one point of a triangular configuration of office complexes, along with B and C. A forty-two-story hotel sits in the center of the triangle as the geographic and aesthetic centerpiece of the development. The hotel and office buildings rest on a three level retail, parks, and recreation concourse. The entire cost of the Tahrir Square Development is projected to be $860 million.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/70/Tahrir_Sq-3D1.jpg/400px-Tahrir_Sq-3D1.jpg

Economics and Financing: The Current economic conditions in Baghdad are ripe for a new infusion of development with financial resources matching that, which can be found in new developments such as the one in Dubai. The designs allow for the private sector to take the initiative to invest in new buildings to be part of the commercial and other developments, and to pay over time the cost of the land development, long-term lease and the necessary infrastructure required for their specific sites. The design projects the Baghdad Renaissance Plan total construction cost of $13-14 billion to generate a profit of 20-30% per year.

http://www.arcadd.com/images/Torus_Bldg-Foregrnd-lg.jpg

wow sounds good. thanks saigon_monsooner.

Now we just nead PEACE

Hopefully this will happen! It will surely improve the image of Iraq

Very very nice.. Baghdad will finally get the skyline it deserves

Excellent, but it will never happen with the current political situation

Excellent, but it will never happen with the current political situation

Indeed, on average there are around 50 people dead every day in Iraq majority of casualities happening in Baghdad. :ohno:

Baaghdad is now such a mess that i dont think it will happen.
Baaghdad is beeing divided with a sunni West and shia East,
and iraq will be divided because there is no solution to the issue now only in division

Yalla inshalla in the future it will be different.

Yes.. inshallah that will happen.. but the fightings groups must be relax.. to do this project ..

Goodluck for Iraq and thier ppl :)

Project: ERBIL ROTANA HOTEL
Location: Kurdistan Iraq (Northern Iraq)
Rooms: 205
Cost: $55m


Beirut, Lebanon - “Malia”, the prominent Lebanese holding group and “Rotana Hotels” the leading Hotel Management Company in the Middle East, announced the signing of a partnership agreement for the management of a 5 star 205 roomed hotel in the city of Erbil, located in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. The US$55 million plus hotel will be among a series of projects to be launched by Malia Holding through its tourism investment affiliated company,” Hotel Line”,.

This announcement took place during a press conference held at the Gefinor Rotana Hotel in Beirut during which Mr. Jacques Jean Sarraf, President of Malia Holding sal and Mr. Selim El Zyr, President & CEO for Rotana Hotels presented full details of this milestone project.

The event attended by local and regional media executives, highlighted Malia’s vision to expand beyond the local markets, in search of strategic regional investment opportunities. Malia’s quest for excellence made its decision to partner with Rotana Hotels, a natural selection.

Malia’s plans to invest in Erbil stem from the city’s economic, social and political climate which makes it an ideal destination for investments, particularly in tourism.

The Kurdistan area of Iraq has in fact gained a worldwide reputation of being a gateway to Iraq, a stable and thriving area with an increasingly prosperous population of 5 million. The region has 2 new international airports, a liberal foreign investment law that offers foreign investors.

The 5 star Erbil Rotana Hotel will be built on a premium 20,000 m² parcel of land strategically located in front of the large Sami Rahman park and between the convention center and Erbil Exhibition Fair. In addition to the 205 rooms and suites, the property will feature, among others, restaurants and complete recreational areas including Bodylines health and fitness club and a swimming pool.

Commenting on this announcement, Mr. Jacques Jean Sarraf, President of Malia Holding sal expressed confidence and excitement in the new formed partnership saying that “The prospects of the Erbil project will also benefit the people of Iraq through the creation of hundreds of jobs. Malia is enthusiastic about developments in the Kurdistan and keen on taking an active role in shaping the outlook of tourism and helping rebuild a strong and solid economy in Iraq”.

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/9167/erbilyw1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Good News for Iraq! :banana:

Good news for Iraqi Kurdistan...

^^Yes,Good news,many lebanese investors pouring money into Iraqi Kurdistan

Lebanese partners plan first plush hotel in Iraqi Kurdistan
Five-star facility expected to cost about $55 million

By Mirvat Ammouri
Special to The Daily Star
Tuesday, September 04, 2007

http://www.dailystar.com.lb//admin/storage/articles/2007932346370.8-Rotana1-aza.jpg

BEIRUT: A Lebanese group unveiled plans Monday to build the first five-star hotel in the Kurdish area of northern Iraq. Malia Group and Rotana Hotels announced the signing of a partnership agreement for the construction of a $55 million hotel in the city of Irbil in Iraqi Kurdistan at a news conference in the Rotana Hotel in Hamra.

The Irbil hotel should open in October 2009 and will be owned by Malia subsidiary Hotel Line and managed by Rotana, said Malia Group president Jacques Sarraf and Rotana Hotels president and CEO Selim al-Zyr.

The 205-room hotel will feature five-star amenities such as a pool, ballroom, restaurants, conference halls and other recreational facilities. It will be built on 20,000 square meters and will cater to both businesspeople and regional and international tourists.

The workforce will consist of both Lebanese and Kurds. Trained experts in different fields of the hospitality sector will transfer to Irbil to begin construction and oversee operations, while at the same time Kurds will be trained and hired, each in his or her respective field. Therefore, the project will help create jobs for Kurds and expand the job prospects for a few Lebanese citizens looking to extend their efforts in the Middle East.

The primary investor in the project is Malia Holding. "Potential investors, however ... are still welcome," said Sarraf.

The aim of the alliance is to add the tourism sector to Malia's interests in the Middle East by capitalizing on the brand equity that Rotana has created over the years in the region.

Both companies said their objective was to expand their operations and influence inside the Middle East. The presidents of both companies explained their vision of a successful venture in Iraq, specifically Irbil, which has been considered recently by many business men to be the gateway to Iraq.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb

"There is great synergy from the Malia-Rotana team" Sarraf told journalists.

The alliance hopes to combine Malia's experience in Iraq since 1997 and in Irbil since 2003, with the experience Rotana has in the hospitality industry to create a venture that, according to both presidents, will be the first of many in Iraq.

Growth forecasts of the Kurdistan region, coupled with stability and government support for investors through tax relief and other incentives, triggered interest in the area.

Iraqi Kurdish officials are keen to have tourism play a more important part in the region's economy. The opening of a new international airport in Irbil, and increasingly well developed and regulated banking and financing sectors are expected to facilitate the hotel venture's future operations.

Mostly free from the violence that affects many parts of Iraq, Kurdistan has been relatively peaceful in the wake of the US-led invasion in 2003.

Malia Group, first founded in 1935, is a leading Lebanese organization, consolidating subsidiary companies dealing in the production of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, tobacco, food and other consumer products, marketing and distribution, and recently in tourism.

Rotana Hotels, founded in 1992, is a Middle East-born hospitality firm operating in many Arab countries, including Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Jordan, and Sudan, and currently has 29 more hotels under construction, which will make it the largest hotel operator in the region.

we should all send IMRE to iraq to get us daily/weekly photo updates from iraq:D

nice but first you have to pull out the american enemy and his friend then peace come back then the devloppement start .
no developement with out of peace .

Hopefully this will happen! It will surely improve the image of Iraq

wow i read ur comment and tried to remember the pre occupation iraq.

most of all the image of iraq and how that changed .the comparison will bring tears to ur eyes.

from a great and very modern country that is the first in the region . strong and advanced. to.................this.

nowadays a small hotel in a seperatist enclave in iraq is considered a reason to rejoice . do u remember when iraq was about to put a satellite in orbit . do u remember the iraq with a local nuclear program .

from space age to stone age ...............thank u usa.

I really hope Iraq could overgo all this tragedy

A old project for a metro systm in Baghdad :cheers:
http://www.ajg41.plus.com/images/iraq/map-baghdad-metro.jpg

Baghdad may be planning to build an 80,000-seat National Stadium. I don't think it should be built.

IMO money should be spent on renovating cities and redeveloping areas majorly hit by US attacks...

I think electricity and water infrastructure is more essential than a stadium :bash:

^ exactly.

storm shadow, are you in the us army??

also does anyone have a picture of the baghdad airport before the 2003 invasion, cheers. !!

those pictures paint a messy and dirty picture of Iraq, even though that once beautiful country has a lot to offer

The way things are going now, its going to take time for reconstruction, but hopefully when it does, it could change Iraq. I could imagine Bagdad with dozens of cranes, just like other middle eastern cities , such as Dubai and Kuwait City. hey maybe one day it can rival other cities (hint: Dubai) :)

Baghdad may be planning to build an 80,000-seat National Stadium. I don't think it should be built.

what do they need that for, they should spend the money on hospitals, water tratment/ sewage treatment plants and general debt reduction among the population, total bonkers:ohno:

Is there any highrise projects for Iraq?

^^ if you go a few pages back you will see :)

Iraq signs with contracts to build projects worth more than $63 billion - 5/31/2008

http://www.rebuild-iraq-expo.com/News_show_news.asp?id=3537

Iraq has signed contracts worth more than $63 billion dollars with a large number of investment companies to implement reconstruction projects in Iraq.

The most prominent of these projects, according to head the Iraqi National Investment Authority Dr. Ahmed Ridha, are the establishment of the great port of Basra and the reconstruction of Baghdad International Airport in addition to building housing units and a new city with integrated housing which will be one of the largest modern cities in the Middle East.
“During the current year, we have introduced numerous investment projects, and many contracts were signed with different companies worldwide,” said Ridha pointing out that $12 billion is earmarked for the port of Basra and $17 billion for building the Baghdad international airport, in addition to setting up business and building hotels. He added that the projects also include the construction of 200 thousand housing units and hotels, plus a touristic city on the Corniche of Kufa in the Najaf governorate at a cost of $34 billion, in addition to the establishment of new Kut city at a cost of $650 million.
Ridha added that the second reconstruction conference held recently in Cairo was a turning point at rebuilding Iraq, as it witnessed signing big contracts to be invested in many provinces. The Iraqi delegation participating at conference has presented large investment projects planned in many Iraqi governorates and the feedback of investors and entrepreneurs was overwhelming. For example, C. Krupp has signed investment contracts with four Iraqi provinces (Diwaniyah, Anbar, Karbala and Nasiriyah).
On the other hand, the government of Iraq has agreed on signing with a German company to build five hospitals that cost $700million. On this occasion, Govt.’s spokesman Ali Dabbagh said that the Cabinet has decided giving reconstruction committee’s wide authorities to reduce time and measures at carrying out service projects and building hospitals.

http://www.rebuild-iraq-expo.com

Korek planning $400 million investment in Iraq

http://www.projectsmiddleeast.com/read.asp?id=3511

Iraq’s Korek Telecom is planning to spend some US$400 million over the next twelve months on its GSM network - despite still having not concluded its joint venture details with UAE based Etisalat.

“We have already started planning for the nationwide network,” Hamid Akrawi, chief operating officer of Korek told the Middle East Business Intelligence. “It will take maybe six months to one year and it will cost us $300-400m.” The company has not yet selected a supplier for the network infrastructure. Korek Telecom operated a network in the Kurdish region and in 2007 signed a joint venture agreement with Orascom Telecom. Orascom broke up the partnership at the end of last year citing difficulties between the two companies. Earlier this year, Etisalat confirmed that it is in talks with Korek Telecom - but these are still ongoing.

http://www.projectsmiddleeast.com/

Foreign firms vie for $15 billion Iraqi construction contract

http://www.projectsmiddleeast.com/read.asp?id=3528&CategID=49

International firms are competing for one of the largest construction schemes in the country at a total cost of nearly $15 billion, a statement by Baghdad Municipality said.

The statement said 14 firms have supplied tenders to construct the Al-Rasheed City to be built on a former massive military camp bearing the same name.
The city will include a 4000-bed hospital and as well 21 specialized clinics to form the largest medical complex the Middle East in the future, the statement said.
The residential complex that will include six residential sectors with hundreds of 3-6 story building is expected initially to house 60,000 people, it added.
The return of some semblance of normalcy to Baghdad is encouraging some firms to submit offers.
Most foreign firms had fled Iraqi due to mounting insecurity. Many have migrated to the more peaceful Kurdish north, taking a wait-and-see attitude.

http://www.projectsmiddleeast.com/

Damac plans $15bn Iraq project

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/521031-uaes-damac-properties-plans-45-bln-iraq-developement?ln=en

UAE developer Damac Properties plans a $15 billion development in Iraq's Kurdistan province to start by the year-end, Damac said on Tuesday.

The project includes residential, commercial and hospitality buildings over 170 million square feet in Arbil, Damac said.

Damac Chairman Hussain Sajwani said the first phase of the project would cost $4.5 billion and the total cost of the project would be 55 billion dirhams ($14.98 billion). "Tarin Hills development... will also create jobs and support growth in related sectors such as tourism and hospitality," the statement quoted Nerchivan Barzani, the prime minister of the region, as saying.

Damac, with projects in countries including Egypt, Qatar and Jordan, will eventually borrow funds from banks but will launch the project using Damac equity, Sajwani said.

Damac unit Damac Kuwaiti Holding, which listed in Kuwait in April, has said it would use listing proceeds to finance Iraq projects. (Reuters)

http://www.arabianbusiness.com

i say the Gulf countries should invest in building mass housing projects with schools and medical services available along with retail. for example the project in west bank by Qatar...

This will be a nice project to invest in , im requesting info from DAMAC to check, you can find the master plan below.

http://www.damacproperties.com/iq/en/index.asp

http://www.damacproperties.com/tarin-hills/masterplan.pdf

That should be great for Iraq ^^

Iraqi Kurdistan is a nice place to start tourism and hospitality in the country.

The Marriott Hotel were thinking of building in Baghdad, not sure if that is a good thing though.
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=624278

Hopefully there is more to come!

Salar: do u live in Baghdad?

Some more information on the project:

Damac to develop 170 million sq feet master development in Kurdistan, Iraq

04 June 2008

http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/31996

Damac Properties – the luxury lifestyle provider and Middle East’s largest private sector master developer announced its plans in Kurdistan, Iraq, with the launch of the Tarin Hills master development in Erbil.

Located in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the project is a conglomeration of residential, retail, commercial, hospitality, entertainment, health and sports components interwoven within the picturesque terrain of Erbil.

The master development, Damac’s first in Iraq, follows the success of its master development 'Gamsha Bay’ in Egypt.

The development, to spread across a massive 170 million square feet, will offer residential communities and the best of retail environments and recreational offerings.

Phase 1 of the development has a value of $4.5bn.

Damac’s development plans in Erbil were announced at a press conference held in the presence of His Excellency Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister of Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq, and a number of ministers from the region.

Speaking at the press conference, His Excellency Nechirvan Barzani said: 'The Tarin Hills development will not only help promote the global face of Erbil, it will also create jobs and support growth in related sectors, such as tourism and hospitality. We thank Damac for taking this initiative which is very positive statement and symbol of the stability and growth potential of the Kurdistan Region. We are confident of the success of this project and pledge our full cooperation with Damac and its investors in making Tarin Hills a world class development.'

Damac’s Chairman Hussain Sajwani said: 'We are very confident that Erbil’s unique topography has great potential to become an attractive destination for both high-end and mass tourism. We are happy to contribute to the development of a new Kurdistan and believe that this investment will contribute towards the growth phase of the region and a landmark in Iraq development.

The Tarin Hills development is a distinctive lifestyle expression and extends the perfect choice of amenities creating a destination for discerning homebuyers and businesses alike.'

Peter Riddoch, CEO of Damac Properties, said: 'The hills of Tarin will be transformed into a golf course residential community with villas surrounding and intertwined amongst the 18-hole course.

This community will be augmented with a Golf Club and Health Centre, which will be a focal point destination for recreation and leisure. In addition to this, the community will encompass a water and theme park, arts and crafts centres, retail complexes, besides schools and business parks.'

The development will feature Mediterranean styled villas, townhouses, apartment blocks, a variety of retail outlets, a formal and traditional mall, a cluster of office complexes to serve as the business park, a community wide sports centre and spa, arts and crafts centre, business hotels and country lodge hotels, water and theme park and schools for the residents of Tarin Hills.

Other features of the project include:
- A fully gated community with security fence, checkpoints, high-tech screening at entrance gates, numerous internal monitoring points and around-the-clock security patrols.
- The most sophisticated technology and modern amenities such as, wireless high-speed internet supply and internal telephone network.
- 24-hr maintenance services (landscaping, swimming pools, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, satellite dish, etc.).
- Housekeeping services.
- Gas station with emergency repair services and car decoration shop.
- Dedicated and safe children’s play areas.
- Dedicated around the hour bus service to Erbil City Centre.
- Clear directions on all internal roads and villas for easy navigation.
- Police Station and Civil Defense inside the community in case of emergencies.
- Back up generators and water storage tanks.

A dedicated building with a footprint of 3,000 sqm and a total of 10 floors generates over 30,000 sqm of gross space available for various medical clinics and facilities to cater to the health needs of the Tarin Hills residents and the community at large.

A hospitable reception welcomes all, and is supported by state of the art technologies for quick and efficient processing.

From pharmacies to pediatrics, from dentistry to chiropractors, a variety of specialists and general MDs will be able to set up clinics and cater to all public health needs.

Set within the business park, the medical center will have fantastic views to the mountains on either side, and is located within a lush landscape park next to a water impounded pond.

The floor plates are big and spacious enough to accommodate large facilities, and can also be broken up into smaller units for those private practices.

Its setting within the well maintained community of Tarin Hills will ensure a pleasant and comfortable stay, and no doubt a speedier recovery.

DamacHolding has now grown into a global conglomerate with more than 7000 employees in 18 countries.

Being one of the first private sector companies to make a commitment to Dubai’s real estate market, Damac Properties has become the market leader with a strong sales record to its credit.

http://www.iraqupdates.com

Sounds like a lot of the projects are in Kurdistan, where the situation is more stable.

Yeah, my dad went there a year ago on a business trip.. He said it seemed nice and very stable... And sorta different... Kurdistan seems to be very autonomous with a sorta unique culture.. Kurdish culture i guess..

And now Sarkozy plans to have an embassy in Kurdistan, u might've heard..

I have friends that travel to and from Iraqi Kurdistan every summer without fail.
They say its very safe.

I have friends that travel to and from Iraqi Kurdistan every summer without fail.
They say its very safe.

Investment boom in Kurdistan
Posted on 11 Jun 2008

Newroz Amin, a representative from the Kurdistan Investment Authority revealed that “Over 105 investment projects worth over US $16 billion in the regions of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Duhok have been recorded.”

Amin, the director general of legal, financial and administrative affairs at the Kurdistan Investment Authority spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat from her office in Erbil she said, “All of these projects are independent of the regional government we do not hold any shares in them. These are private company investment projects.”
“The projects encompass various fields including tourism, production, agriculture, finance, education (private universities), health (private hospitals), commerce (the construction of shopping centers) and housing,” she added.
“16 percent of the investment projects are funded by foreign investors, 25 percent of investment projects are funded by foreign and local investors, and 59 percent of investors are Iraqi,” explained Newroz Amin.
Amin also discussed recently authorized projects “One newly approved investment project was the Damac company project, the capital of which will reach over US $6 billion. The project will be implemented over two stages each stage will cost US $3 billion dollars and will take five years to complete.”
“Erbil, or Hewler as it is known in Kurdish, has been transformed into a large construction site with the building of two large hotels the Grand Rotana Hotel and Le Royale Hotel. In addition, American Village, a large residential project, as well as the English Village and the Italian Village are being built. Residential, tourism and production investment projects are being established in Sulaymaniyah and Duhok and a German Village in Sulaymaniyah is under construction next to three cement factories,” she added.
Amin pointed out that “There are many factors for success in the region, the most prominent of which are perhaps the stability of security and the standards of procedure according to fixed laws. Moreover, the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Nechirvan Barzani, encourages the youth to implement administrative projects in the region, including investment projects, which is critical for the Kurdish economy.”
Newroz Amin indicated that the facilities or privileges offered to investors are open to all in accordance with the Kurdistan Region Investment Law 2006, which states that any investment project in the region is exempt of all non-custom taxes and duties for 10 years from the date that it provides services or the date of actual production. Amin described this law as an “incentive for investment by providing facilities that are not offered elsewhere in the region.”
“This law applies to projects that are approved by the Investment Authority in the sectors of manufacturing, electricity and related services, in addition to agriculture, forestry, hotels and tourism projects, theme parks, health, the environment, scientific and technological research, information technology, transport and modern communications, banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions, infrastructure projects including construction, reconstruction, housing projects, roads and bridges and the relevant advisory services,” explained Amin.
Newroz Amin continued to discuss the laws related to foreign investors: “Foreign investors and capital are treated the same as national investors and capital. Foreign investors have the absolute right to own the capital of any project that they have set up in the region in accordance with this law.”
“The regional Supreme Council for Investment, based on a proposal made by the Investment Authority, has the right to transfer ownership of the land that is allocated to strategic projects at a promotional price proposed by the Authority or free of charge provided that the nature and importance of the project and public interest are safeguarded,” she said.
Amin stressed, “Investors must obtain reliable foreign or national insurance to cover their projects. The investor has the right to employ the necessary foreign or domestic workforce for the project, while giving priority to employing domestic workers in accordance with the implemented laws in the region.”
“Foreign investors are permitted to transfer their profits abroad in accordance with the provisions of this law. Similarly, non-Iraqi workers and those with whom they deal outside of the region have the right to transfer their dues and wages abroad,” she said.
Amin added, “The law stipulates that the foreign investor can return his capital abroad upon completing or liquidating the project as long as the operation does not violate the regional law and the tax and customs measures that govern the project.”
Asharq Al-Awsat

http://www.projectsmiddleeast.com/read.asp?id=3575&CategID=49

European company to build residential compound in Iraqi city of Diwaniya

Posted on 15 Jun 2008

GEM Euro Group signed a contract to construct a residential compound in Dewaniya, the province’s governor announced.
He added that work on the project will commence in early August 2008. “After four days of negotiations, a contract with the Euro GEM was signed to invest in constructing a residential compound in Dewaniya city, and work in the project will commence in early August 2008,” Hamid al-Khdhairi said in a press conference in Diwaniya, which was attended by GEM’s representative.
“This compound will be built according to high quality criteria, with a power system separate from the city’s, in addition to water and cooking gas supplies, furniture, and advanced services, such as mosques, markets, schools, and others,” he explained.
“It will be called ‘The New City of Diwaniya,’ and it will occupy an area of 80 donams (1 donam = 1,000 square meters),” he said.
“The compound will consist of two separate units, and each ground floor flat will have an area of 200 – 250 squared meters, while flats at other levels will have an area of 100 – 120 squared meters each,” he added. “Green spaces will occupy 40 percent of the total compound’s area,” he noted.
He did not mention how many flats the compound will embrace, or where it will be constructed.
He noted that there is an international agreement with this company to construct an oil refinery, a concrete factory, in addition to other projects proposed by the company to Diwaniya’s local authorities, such as an investment bank to fund the residential houses that company builds.
Al-Khdhairi stressed that the Euro GEM will sell or rent the flats in coordination with Diwaniya local authority.
From his side, Habib-Allah al-Jazaeree, GEM’s representative, said “we will complete the project’s designs next week, and work will commence in early August.”
“Work will be finalized within an exceptional period of time,” he added.
“After we thoroughly examined the security situation in Diwaniya, we found that the situation allows companies to execute projects in the city,” he noted.
He highlighted that there are other agreements to be signed with Diwaniya’s local authorities to execute other large important projects.
Local authorities in Diwaniya signed a memorandum of understanding with GEM Group that belongs to five Euro countries, during the second investment conference that was held in Cairo two weeks ago.
Diwaniya city lies 180 km south of Baghdad.

Aswat Al-Iraq

http://www.projectsmiddleeast.com/read.asp?id=3590&CategID=49

Foundation stone laid for disabled rehabilitation center in Karbala

Posted on 16 Jun 2008

The Iraqi minister of health laid the foundation stone for a rehabilitation center for the disabled in Karbala province, which is expected to be completed within eight months.


“The project is the first of its kind in Iraq and will be followed be similar projects in other cities, including Samawa, Basra and Amara,” Minister Saleh al-Hasnawi told Aswat al-Iraq.
Given the center’s need for qualified staff, a number of physicians, nurses and therapists have been sent to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany to undertake training courses there, the minister noted.
The center, whose total cost is 1.4 billion Iraqi dinars (1 U.S. dollar= 1,221 Iraqi dinars), will be especially equipped for the disabled, Hasnawi explained.
Karbala, Iraq’s second holiest Shiite city after Najaf, lies 110 km southwest of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

http://www.projectsmiddleeast.com/read.asp?id=3596&CategID=49

Just called Damac "They will launch the project on the 17 of July and in order to get the pre-launch prices you need to deposite a refundable 10,000 $ now" , i will visit them next thirsday to get more info about the construction order for the mall villas .....etc.

Another Project is taking place in north of iraq-erbil in the name of american villages , more info can be found in there website.

http://americanvillage.info/

^^ looks good.

why call it that when you know someones gonna blow it up someday because of its name???

Lebanese companies build five-star hotel in Kurdistan
July 18, 2008



Prime Minister of the Kurdish region in Iraq Najirvan al-Barazani and Former Lebanese Tourism Minister Joe Sarkis laid the first stone of a five-star hotel in the city of Irbil in northern Iraq.

The hotel is being built by Lebanese construction companies at an estimated cost of $60 million.

Barazani said that the first stone sends a message to the whole world that Kurdistan is a region that is open to all commercial activities and will be a gateway to Iraq in the future.

“Foreign investment in this region shows that this part of Iraq enjoys security stability, and that there are chances for investment,” Barazani said.

Former Minister Sarkis said he is optimistic over the future of Lebanese investments in the Kurdish region of Iraq.

-NOW Staff

Five-star hotel planned for Baghdad

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi officials say they have approved plans to build a five-star hotel in the Baghdad's heavily guarded Green Zone.

Iraq's National Investment Commission says land for the project is being leased by the Summit Global Group, a U.S.-based investment company.

Robert Kelley, head of Summit Global, says the 300-room hotel will cost $100 million. He says American and Iraqi investors are involved in the project, but he did not name them.

At a groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, Kelley said construction would begin soon, but he did not specify a date.

Iraqi government offices and American diplomatic and military facilities are inside the Green Zone, also known as the International Zone.

hi guys >>>

I dont know how to upload pictures on this thread from my computer
would you guys show me the way because im new in this form >>>

hi guys >>>
i know that sounds crazy and so Embarrassing >>>
but i dont know how to upload pictures on this thread from my computer
:wallbash:
:ohno:
would you guys show me the way because im new in this form >>>
and please Forgive me for my bad english

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=8059418&postcount=1

...

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=8059418&postcount=1

thanks :)

Just got the prices list for the project , its very expensive.

PRICING
May 2008 Standard Home

Living area 327 m²
Deposit $35,000
1st Installment $35,000
2nd Installment $35,000
3rd Installment $35,000
4th Installment $35,000
5th Installment $50,000
6th Installment $25,000
TOTAL $250,000

www.americanvillage.info

rest price can be found here

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pYim6AekE6mKsQDzn-G6HYw&hl=en

Lebanese companies build five-star hotel in Kurdistan
July 18, 2008



Prime Minister of the Kurdish region in Iraq Najirvan al-Barazani and Former Lebanese Tourism Minister Joe Sarkis laid the first stone of a five-star hotel in the city of Irbil in northern Iraq.

The hotel is being built by Lebanese construction companies at an estimated cost of $60 million.

Barazani said that the first stone sends a message to the whole world that Kurdistan is a region that is open to all commercial activities and will be a gateway to Iraq in the future.

“Foreign investment in this region shows that this part of Iraq enjoys security stability, and that there are chances for investment,” Barazani said.

Former Minister Sarkis said he is optimistic over the future of Lebanese investments in the Kurdish region of Iraq.

-NOW Staff

there is no a country which name is kurdistan!!!:bash::bash:

however there is a autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq

edit

there is no a country which name is kurdistan!!!:bash::bash:

i never imagined that turks would be that sensetive towards kurds:weird:

^^now you can imagine!!

Iraq will def. need a lot of "green" proyects......PARKS PARKS! & green peaceful spaces...

Officials in Baghdad and Najaf governorates both announced over the weekend that they intend to cash in on the growing tourism industry in Iraq by commissioning local tourism projects.

Radio Dijla reported that British company has won a contract to design and supervise the construction of a $30 billion tourist town in the histrocially important province of Najaf, quoting the Minister of Municipalities and Public Works, Riyadh Ghareeb.

The minister claimed that studies of the site have already begun. He did not name the British company.

"A British company will be making the designs but the execution will be done by a Kuwaiti company under supervision by the British," the minister said.

In Baghdad, Dr. Sabir al-Isawi, mayor of Baghdad, has said that Baghdad's municipality is making plans of its own to develop local tourist resorts in it, including the "Gardens Town", for which and solicitations for bids have already been made he claimed.

Speaking to the press, al-Isawi said: "This Gardens Town will include huge playground which will be set up north of Baghdad on an area estimated at 650 acres. It will have 14 different gardens at a cost in the excess of $300 million.

"Each of these gardens will have statues of cultural, scientific and political figures and for personalities that played a major and important role in the history of Iraq."

The mayor pointed out that the cost of the designs ranges from between $2-3m and that the overall cost of the project will be more than $300m.

"The [Baghdad] municipality has announced the town's project, and seven companies have expressed their desire to build it. A committee headed by the general director of the designs in Baghdad's municipality to study the offers and sign contracts," al-Isawi said.

He explained that interest in the project has mainly come from foreign companies, with only local firms having expressed an interest.

100-Storey skyscraper centrepiece for new Najaf City

Najaf, one of Iraq’s holiest cities, will be home to the country’s first 100-storey skyscraper that will be a centerpiece to the multi-billion dollar construction project, according to the deputy governor of Najaf, Abdul-Hussain Abtan.

Pending approval from the ministerial council, Az-Zaman newspaper reported that the giant construction will be part of the $30 billion ‘New Njaf City’, new development to be built over the next 10 years.

During a celebration held by the Najaf governorate to honor correspondents of newspapers, radio and satellite television stations, Abtan said: "An agreement has been made to build the New Najaf city.

The agreement has been signed with the Kuwaiti Akila Company according to a contract valued at $30 billion. The project has already been submitted to the presidency of the cabinet (office of the prime minister) for endorsement."

Engineering plans for the project reveal that it will overlook the Najaf Lake and will include a series of large hotels to accommodate pilgrims, hospitals, schools, a sports town, medical facilities and laboratories and many other public buildings, in addition to the skyscraper.

Abtan said that the authorities aim to raise private finance for much of the project, and have established marketing offices in Najaf and Dubai to generate interest.

Explaining the potential benefits to interested parties, Abtan said that investors will take a 65% share of profits from the project, with the remaining 35% for the governorate.

25% of all shares in the project have reserved exclusively for Najaf city residents.

According to Abtan, the project will take ten years to complete, and "It will greatly lower unemployment in the Najaf governorate and in neighboring governorates as well. It will provide more than 85,000 new jobs.”

$3 billion for Baghdad's urban development

Iraq has announced that it is seeking a multi billion dollar investment over the next three years to fund a masterplan to revitalise conflict-torn Baghdad with new hotels, restaurants and highways.

"Three billion dollars are needed over three years for infrastructure and the equivalent amount for investment projects," said Tahsin al-Sheikhli, spokesman for the civilian wing of Baghdad's security plan, with a focus on the rebuilding of its infrastructure.

"A year ago, we were not able to talk about such projects as we were worried about security issues. We have succeeded in that area and now we will succeed in construction," he said.

During a press conference held on Tuesday, al-Sheikhli said that Baghdad needs a change to its 25-year old design which can no longer accommodate the sizeable increase in its population over the past two decades.

Baghdad Municipality has already opened the door for foreign companies to invest in building infrastructure projects in Baghdad in addition to a variety of recreational and tourist projects.

Another local authority, the Baghdad Governorate Council, has started soliciting bids on huge strategic projects that will greatly change the look of the capital. These include new road bridges over busy intersections to reduce congestion and the demolition of new homes to make way for new high rise residential units with full public services.

He also said that leisure and tourism facilities in the city will be overhauled, with the addition of new public parks and five star hotels. Al-Sheikhli added that a permit has just recently been issued to an Iraqi company to build the luxury Kadhimiyya hotel.

Sheikhli urged foreign companies to come forward and invest in Baghdad, saying that the Iraqi government did not have the means to cover the costs on its own.

Here are few pictures of the American Village:

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/June08/Virginia_Street.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/June08/EndOfCross.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/June08/Florida.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/June08/Florida2.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/Janu08/Amer.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/Janu08/Storm_line.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/Janu08/Alabama_Mississipi.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/Janu08/Paving_AV.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/Janu08/Iowa_Circle.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/Janu08/Side_walk.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/Dec07/View.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/Dec07/KentuckyRoad.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/Dec07/VriginaRoad.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/View_June07.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/WorkProgress_March07.jpg

http://www.americanvillage.info/Sec/ConstructionUpdate/Site_Feb07.jpg

By Benjamin Morgan AFP - 2 hours 6 minutes agoBAGHDAD (AFP) - Royal Dutch Shell will form a gas venture with energy-rich Iraq worth up to four billion dollars, the oil ministry said Tuesday of the first Western oil major to do a deal with the central government since the 2003 invasion.

(Advertisement)
The venture to capture unwanted gas burned off during oil production, for domestic consumption and export, is expected to be signed in Baghdad next month, ministry spokesman Assem Jihad told AFP.

The deal with the Anglo-Dutch company is estimated to be worth between three billion and four billion dollars (2.13 billion-2.84 billion euros), the Financial Times newspaper said.

In the past two years, several other energy majors have signed contracts with Iraq's northern Kurdish administration, much to the annoyance of Baghdad.

Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani has repeatedly warned the Kurds their contracts would be considered invalid in the absence of a national oil law.

Iraq's cabinet approved the contract, giving state-owned Southern Oil Co 51 percent and Shell 49 percent of the venture, to be based in the southern city of Basra.

The project is intended to make use of the 21 million cubic metres (700 million cubic feet) of gas -- roughly enough to meet the demand for all of Iraq's power generation -- that the oil industry burns off for safety reasons, the FT said.

"Europe is looking for supplies of gas from Iraq," Jihad told the paper. "Security used to be a deterrent, but now companies feel that security has improved and this will encourage others to come in."

Analysts welcomed the tie-up, saying liquefied natural gas for export could be used to meet booming demand in the fast-growing economies of the Middle East, especially the Gulf.

"There are untapped resources in Iraq, and if Shell can help develop them there is loads of potential for gas," said Michael Corke, a vice president in Dubai of energy consultancy Purvin and Gertz.

The share price of Royal Dutch Shell's 'A' shares slipped 0.96 percent to 1,749 pence two hours before the close of Tuesday trade on the London Stock Exchange following a slide in global oil prices.

Iraq has the world's third-largest oil reserves, while its natural gas reserves are also huge and almost completely untapped.

According to US-based industry report the Oil and Gas Journal, Iraq holds 112 trillion cubic feet (3.36 trillion cubic metres) of proven gas reserves, the world's 10th largest.

"Gas in Iraq is much less developed than oil," said Walid Khadduri, a consultant and energy analyst for Middle East Economic Survey.

Iraq's energy industry is in dire need of modern equipment and technology after production facilities went into decline during the decade of crippling UN sanctions that followed the 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

Iraq has called on international firms to help it develop its energy resources. In June, it agreed to invite 35 companies to bid on service projects but failed to sign expected technical support deals with six other energy majors.

The oil ministry threw open six oilfields and two gas fields for international bidding for the 35 companies for which contracts are expected to be signed next June.

The separate preliminary agreements with the six energy majors were meant to open the way for longer-term contracts but are now likely to be scrapped, Jihad said.

"After delays and differences with the companies over the length of contracts, the ministry is now inclined to bypass that stage and focus on longer-term development contracts," he added.

Last month, China became the first foreign group to reach an agreement with Iraq in a three billion dollar deal to exploit oil.

It revived a 1997 contract granting China the rights to develop the Al-Ahdab oil field in central Iraq, although again the new arrangement is only a service agreement and includes no revenue sharing.



http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080909/tts-britain-iraq-energy-gas-bd2cd9d.html

Iraq is such a beautiful country, I can't wait for all this madness to calm, and for all the investment opportunities to go through. :happy:

Iraq is such a beautiful country, I can't wait for all this madness to calm, and for all the investment opportunities to go through. :happy:
It's close i can sense it

any info on the german village been build in sulaimanya province
tried to google it but couldn't find any thing
cheers guys

and also what about the italian village Iraqi kurdistan ? i've heard so much but seen nothing..:( could someone get me more info or picture about ?

im happy for Iraq's development. go Iraq and let it boom..:banana:

The Central Back of Iraq stresses on zeros lopping
29 September 2008 (Iraq Directory)

The Central Bank of Iraq consultant, stressed last Wednesday, on the bank's determination to proceed with the project to delete the zeros of the Iraqi dinar to convert thousand dinars to one dinar, referring to the adoption of long-term plan for the project, which would be reluctant to the huge cash in Iraq.

Dr. Modhir Mohammad Saleh, added that "the bank will rely, in any case, on a long-term plan for the implementation of the project, in order to avoid any disruption reflected in the cash arena, which will move on based studies and slow and accurate resolution of all problems in the trading bloc committed a result of enormity of bulging cash in the Iraqi market. "

The factors of this action, which he described as very important by saying that "Iraq is one of the countries hit by hyper-inflation in more than two decades ago, reflected in monetary hyperinflation, for example, the monetary issuance increased of approximately 25 billion dinars in the early nineties, to be in 2003 Six thousand billion. "

He added, "If we add significant structural changes on the size of the budget that is the source of expansion in the monetary bloc, we can say that the country does not have the ability to stand such circulations in a large amount of cash currency units, a legacy of a hyper-inflation."

And that "many countries of the world suffered from this problem and turned their economies towards relative stability, it must find a solution to curb the enormous mass of cash to facilitate exchange of cash in Iraqi society, which mainly deal with cash money rather than the use of advanced banking payment."
He added, "This means we need urgently to the availability of substantial monetary of value and with small-scale to return to the easy system of payments and lead to facilitate transactions."

He cites the example of the saying that the category of 25 dinar in 1980 was equivalent to more than $ 75, the largest category of cash at the time, while in the highest category at present is the key category of 25 thousand dinars, and equals only $ 23. "

He added "to notice the difference .. that Iraq needs to have banknotes with high value and small size to facilitate the exchange and perform the functions of the various money."

Saleh continued of clarifying the problems impeding the performance of existing cash, saying: "One of the problems is " dollarisation "the Iraqi economy, the demand for one hundred dollars category to facilitate large transactions paid in cash, which represents about 120 thousand dinars, which means that the actual Iraqi economy needs to Category or categories of high value cash to facilitate the exchange especially in large deals. "

And about the contentment of the Bank's approach to the deletion of zeros, the central bank consultant said "the studies intend in this regard to circulate a new categories gradually and comfortably, and not limited to the replacement."

He noted that "this will give a lot of prosperity and stability in the availability of high and strong liquidity to facilitate transactions in line with the stage of growth and optimistic economic prosperity that Iraq will see in the months or years to come." He added, that "relatively long-term project would be included in the cash economy gradually that to add a lot of comfort and harmony in the economic situation."

The "trend is the deletion of three zeroes, instead of dealing with monetary issuance of $ 18 trillion dinars, our economy will deal with not more than 15 billion dinars, a mass of different categories to facilitate criticism, circulation and encourages banks to accept cash deposits."

"We know for example that one of the biggest problems at the present time the problem of counting and verification of counterfeit currency or the offense, and this burden to the banking system, and a burden on the citizen as well."

The central bank consultant concluded to say that "low cost counting and other leads to a decline in inflation by an estimated rate of 3%, resulting from the cost of cash transactions of large deals, as a citizen in Basra for example, wants to transfer funds cash to Baghdad through the category of dollar, he has to burden and costs of commissions coming from the conversion process. The cost added to the prices of transactions inevitably.

Al Maabar eyes $500 million Iraq project (09/10/08)
Al Maabar International, a joint venture between Aldar Properties and Sorouh Real Estate said it plans to develop a project in Iraq this year worth at least $500 million.


"We want to launch a mixed-use project in Baghdad before the end of the year...it will be a huge project worth more than $500 million," Managing Director Yousef Al Nowais told Reuters on the sidelines of a real estate exhibition in Dubai.

"People (in Iraq) need suitable houses to live in after the war has destroyed their homes and there is an effort now by Arabs to work for the stability of Iraq."

Aldar and Sorouh each own a 30 per cent stake in Al Maabar while the rest belongs to Reem Investments, Reem International and Al Qudra Holdings.

The company has projects worth $11.5 billion under development currently in Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, Jordan, Qatar and Belarus.

Al Maabar was also considering development projects in Egypt and Algeria to tap North Africa's most populous countries, Nowais said. Earlier in the week, Nowais said Al Maabar plans to invest at least $1 billion in real estate projects over the next three years.

5-star hotel in Al-Kadhimiyya to boost tourism (06/10/08)


The Baghdad Municipality has put a plan to build a first-class 5-star hotel in the holy city of al-Kadhimiyya, which is located in northwest Baghdad, in order to boost religious tourism.


Ad-Dustoor newspaper reported that the 10-storey structure will cost IQD 20 billion to build and will be set across 11,000 square metres on the west bank of the river Tigris of land, inside the July 14th park and within walking distance of the Imams Bridge and Grand Shrine.

The hotel will offer full services, and is cornerstone of the new five year urban development programme in the capital launched by Baghdad Municipality.

One of the aims of the programme is to boost religious tourism to take adcvantage of the millions of pilgrims who flock to al-Kadhimiyya, Iraq’s third holiest city, after Najaf and Kerbala, for religious occasions.

Our correspondent says that the hotel will be able to serve both Shiite and Sunni pilgrims, thanks to its close proximity to the grand mosque of “Abu Hanifah” al-Imam al-Adham, after whom al-Adhamiyya city is named, founder of one of the four major Sunni schools of law.

Also located close by is the resting place of the imams of the Sufis, which sits in the heart of Baghdad and is visited by tens of thousands of Sunnis from all over the world each year.

Oh my god they're destroying Baghdad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

^^ LOL so you mean the war didn't destroy it already!

so sad if u look tehran and baghdad!
after the iran iraq war we had time to rebuild iran but the poor iraqis have suffered again and again!
they have the money and the brain to rebuild their nation--the only need a period without war !
baghdad(even a persian name) and tehran should be sistercitys and iran iraq can be the germany france axes of middle east!
best luck!

Abu Dhabi real estate development investment company Al-Maabar has committed itself to a major new development in Baghdad, UAE's official news agency WAM reported on Sunday.

The $10 billion development, located at the Al-Rasheed Military Compound, will cover 1,250 hectares and comprise residential units, a commercial district, a technology centre, a hotel and hospitality district, health care and educational districts, and public facilities such as mosques and gas stations, WAM reported.

It is envisaged that the project will include public recreational parks, a golf course, museums and other cultural facilities such as theatres and cinemas, it added.

"The move to develop this project complements the growing levels of support that the UAE is providing to the government of Iraq. Through the direction of the Abu Dhabi leadership, Al-Maabar will add real value to the countries that it invests in," Yousef Al-Nowais, Al-Maabar's managing director was quoted as saying.

''Al-Maabar plans to achieve this through job creation and talent development, knowledge transfer and economic stimulus and will be working very closely with the relevant ministries in Iraq to insure that this project meets the specific needs of the Iraqi people," he added.

Consultants Dar Al-Handasah have been awarded the contract for creating the conceptual master plan along the guidelines set by the urban planning and municipal authorities in Baghdad.

The announcement comes a week after a surprise official visit to Baghdad by Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.

http://www.damacproperties.com/index.php?option=com_property&view=listing&id=74

C:\Users\client\Downloads\timthumb.php

^^ here ya go :)

http://www.damacproperties.com/timthumb.php?src=http://www.damacproperties.com/media/system/project_hp_images/0e085de8e4overview-tarin-hills.jpg

Oh my god they're destroying Baghdad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

building a five star hotel to accommodate pilgrims don't think will destroy baghdad.

yesterday was first commercial flight from theran to baghdad!
you will earn much money from iranian pilgrims!
there should be an najaf and kerbala international airport!
once tourism spreads and security is improved its will automaticly attract investors building hotels shopping malls!
also i am proud to see our kurdish brothers developing so much which is good for iran!
its only sad thatthe sunnis in the west and center of iraq have not the best opportunitys!
your government must build industrie towns in anbar provinve and dont forget them like iranians have done in balutchistan and kurdistan region which they now try to improve!

building a five star hotel to accommodate pilgrims don't think will destroy baghdad.

1. Did you see the sprawl in the photos?!!!
2. An American Village?! oh for crying out loud, Baghdad has it's own style and the style is beautiful, the American one does not even work with people's lifestyle.
3. Haven't we had enough buldozing already?!
4. What piligrims in Baghdad?!! It's not Macca?! Even so, you don't need to destroy the city's history to build a hotel.

^^ American village isnt in Baghdad.. it's in Kurdstan

1. Did you see the sprawl in the photos?!!!

what photos u r refering to?
2. An American Village?! oh for crying out loud, Baghdad has it's own style and the style is beautiful, the American one does not even work with people's lifestyle.

i was talking about baghdad not kurdistan what american village!!!
however i agree that baghdad has its own style but it needs re construction and build new infrastructure that goes side by side with buliding new hotels

3. Haven't we had enough buldozing already?!
!!!!
4. What piligrims in Baghdad?!! It's not Macca?! Even so, you don't need to destroy the city's history to build a hotel.

i meant by piligrms the vast majority of iraqis that visit the religious places all over iraq they refer to them in the western media as piligrms not the haj piligrms, if u r an iraqi and lived in baghdad u should know what i mean lots of ppl from different sect of islam come to khadimiya to visit imam khadim.
still cant undersatnd how they can destroy the city by buliding a hotel that can have adesign that matches baghdad rich history

^^whatever!

27 October 2008 (Iraq Directory)


AlAswaq.net website had shown that DAMAC Properties the Emirates company, began from Dubai the first stages of selling real estate venture, "Tareen hills" in Arbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan at prices ranging between 149 and 352 thousand dollars per apartment.

According to the information, the sale is limited in its first stage of project, which would be the size of investments over the development years about 15 billion dollars in the "Park Avenue" district ,one of the most active stages, including two adjoining buildings, housing units and residential real estate.
Prices and details.

The residential units consist of one bedroom and hall area ranging between 79 - 220 sq ft, and two bedrooms with hall area ranging between 113 - 263 sq ft, and three bedroom with hall area of 185 - 288 square feet.

Prices start from 149 thousand dollars for apartments, consisting of one room and hall, and up to 352 thousand dollars of flats consisting of 3 bedrooms and a hall, and prices vary according to the flat area and scope of view .The project provides each flat with car park free of charge.

This offer continues until the end of October, when prices are expected to increase with the new stages.
The sales is direct through DAMAC offices in Dubai, or through accredited agents, and procurement solutions are either to pay the full amount or installment payment into periods, and this case requires the buyer to pay 10% of the total amount as a first batch and the rest of the money in installments.

Investment opportunity
The Tarin Hills was announced in the beginning of this year in Dubai and was attended by Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Kurdistan region Nnigervan Barzani and a number of ministers and businessmen.

It is scheduled to complete the project in stages, the foundation work begins early next year, and receipt of the first stages in two years after the date of Construction commencement.

^^ here ya go :)

http://www.damacproperties.com/timthumb.php?src=http://www.damacproperties.com/media/system/project_hp_images/0e085de8e4overview-tarin-hills.jpg

its so lush and green, looks like a typical suburb you find in Australia.

^^ yea, but this is a just a render after all.. so you should take it with a grain of salt.. Hopefully we'll get real pics of the project in few months to see the real thing

Thi-Qar, 31 October 2008 ( Voices of Iraq )

A delegation representing a number of foreign companies has arrived in the city of al-Nassiriya on Friday for negotiations over the construction of developed housing compounds, a source from Thi-Qar’s investment authority said.

“Negotiations are underway with a German delegation representing a European group to sign a final agreement on a mechanism to build more than 10,000 housing units in the province in accordance with up-to-date specifications,” Muhammad al-Hindawi, the director of the Thi-Qar Investment Authority’s Marketing & Media Department, told Aswat al-Iraq.

This European group had laid in September 2008 the foundation stone for the construction of six apartment compounds in Thi-Qar, or 15 housing units, to be finalized in 18 months.

Work on this project has not commenced yet.

Nassiriya, the capital city of Thi-Qar province, lies 375 km south of Baghdad.

An Iraqi official reported that Kuwaiti, Lebanese, British, Korean, German and Swedish companies plan to start a project to set up hotels and apartment complexes in the city of Najaf (180 km) south of Baghdad. Al Sabah newspaper quoted to the Chairman of the Investment Authority in the holy city of Najaf Fadhil Al Fadhily as saying that the body received 29 investment projects submitted by Iraqi, Arab and universal companies.

While four investment contracts were awarded, including two agreements of five stars and four stars tourist hotels to a Lebanese investor and other contract of Al Najaf international airport project and contracts for the establishment of 8000 housing units to a Kuwaiti –British company.

The «memorandum of understanding was signed between the Civil Administration and the Korean delegation which already met in Arbil for the establishment of a tourist hotel at Al Najaf airport and 1000 housing units of ready construction using partitions contain thermal insulation, that the establishment of a housing unit needs no longer than two weeks and cost between 40 - 54 Thousand dollars on an area of 200 square meters, note that the actual need of al Najaf is 120 thousand housing units currently ».

Fadli said that the establishment project of the new city of Najaf worth 38 billion dollars and the investment duration of 10 years, was submitted to the Council of Ministers for consideration because it is beyond the competence of the Commission, it is also considering a proposal to Iraqi expatriates investors in Germany to establish drugs laboratory by Iraqi- German capital and Swedish- German experience »

why is the Iraqi Projects Forum so boring and no one add's up something ? GOSH Iraqis where the hell are you ??? post some projects about iraq..make fun to read and proud of your country.

^^ LOL

It's because it's hard to get material to post.. most people who post on this thread are not living in Iraq, so we cant get new pictures or video clips of projects that are going on right now. It's not really a matter of not being proud or anything, just a matter of access.

I usually try to post as much as I can, whenever I read an interesting piece of news relating to skyscrapers or urbanity etc..

where are you from BigDreamer ?

Hello,

I'm an urban planning student in California and am interested in the changes in population, infrastructure, and development happening in Iraq's cities currently. This thread has been a very informative start. I'm also very interested in finding:
1. reports about urban migration to/from cities during the current war
2. information about public transportation, private vehicle transportation, etc.
3. information about the nature of in Iraq's cities and who funds them.
4. housing market indicators
5. how urban planning and development happens there
6. how the American military presence is affecting development and planning

I would really appreciate any and all information you can share with me on these points. You respond to my post or just email me directly at colinhughes@berkeley.edu

Thanks!

where are you from BigDreamer ?

I'm living in Auckland, New Zeland. But I was born in Baghdad. What about you? :)

Well i was born in Dubai and Raised in Montreal, Canada and I am Iraqi also ( My both Parents are born In Baghdad Also) btw i went to iraq in 2004 ..I LOVED IT

^^ Oh that's pretty awesome !

Do you have any pics from your visit in 2004? where did you go exactly?

I haven't been back since I left right after the first gulf war :( but I wanna pay a visit when things settle down abit more..

^^ Oh that's pretty awesome !

Do you have any pics from your visit in 2004? where did you go exactly?

I haven't been back since I left right after the first gulf war :( but I wanna pay a visit when things settle down abit more..


no unfortunately i didn't had the chance for pics, it was too dangerous and you didn't want to be looked as a tourist ..it was my first time in Iraq and i hope ill go there next year.

Iraq earmarks $3 billion for Baghdad subway

BAGHDAD: Iraq plans to build a subway in Baghdad to help cut pollution and ease traffic on the city's chronically clogged streets.

Baghdad Mayor Sabir al-Issawi said in statement released Monday that Iraq's Cabinet has earmarked $3 billion for the project.

The subway is the first in Baghdad and will have two lines.

One would run 11 miles from Shiite-dominated Sadr City in the east to the predominantly Sunni neighborhood of Azamiyah in northern Baghdad.

The second line would be cover 13 miles and link the mixed neighborhoods of central Baghdad to the primarily Sunni western suburbs. Both lines will have 20 stations.

GO BAGHDAD GO!!

GO BAGHDAD GO!!

Dude I don't know if you've been to this website but there is more info about Iraq including pics...

http://aliraqi.org/

^^ i cant find anything relating to skyscrapers / projects on that website, maybe you can give us a direct link to some of the projects?

http://aliraqi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=84063&page=31

look through these pages

Baghdad subway map:

http://www.streetsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/11_24/baghdad_subway.jpg

very nice!but isnt the east shia and the west sunni?
first security has to be 100%!
imagine one suicide attacker in one of these trains!
baghdad deserves much better than how it is now!

Iraq plans to build huge port in Persian Gulf

BAGHDAD, December 3 (RIA Novosti) - An Iraqi transport ministry delegation is discussing in Rome a project to build a giant port on the coast of the Persian Gulf, Iraqi media reported on Wednesday.

Iraq, which has a Persian Gulf coastline of less than 100 kilometers (60 miles), has so far only one deep sea commercial port, Umm Qasr.

According to the project, the port will be based in Al-Fao, a seaside town in the estuary of the Shatt al-Arab river. It will also have a number of first-class hotels and will be linked to the country's road network by a high-speed motorway.

The estimated value of the project is $20 billion. The tender for the construction of the port has yet to be officially announced.

Luxury Hotel, Shopping Mall Soon in Baghdad


Baghdad’s municipal council on Monday revealed a 50-year investment plan to build a five-star hotel, a shopping mall and a theme park on the land of the 14 Tammuz Park.

“An additional area of 18 donums (1 donum= 2,500 square meters) in al-Moheet Street will also be zoned for the project,” according to a statement released by the council and received by Aswat al-Iraq, quoting Baghdad’s Mayor Sabir al-Issawi as saying.

The 15-storey hotel will be designed to accommodate a large number of visitors who arrive in the city.
----------------------------------------------

50 years to build a 15 floor hotel :nuts: ... this must be a joke

Italian City Project:

Under the recent developments that the region witnesses in general, and specially in Erbil governorate (Capital of Kurdistan Region / Iraq), and due transition stage toward modern civilized life with modern technologies, Hemn Company for Reconstruction & Fast Building (EPS Panels) which is a member of Hemn Group Companies, implementing Italian City Project in Erbil. The City consists of Housing Units of different types, Services and Utilities & Facilities that prepare comfort life for the people. The project consists of the following components:

1) Houses Units:

a. Houses Type (Villa)

b. Houses Type (A)

c. Houses Type (B)

d. Houses Type (C)

e. Houses Type (D)

2) Mosque

3) Primary School

4) Health Center

5) Super Market

6) Motel & Restaurant

7) Trade & Administrate Collective

8) Local Playground

9) Police Station

10) City Administrative Center

11) Public Garden & Green Areas

12) Infrastructures (Sewerage, Sanitary & Electrical Systems).



Features and Advantages:

1) Advantages of the Location

The location of Italian City Project is considered an excellent location in Erbil Governorate, it lies on the main road that lead to airport, surrounding directly from all side with many most important and vital projects like: Royal Hotel, Residence of the Iraqi President, English Village, Kurdistan International Fair, Rotana Hotel, Sport Hall, 100th Street. And surrounded indirectly with: Komponisky Hotel, Royal City, Dream City, Vital City, Erbil International Airport, Park of Shaheed Sami AbdulRahman, Shaheed Saad Abdulla Hall for general Conferences.



2) Advantages of the Design of the City & Architectural:

One of the other features of Italian City is the marvelous Architectural Design, like:

- Beautiful Scene of the city from the sky in airplane.

- For first time in Kurdistan, the ends of the lanes are closed & there is a U-turn, to decrease the crowding and noising in the lanes, consiquently increasing the security & comfortability of the city, also decreasing the risk of driving toward back.

- Every house of types (Villa, A & B) has the area to park tow cars in the interior garage.

- The curbstones laid out in horizontal manner not perpindicular manner, that leads to hold the shoulder of 2m width of each house to 3-5 cars.

-Existance of lot of green areas, also the public garden.



3) Advantages of the Used Materials & Implementing Method:

- Using Reinforced Concrete covered from both sides with two layers of non-flammable, High Density, High insulating for Heat & Sound, and 5cm thick of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS).

- Using a new durable, more insulator, higher density, light weight, profile for covering the ourter faces of the houses. The uniq Factory in Iraq now is belonging to Hemn Group Companies.

- All the materials used in finishing is of first class and the best brands. (Legrand for Electrical Items, Vitra for Ceramic Tiles and Sanitary Items,



4) Advantages of the Implementing

5) Advantages of the Finishing Materials

6) Advantages of the Substructures





from south side there are Royal Hotel; the biggest hotel in overall of Kurdistan, Residence of the Iraqi President, English Village; it is a modern Housing collective in Erbil, from north side there is Kurdistan International Fair and Big Sport Hall

Hemn Hq

http://inlinethumb01.webshots.com/43584/2488311520104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2488311520104514396dFBJUf)

House's

http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/43207/2778965320104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2778965320104514396UGKUAn)

http://inlinethumb11.webshots.com/40970/2521893620104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2521893620104514396JpwZUB)

http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/40874/2618449330104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2618449330104514396xeEJvj)

http://inlinethumb61.webshots.com/42108/2006539200104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2006539200104514396nCTanH)

http://inlinethumb25.webshots.com/43288/2997963330104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2997963330104514396BFBVyH)

http://inlinethumb50.webshots.com/42097/2835935460104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2835935460104514396FAUjdE)

Mall
http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/34068/2358674410104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2358674410104514396udfzkY)

http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/15390/2541141040104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2541141040104514396vCQqnQ)

City's Overview

http://inlinethumb52.webshots.com/14515/2954974500104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2954974500104514396GMSoFE)

http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/41583/2488610490104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2488610490104514396bjiJwc)

http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/14776/2444799810104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2444799810104514396aKmAID)

http://inlinethumb45.webshots.com/39212/2849566440104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2849566440104514396ZYFHTa)

http://inlinethumb46.webshots.com/26477/2088056930104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2088056930104514396xHaXgL)

http://inlinethumb20.webshots.com/41171/2203119550104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2203119550104514396cZWiJp)


Mosque (masjeed)

http://inlinethumb55.webshots.com/42486/2630066960104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2630066960104514396ToStJL)

School

http://inlinethumb49.webshots.com/21424/2588828950104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2588828950104514396OSlbdf)

Villa

http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/14343/2763122420104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2763122420104514396cutXKG)

http://inlinethumb13.webshots.com/42508/2605383940104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2605383940104514396wMSMHF)

The first fully Western Style, multi-level Shopping Mall, the OK is designed around an internal full-height 50 metre long Atrium rising from the Mall’s entrance, through the first and second floors, and right up to the glass roof.

Walkways around the Atrium are reached by 20 metre travelators rising the four metres between floors. Shops at every level have their shopfronts to the walkways. The Atrium, walkways and the shops are fully air-conditioned and the HHP bring 24 hour electricity to the Mall.

design & features

Cafes, seating areas, indoor landscaping and fun features are sited all around the Mall. The second floor is an entertainment area and food court with a number of restaurants, fast food outlets and cafes, with a view to the Park and Gulan Road.

The underground car parking is approached via a ramp from the front elevation and trafic is controlled by electronic barriers and pay consoles.

Three air changes per hour and the washing of air flow ensures that in Summer internal mean temperatures will be kept at between 25c - 28c throughout the Mall and Shops. Toilets are placed on each floor. Landscaped balconies to the Atrium, music and shop advertising announcements and a supurb level of finishing to public and movement areas ensure that the OK Mall is a destination to visit - not simply a place to buy.


http://inlinethumb35.webshots.com/28130/2284255930104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2284255930104514396QXKZyM)

http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/42649/2015876240104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2015876240104514396oYImbc)

http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/43417/2311867920104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2311867920104514396iENzcp)

ENGLISH VILLAGE ONE
Commercial housing development to provide 420 homes for the Iraq middle income market.

The OK Shopping Mall on Gulan Road, Erbil

Iraq’s first full service, multi-level,
destination shopping centre.

Fully air-conditioned, 24 hour electricity, underground car park, full service shopping centre to
open early 2008.

four floors of prestige shopping, restaurant, games and fun outlets with a full height Atrium, panoramic lifts and travelator access between floors.

Erbil’s first destination shopping centre for a day or evening out.

click here for more info

In 2004 the Trade and Industry department of the UK Foreign Office asked JMJ to meet local Iraq partners with a view to setting up a housing consortium based at Erbil, the capital of Iraqui Kurdistan.

There followed the creation of the Hawler Housing Project whose objects have been to carry out commercial housing development in the Kurdistan Region based on the English Village brand. The first tract of land granted by the Kurdistan Regional Government to H.H.P. has been some 26 Hectares for the creation of the English Village One development of 420 homes. Sales began in Spring 2006 and all but a dozen of the houses are sold, and will complete in August this year with all the homes sold.

Construction started in early 2006 and is well towards completion with over 250 homes now occupied. English Village homes benefit from 235 M2 of space on two floors with five bedrooms full air conditioning, fitted kitchens and two bathrooms. H.H.P. have ensured from their own resources the provision of 24 hour per day electricity to every home.

http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/15915/2623818200104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2623818200104514396IpMZYG)

http://inlinethumb29.webshots.com/34844/2919672630104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2919672630104514396HiMSwC)

http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/7700/2891178110104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2891178110104514396Mhtrin)

http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/41361/2306410070104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2306410070104514396UeBwtq)

http://inlinethumb20.webshots.com/14099/2292337350104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2292337350104514396lPfmbR)

http://inlinethumb02.webshots.com/38401/2877777190104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2877777190104514396xBuMlC)

http://inlinethumb53.webshots.com/10932/2175595070104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2175595070104514396HViHdD)

http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/29219/2317919690104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2317919690104514396yabOXw)

:omg: Italian village looks amazing !!

thanks for the great updates dude!

Saudi, UAE firms win large construction contracts in Baghdad (Over $10 Billion)


The Iraqi government has appointed Saudi Oger to one of four contracts to redevelop the Al-Rashid district of Baghdad, whilst a local newspaper reports that a UAE firm is in the running to win a hospital contract for the district.

The Construction & Housing Ministry says it has selected four proposals to build 63,000 new housing units, along with commercial and recreational facilities in the district, which lies to the south of the capital in the heavily secured International Zone.

Saudi Oger is a Saudi based construction company that has grown into a multi-divisional organization with subsidiaries and affiliates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and abroad.

Earlier this year the Baghdad mayoralty submitted a thorough study of the project, which is expected to be one of the vital keys to the development of the Iraqi capital by bringing out a qualitative change in housing construction.

The new city will help solve the housing problem in Baghdad by providing 65,000 housing units for over 400,000 persons and is expected to cost over $10 billion.

The city will be established on an area of 5,000 donums (12.500 million square meters), with proposals to zone 2,500 donums for residential purposes, 440 donums for trade facilities, 400 donums for a sports city, 400 donums for a medical city, 700 donums for entertainment facilities and greenfield sites, in addition to 460 donums for the infrastructure.

Mu'een al-Kadhimi, head of the Baghdad Governorate Council, told Al-Sabah newspaper that a Gulf based firm was in the running to win a contract to re-develop the Al-Rashid Military Hospital, which was approved by the Saddami regime but never completed. The medical facility will house 1,000 beds, and the winning firm will be required to install modern medical equipment.

The IQD 600 billion project is expected to take three years to complete, and will be handed over to the Iraqi government upon completion, to be run by the Ministry of Health, Al-Kadhimi said.

Al-Sabah newspaper reported claims by unidentified sources that a UAE firm will win the contract.

Recently two UAE based construction giants announced plans for multi-billion housing projects in Baghdad and Iraqi Kurdistan.

TAGS wins Mideast contracts Iraq, Sudan deals to build 'airport cities'

Bangkokpost 11/12/2008


Thai Airport Ground Services is planning to expand heavily in the Middle East after the company recently secured contracts to provide airport services in Iraq and Sudan.


"Our aim is to become an 'airport city' provider and expand into the Middle East market," said Ladya Uriya, the president and chief executive officer of Thai Airport Ground Services (TAGS).


TAGS recently secured a seven-billion-baht contract to provide airport services at Al Najaf International Airport in Iraq to begin in March 2009.


Mr Ladya said the company also would provide ground services for six airports in Sudan in a deal valued at over 10 billion baht, excluding potential revenues from future air cargo and customs-free zone services.


The Al Najaf airport is run by the Kuwaiti company Al-akila Investment under a 30-year concession awarded by the Iraqi government. TAGS in turn has been appointed to manage airport services under a 10-year contract.


Mr Ladya said TAGS had sent more than 100 Thai staff to Iraq to help set up operating systems and procedures at the airport in preparation for the start of commercial services next year.


He said TAGS expected to employ at least 1,200 Thai staff at the Iraqi airport through the term of the deal.


The Sudan project involves six international airports currently open and run by the Sudanese government.


Mr Ladya said TAGS had been retained to upgrade the operating systems at six airports under a memorandum of understanding signed with the Sudanese tourism minister.


TAGS plans to send a team to Sudan in January to begin a survey of current airport systems and equipment.


Mr Ladya said airport authorities in both Iraq and Sudan have also indicated interest in having TAGS update their air cargo and customs-free zone systems to expand their commercial cargo and logistics handling capabilities. He said TAGS would leverage its experience in managing the free zone at Suvarnabhumi Airport, one of the largest in the world, for the Middle East projects.


TAGS, founded in 1990 by the Airports Authority of Thailand (now Airports of Thailand Plc), offers services including cargo and passenger handling, technical aircraft and line maintenance. Customers include United Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Qantas, Lufthansa, Japan Airlines, UPS, DHL and FedEx.


Mr Ladya, who joined TAGS at the beginning of the year, said the company's vision was to continue to expand to overseas markets, particularly in the Middle East, as a leading international airport services provider.


"Our target is simple - to be the best total solutions provider for the aviation industry in Asia," he said.


Mr Ladya acknowledged that the company's image over the past few years had been hurt, but insisted that the firm's future remained bright given its competitive advantages in terms of experience and staff.


TAGS has been forced to expand overseas after it failed to win the main ground services contract for Suvarnabhumi Airport. The company is a major subcontractor for nearly all operations at the airport, including running airport lounges for Thai Airways and supplying baggage trolleys for AoT. TAGS also manages ground handling services for the Phuket and Chiang Mai airports.

ur welcome..gotta admit it took me a while to find it!

^^ yea I know what you mean, we can find tones of articles but no pics ><

we need to find people who live / travel to iraq regularly so they get post some updates..

A proposal for Najaf:

http://investnajaf.com/Final-Report01.gif

OMG THIS IS BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!!
where did you get that picture ?

^^ I found it accidentally on this website when I was searching for pictures for the new international airport in Najaf (which i still cant find..)

there are loads more details about the project, here is the link:
http://www.investnajaf.com/htmltonuke.php?filnavn=in/waha.htm


More detailed photos and floor plans for the project (sorry about their giant size):

http://www.investnajaf.com/p/Final-Report29.jpg


http://www.investnajaf.com/p/Final-Report30.jpg


http://www.investnajaf.com/p/Final-Report31.jpg


http://www.investnajaf.com/p/Final-Report32.jpg


http://www.investnajaf.com/p/Final-Report33.jpg

A 5 star hotel in Najaf:

http://www.investnajaf.com/4/01.jpg
http://www.investnajaf.com/4/02.jpg
http://www.investnajaf.com/4/06.jpg

That's it Iraq is officially in competition with Dubai and other gulf cities !

19 December 2008 ( Iraq Directory )

The housing crisis is a major crisis affecting the lives of millions of people.

Iraqis have suffered too long from this subject which has become a nightmare for some people, or make them at the mercy of property owners who do not hesitate to raise the rents. The housing crisis has its own dimension particularly in poor and crowded areas, which usually small houses and crowded that make them socially and psychologically hard for the occupants.

Officials who appear on television talk sometimes about the depth of this crisis, or even some actions or projects intended to set up, but people generally have failed to recognize any steps and clear and effective point to a major operation was launched to address this suffocating crisis. The displacement conditions and bad security situation experienced by the country doubled from the weight of the subject, and some were forced to live in governmental departments and buildings to stay with their families because of the high rents which they suffered from.

While rents rose particularly in the most secure places, the improved security situation did not alleviate this problem, but rents prices generally increased in different regions.

yea, that does sound like a big problem.. but on the bright side, rising rents is a sign of economic growth ... apparently GDP for 2008 will be above 10%

Interesting thread. Seems Iraq became more calm and funds gathered from oil sales can be used now.
How Iraq performs in global crisis, is affected and those projects also will be affected, or Iraq is other story?

^^ Iraq is heavily affected by the low oil prices, it has cut down its budget for 2009 three times already because of the drop in oil prices, so it definitely affects government spending, but for foreign investment, I think it hasn't had much affect since most foreign investments have a long term yield.

Air France-KLM and Iraq's transport ministry have signed a preliminary accord which will see Iraqi Airways taking off for European destinations and Baghdad's airport being renovated, an official statement said Tuesday.

"The memorandum of understanding has three points: first, technical, which covers technically enabling Iraqi Airways to code-share flights with Air France-KLM," said ministry spokesman Samir Al-Showaili.

Air France-KLM will, secondly, assist "Iraqi Airways to enable it to fly international flights, including to Europe," he said.
Story continues below ↓
advertisement

The deal also includes, thirdly, the revamp of Baghdad's third terminal to international standards and the construction of airports in Iraq through investment companies.

Transport Minister Amer Abduljabbar Ismail told newswire AFP that his ministry is also in discussion with German and Danish air freight groups which could provide shipping services as early as 2009. He declined to elaborate.

In the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War, Iraqi Airways was hit hard by UN sanctions imposed against Iraq and its service declined rapidly.

After the US-led invasion in 2003, the airline slowly resumed flights and today the national carrier flies to the regional capitals of Amman, Beirut, Tehran, Cairo, Istanbul, Damascus and Dubai.

It also undertakes domestic flights to Basra in the south and to the Kurdish provinces in north.

Baghdad International Airport is still controlled by US forces who have a huge base at Camp Victory but as of Jan. 1, under a new military accord governing the presence of US troops until 2011, the airport will be returned to Iraqi control.

For years, the 12 km road from downtown Baghdad to the airport was one of the most dangerous in the capital, until the introduction of huge blast walls in early 2008 to protect against rocket and sniper fire.

Karbala, 29 December 2008 ( Voices of Iraq )

The Karbala Investment Organization signed on Monday an initial agreement with Lebanon’s International Group to build four hotels in the province, the organization’s deputy chairman said.

“The agreement was signed with a delegation from the company under its director Abbas Fawaz, who arrived in the city two days ago to tour sites there,” Jamal al-Haj Yassin told Aswat al-Iraq.

He said that the company applied for constructing four 5-star and 4-star hotels in different areas of the province, noting the Lebanese company is also planning to build two hotels in Najaf at a cost of $150 million.

International Group Holding is a Lebanese investment company specialized in constructing tourist hotels.

The holy Shiite city of Karbala, where religious tourism is flourishing, lies 110 km southwest of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

A Transport Minister Amir Abdul-Jabbar Ismail for the great project of FAO, which is one of the largest mega-projects which exceed the value of four billion euros.

A source at the Ministry of Transport pointed out that this project has been sponsored by the Ministry of Planning under the grant of Italy.

^^ hmm.. I wonder if this the same project as the giant port they are planning to build at al-fao from this post (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=28913834&postcount=127), or is it something else..

what project ? send link ..

PNA-Hulir: KORDI official said a high-level "that the timetables for the implementation of real estate and tourism projects, worth billions of dollars, in the territory of Iraqi Kurdistan in 2008, was not affected by the financial crisis plaguing the global real estate markets in neighboring Gulf states and cities."

He said that "all projects go as planned, with the exception of the draft, DAMAC Properties, the UAE company, which was late in starting the process of settling the land a result of the unloading and delivery."
saw the largest influx of investment into the territory of Iraqi Kurdistan in its history, thanks to security and stability, and investors digested the size of the facilities Almansosp in the Investment Law No. 4 of 2006, which gives them ownership of land and real estate by 100%, and exemption from taxes for 10 years, and the free movement of capital to and from the territory.
16 billion U.S. dollars in investments
In a telephone conversation from Erbil, a head of the investment in the territory of Iraq, Kurdistan Hersh Muharram Muhammad - the "market. Net" - the total volume of investments in the region arrived in 2008 to 16 billion dollars, with an investment of 8 billion came from the Gulf region, announced by the private sector companies, said it is committed to its implementation over the coming years. "
.
Did not start any of those projects, the implementation of Gulf companies established in Kurdistan, including the UAE, DAMAC Properties, which owns the largest private sector investment in the region worth 6 billion dollars.
Hersh says - in this respect - "The DAMAC launched a tender for a secondary contractors to start implementing the project, and is currently completing the procedures of unloading and delivery of the ground."
The billionaire owner of the UAE's Sajwani, "DAMAC" project was launched, "Tareen hills" in the first Gulf investment flows to a large Kurdish territory worth 6 billion dollars, including luxury villas and towers and services projects on the city of Arbil, one of the parties, and started his company from Dubai, and subtracting the units of limited real estate for sale months ago.
Large projects
He was Kurdish and Iraqi investors, with foreign partners have contributed to a large real estate projects in the booming real estate sector, some of which are carried out, while other projects still under implementation, including a large commercial project financed by the center of the capital Arbil, contains hundreds of centers, retail space as large as the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai , and housing projects, including: American Village project, the Canadian and the village, and there is a project idea is similar to Solidere, Lebanon cost billions of dollars. "
The Iraqi Kurdish businessman Chuan Mullah project launched in 2006 "Empire and the World", a real estate project, the total estimated cost of $ 350 million U.S. dollars, aims to provide the necessary infrastructure for regional and international companies to establish rules for their operations in the region.
As a businessman, was the Iraqi, Anwar al-Yasiri, director of television production, Dubai Media City "Erbil Media City", which is estimated to cost 400 million dollars for the first phase, and contribute to the Government of the Territory by 60% and 40% of Dubai, and this project was to strengthen the position of the territorial and economic investment .
الفرصة سانحة للاستثمار
Opportunity to invest
ي
According to Hersh, who works for the functions of the Minister of Investment, "The Gulf investments began to scramble over the territory since the beginning of the year 2008, and was able to occupy a prominent place among the total volume of investment."
adds, "In light of the circumstances of the global financial crisis, which did not affect the Kurdistan opportunity for companies and businessmen to travel to Kurdistan."
The territory of Kurdistan is not linked directly with the global economy through trade agreements and independent investment funds and capital markets, and affected by the crisis only through its stake in the Iraqi budget, the decline in oil prices in global markets.
The Kurdish official, leading the United Arab Emirates train investment, and is ranked first, followed by Kuwait, Saudi Arabia has had to sign any investments.

http://inlinethumb45.webshots.com/41708/2210809680104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2210809680104514396FbDSWD)

http://inlinethumb52.webshots.com/44595/2273293680104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2273293680104514396XgPPvG)

http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/40888/2653805120104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2653805120104514396rXnZqb)

http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/7962/2313302010104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2313302010104514396KeRoOr)

http://inlinethumb14.webshots.com/2573/2467617790104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2467617790104514396kCGHVl)

http://inlinethumb35.webshots.com/41378/2955419070104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2955419070104514396WUzGXx)

http://inlinethumb59.webshots.com/14906/2905117970104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2905117970104514396vDwDxi)

http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/43991/2480602730104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2480602730104514396TeljdK)

http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/30471/2507161260104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2507161260104514396rKSvoT)

http://inlinethumb60.webshots.com/17787/2262826900104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2262826900104514396sSyNVl)

http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/44769/2392329690104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2392329690104514396YYQXHA)

http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/31433/2783007000104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2783007000104514396BgCoOV)

http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/12143/2158620110104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2158620110104514396SBpSeb)

http://inlinethumb51.webshots.com/37426/2622945150104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2622945150104514396DNrbEZ)

http://inlinethumb20.webshots.com/43347/2098555600104514396S500x500Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2098555600104514396PTjALm)

http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/38801/2874313570104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2874313570104514396DNYUVw)

More info on http://www.canadiantown.net/english.html

Excellent progress that is going in Kurdistan (however, the cookie-cutter houses admittedly send some shudders down my spines).
Though it underlies a more sobering thought. One which goes along these lines:

"What do we have to gain for helping the rest of Iraq? We have a stable education system and infrastructure. Our Peshmerga have kept peace in the region. Investors from the West are flocking to this area due to that peace.
Why should we bother helping those Arabs down south? When the Americans overthrew Saddam, we build our region up while they did nothing but bicker and send death squads against each other. They seem to have no interest in building. Besides, I bet that they will have nothing to do with us anyways. Attempting to help them will only strain our own resources."

Not saying I agree with that mentality; it's just what I hear from many Kurds I have communicated with.
Here's hoping for the three factions to work it out so that there can be true peace and progress overall, not just in certain parts.

1st this is not a place to describe your political feelings
2nd I hate people who mention Kurds and Arabs in Iraq because we are Iraqi
belonging to one united Iraq and believe me those projects are mostly done by Arabs, so they gain from it not you.
3rd Kurds in Iraq also fought between them until 1998 (Peshmerga and KDP) and it ended like all wars..so eventually Arab will stop fighting soon due and also there is a low terrorism activity in all Iraq especially in south (NONE) .

1st this is not a place to describe your political feelings
2nd I hate people who mention Kurds and Arabs in Iraq because we are Iraqi
belonging to one united Iraq and believe me those projects are mostly done by Arabs, so they gain from it not you.
3rd Kurds in Iraq also fought between them until 1998 (Peshmerga and KDP) and it ended like all wars..so eventually Arab will stop fighting soon due and also there is a low terrorism activity in all Iraq especially in south (NONE) .

:applause::applause::applause:

Establishing Largest City in Middle East in Nassiriya

The Thi-Qar investment authority on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding with a Turkish company to set up the largest industrial city in the Middle East in the city of Nassiriya, the head of the authority said.

“The authority signed the memo with the Austem company to set up the biggest industrial city in Nassiriya at a total cost of $8 billion for five years,” Dr. Ismail al-Aboudi told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The company is considered one of the biggest companies in Middle East and has assisted in the development of the Turkish industry by 30 percent because of the company’s experiences,” he added.

Nassiriya, the capital of Thi-Qar, lies 360 km south of Baghdad.

2nd I hate people who mention Kurds and Arabs in Iraq because we are Iraqi belonging to one united Iraq and believe me those projects are mostly done by Arabs, so they gain from it not you.Hey, I agree!
And I truly wish Iraq all the best. It is one my top destinations that I would really like to visit.

Sorry if I offended anybody.

^^ no problem, glad that you agree :)

ERBIL Towers is a giant project, unique of its kind, distinguished in its design and comprises 5 gigantic commercial towers. The project provides offices, exhibition centers, commercial units and international restaurants for local and foreign business people of all industries .

http://inlinethumb28.webshots.com/38939/2721847260104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2721847260104514396hzdvSd)


http://inlinethumb38.webshots.com/26533/2698728230104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2698728230104514396RLlSLT)


http://inlinethumb01.webshots.com/43584/2849134560104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2849134560104514396eqrtZu)


http://inlinethumb55.webshots.com/822/2455154550104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2455154550104514396xysSYV)


http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/42010/2821014590104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2821014590104514396NBnPwK)


http://inlinethumb63.webshots.com/42750/2033225080104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2033225080104514396tISdQs)


http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/42351/2945563530104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2945563530104514396iCcxlR)


http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/41063/2986380500104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2986380500104514396ZrkVSS)

:omg: this will be a landmark in Erbil !!


I counted 30 floors each !

Great find Dude !

Welcome bro..thing is 30 floors these days are not enough lol IRAQ NEED 80 FLOORS !
and for some reason you only find pictures for Erbil developments ..can't find Baghdad's or other cities project ( only read about them but no pictures ) :(

http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/41063/2986380500104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2986380500104514396ZrkVSS)
Holy Crap!
That's... wow...
Talk about something that stands out. Is that going to be in the city center or the outskirts?

Holy Crap!
That's... wow...
Talk about something that stands out. Is that going to be in the city center or the outskirts?

i have no clue..

most likely in the new part of town i suppose ..

Here are some pics of new Erbil I found around the web..

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3233/3119528915_001167b127.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/2986805843_32e4d229c0.jpg?v=0

http://www.kurdistan4all.com/guarden1.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3227/3122837996_fdeb69d393.jpg?v=0

nice mosque:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/3133339765_63cb4bd3f3.jpg?v=0

Hotel proposal for Erbil:

http://www.sardararchitects.com/photo/r2.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3227/3122837996_fdeb69d393.jpg?v=0

i think that's an old mosque half built and left in Saddam era..it was never finished, i passed by there many times. It is located in Baghdad .

i think that's an old mosque half built and left in Saddam era..it was never finished, i passed by there many times. It is located in Baghdad .

yeah it's one of two grand mosques that were under construction, the other one being the al rahman mosque of course...

Oh thanks for that info Dude & Soballe. I knew about the Al-Rahman mosque, but didnt realise there was another one..

I wonder if they will ever complete them, especially the Al-Rahman mosque, the structure is more than half way done..

http://www.moodiereport.com/images/erbil_airport_artists_02_long.jpg

http://www.moodiereport.com/images/erbil_airport_artists.jpg


IRAQI KURDISTAN. Noor Kurdistan for Aviation, the operator of the existing airport in Erbil and of the new international airport under construction, has signed a management agreement with Phoenicia Erbil (Off Shore) SAL, to manage and operate all of the Arrivals and Departures retail sales areas at both locations.

The ten-year contract covers both duty paid and duty free sales.

Phoenicia Erbil (Off Shore) SAL is the newly established subsidiary of long-established duty free retailer Phoenicia International Holding, best known for its acclaimed duty free cigars operation at Beirut International Airport.

Phoenicia Managing Director Walid Saleh told The Moodie Report: “The existing Erbil International airport is currently serving around 500,000 passengers per year coming from various European & Middle Eastern destinations, including Vienna, Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Stockholm, Amman, Beirut, Dubai and Tehran.”

Duty free will form a core element of the new airport
The shops cover 750sq m of retail space across both Arrivals and Departures. Duty free sales will be offered to diplomatic delegations as well.

The major categories to be offered include liquor, tobacco, cigars, fragrances, cosmetics, confectionery and electronics.

The launch of the operation is expected by the beginning of September, Saleh said.

Oh thanks for that info Dude & Soballe. I knew about the Al-Rahman mosque, but didnt realise there was another one..

I wonder if they will ever complete them, especially the Al-Rahman mosque, the structure is more than half way done..
Heres what it would have looked like if finished

http://www.bayanconsult.com/img/image/m1.jpg

Close up: this is a huge mosque

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/2766992.jpg?v=1&c=EWSAsset&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19390335F8FA9CA92A616DE69DEF2EDCB40CE6F2949D3FE87AA

^^ Oh really?! I thought this was the al-rahman mosque?

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/images/baghdad_mosque_031106-f-7234p-030.jpg

the one in the render looks so different, maybe I'm mistaken..

It is an unfinished mosque, probably not going to look the same, the outer domes both number 8, however most likely not going to be important, might never be finished or might just be completed as is.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2009/01/15/mme.b.risky.business.cnn?iref=videosearch

Director of the municipality of Basra (attached): the city will witness a qualitative leap in services and will be ready for the Gulf 21
2009-01-17 5:38 م
2009-01-17 5:38 PM

Basra / commented / Al Fares

The director of the municipality of the southern city of Basra, Ismail Ghazi return "The Basra like the rest of Iraqi cities other services need to be a result of the devastation and destruction caused by military operations in the city over the past years"

"The city will witness a qualitative leap in the provision of services and will be ready to receive the Arabian Gulf Cup football (Gulf 21) in 2013," said the return of (suspended), "There are many errors associated with those services from the water and sanitation (sewage), where There are plans were not a deliberate act by the government institutions in the past, especially since the city's infrastructure totally destroyed and closed, "adding that" there are many mistakes accumulated over the past several years in the implementation of projects and business, including (D-optic cables and electrical reticulation of water and sewage Almthrip, which has suffered much from neglect, in addition to the lack of agriculture, but that there needed to be the work of many studies to promote the services provided by the citizen. "The city of Basra, which is the economic lifeline of Iraq I have seen in March of last year's massive military operation launched by the name ( outreach Knights) for the prosecution of criminal gangs, and the promoter of the drug trade and groups outside the law with the units of the army and Iraqi police backed by multinational forces.

The return to "the city of Basra, one of the most cities that have experienced significant progress in the municipal services provided, as we work in the past years there was no budget and was the simple, and work will start in 2006 after rising allocated the necessary funds for the rebuilding of part of the brown destroyed infrastructure, "he said," The grant allocated by the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki after the end of military operations in the (exploration Knights) and the amount of (100) million dollars paid in full by the joint committees established between the Basra Governorate Council and the Department of the municipality and the Secretariat of the Council of Ministers in the development of service sectors as quick to raise the level of reality in the city, a service that is not within the financial budget, "adding that" the amount allocated is not enough of Basra because they need huge amounts of money "The increase we have requested the return of financial allocations for the lifting of the pace of work and speed up the implementation of many important projects and vitality. He pointed out that amounts, however, does not fill a quarter of the estimated value of our municipal services. He pointed out that the mayor of Basra, was able to expand the work of six people of the municipality are (stronghold, Rabat, Ashaar, Khurp, Qibla, in addition to district-Hussein), and configured to be an independent directorates to the municipality of Basra It is part of administrative decentralization and to raise the level of performance in accordance with plans and the right, and not with the coordination of seminars over the routine work, and was director of the municipality of the southern city of Basra that the municipality had a wide afforestation campaign for the city to create a green belt around and inside the city and street paving and building drainage systems According to modern models of health and we have to dust the settlement of many non-populated areas to open the way for the modern citizen of the building and expansion of the city, note that there are areas that had been uninhabited for housing and are now ready for housing and investment, and the Director of Basra that the preservation of the municipality is fully prepared to make the city of Basra city civilized, modern, noting that host Cup Gulf (Gulf 21) which separates the city to make more sophisticated and dissolved out beautiful. noting that the mayor of Basra, has coordinated its work with the investment in the province through a survey of many of the territories or areas open to the investment and construction of tourism complexes large and large commercial buildings (Mullac).

^^ lol i'm guessing that was machine translated ><"
"which separates the city to make more sophisticated and dissolved out beautiful" :lol:

the CNN clip doesnt load up :(

Baghdad Greets First European Passenger Flight in 18 Years

http://www.iraqupdates.com/attachements/tn/photo1075.jpg

The first passenger flight from Europe in 18 years landed at Baghdad International Airport early this month when a Swedish charter aircraft touched down.

The Nordic Leisure airliner brought in 150 people, most of them Iraqis, resuming air links between Iraq and Europe for the first time since the United Nations imposed sanctions on Iraq after Saddam Hussein’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

More international flights are expected in the coming days, including one from Hong Kong, Iraqi Transport Minister Amer Ismail told reporters at the airport.

The pilot waved the Swedish flag as he was bringing the MD-83 (McDonnell Douglas) plane to halt on the tarmac of the airport.

Late last month, Air France-KLM and Iraq’s Transport Ministry signed a preliminary accord which will see Iraqi Airways taking off for European destinations and Baghdad airport being renovated.

In the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War, the state-owned Iraqi Airways was hit hard by UN sanctions imposed against Iraq and its service declined rapidly.

After the invasion in 2003, the airline slowly resumed flights and today the national carrier flies to the regional capitals and major cities of Amman, Beirut, Teheran, Cairo, Istanbul, Damascus and Dubai.

The Iraqi government in May 2008 ordered 30 Boeing 737 commercial airplanes in an agreement worth up to 2.2 billion dollars.

^^ lol i'm guessing that was machine translated ><"
"which separates the city to make more sophisticated and dissolved out beautiful" :lol:

the CNN clip doesnt load up :(

lol oops i got it from another forum..

Baghdad Greets First European Passenger Flight in 18 Years

http://www.iraqupdates.com/attachements/tn/photo1075.jpg

The first passenger flight from Europe in 18 years landed at Baghdad International Airport early this month when a Swedish charter aircraft touched down.

The Nordic Leisure airliner brought in 150 people, most of them Iraqis, resuming air links between Iraq and Europe for the first time since the United Nations imposed sanctions on Iraq after Saddam Hussein’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

More international flights are expected in the coming days, including one from Hong Kong, Iraqi Transport Minister Amer Ismail told reporters at the airport.

The pilot waved the Swedish flag as he was bringing the MD-83 (McDonnell Douglas) plane to halt on the tarmac of the airport.

Late last month, Air France-KLM and Iraq’s Transport Ministry signed a preliminary accord which will see Iraqi Airways taking off for European destinations and Baghdad airport being renovated.

In the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War, the state-owned Iraqi Airways was hit hard by UN sanctions imposed against Iraq and its service declined rapidly.

After the invasion in 2003, the airline slowly resumed flights and today the national carrier flies to the regional capitals and major cities of Amman, Beirut, Teheran, Cairo, Istanbul, Damascus and Dubai.

The Iraqi government in May 2008 ordered 30 Boeing 737 commercial airplanes in an agreement worth up to 2.2 billion dollars.

The rest of Iraq is getting it but in a slow pace..give it less than a year and i think it will start booming also ( INSHALAH)

Iraq’s Al-Mustansiriya University has signed an agreement with US certification provider Certiport, to deliver the Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC3) to its students.

The agreement, which was signed in London yesterday, aims to certify around 19,000 students at the Baghdad University in the IC3.

The IC3 is intended as a foundation course in core computing and Internet skills for all types of employment. The certification covers operating systems, networks, applications and the Internet.

Certiport will initially train ten lecturers from the university, who will then implement curriculum tools to train the students.

David Saedi, president and CEO of Certiport said: “Al-Mustansiriya University continues to demonstrate the leadership necessary in Iraqi higher education to prepare Baghdad and the nation as a whole to be globally competitive in the new economy.”

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/543836-al-mustansiriya-university-to-train-students-for-ic3

http://www.avrocity.com/english/resimler/g.gif

http://www.avrocity.com/english/resimler/g2.gif

http://www.avrocity.com/english/resimler/g7.gif

http://www.avrocity.com/english/resimler/g10.gif

http://www.avrocity.com/english/resimler/g14.gif

http://www.avrocity.com/english/resimler/g27.gif

http://www.avrocity.com/english/resimler/g29.gif

http://www.avrocity.com/english/resimler/g28.gif

http://www.avrocity.com/english/resimler/g11.gif

http://www.avrocity.com/english/resimler/g22.gif

http://www.avrocityvillas.com/english/resimler/g1.gif

http://www.avrocityvillas.com/english/resimler/g2.gif

http://www.avrocityvillas.com/english/resimler/g5.gif

[IMG]http://www.avrocityvillas.com/english/resimler/g6.gif[IMG]

http://www.investnajaf.com/htmltonuke.php?filnavn=in/waha.htm

http://www.investnajaf.com/htmltonuke.php?filnavn=in/s1.htm

One of the biggest project's so far ...

Yeah my parents and siblings went to dohuk to visit over the summer and said that apartment blocs were going up all around the city... they didn't take photos though, awesome news dude, good find and thanks for posting

OMG !!! a great find Dude (as usual :lol:) really surprised Dohuk has such a big development, I've always thought it had no urban areas, only scattered villages.. great news !

I have to say tho.. i'm not very convinced about this tower.. it looks a bit out of place lol, an office building in middle of a high rise block all by itself ... maybe its a hotel?

http://www.avrocity.com/english/resimler/g10.gif

I have to say tho.. i'm not very convinced about this tower.. it looks a bit out of place lol, an office building in middle of a high rise block all by itself ... maybe its a hotel?


lool i think it's a Hotel..

Yeah my parents and siblings went to dohuk to visit over the summer and said that apartment blocs were going up all around the city... they didn't take photos though, awesome news dude, good find and thanks for posting

i heard also it's a ghost city over there...for some reason people like more Erbil than Duhok

21 January 2009 ( Iraq Directory )

Baghdad Municipality invited a number of international specialized companies in (Metros) to bid for the subway project in Baghdad, which would be the first of its kind in Iraq, where the municipality allocated $ 3 billion dollars for its establishment.

The Mayor of Baghdad, Sabir al-Issawi stated on Monday that this project would be on two ways, the first track starts from Al-Sadr City, where the status of the main train and ends in Antar Square in the district of Adhamiya.

"The second track is about 21 km and 21 stations, starts from Al Fatih Square in Al-Rusafa and ends at the intersection of Sharjah in Al-Karkh.






Speaking of the Baghdad's metro, did anyone saw the project pictures on Al Iraqiyah ? I can't find them on the net.. :gaah:

21 January 2009 ( Azzaman )

A Canadian firm is to build 5,000 housing units in the religious city of Karbala, provincial officials said.

The Investment Commission in the city has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Canadian firm, they added.

The spokesman for the commission, Raid al-Asali, said the project, the largest in the city, will be constructed on an area of 1.1 square meters in Karbala outskirts.

Asali gave no figure on the cost. However, he said the cost of the project would be determined once its designs and economic feasibility studies are completed.

The project will include health clinics, schools, tourist facilities and other public amenities, he added.

Thx for update. I found it amazing as the rest of the world is now source of gloomy news.

BTW, how looks security in Iraq now? I've read somewhere US will move out in 3 years, also there were some talks between Resistance groups and Iraqi Government. How accurate are those informations? If you don't want to discuss it here, just send me PM, please.

Thx for update. I found it amazing as the rest of the world is now source of gloomy news.

BTW, how looks security in Iraq now? I've read somewhere US will move out in 3 years, also there were some talks between Resistance groups and Iraqi Government. How accurate are those informations? If you don't want to discuss it here, just send me PM, please.

welcome to this thread Assurbanaipal :)

Your right, we don't generally talk about politics on this thread (there are plenty of forums around the web for that). but short answer (with no politics) is that security has improved significantly, but still not there yet. and yes, all US forces will be out in 3 years (if not earlier), all other foreign forces will be out by July 2009.

21 January 2009 ( Iraq Directory )



Speaking of the Baghdad's metro, did anyone saw the project pictures on Al Iraqiyah ? I can't find them on the net.. :gaah:

Man!! i've been trying to find some on the web for ages.. its so hard
but yea i've seen them on TV few times .. for somereason most projects in iraq have no websites or info.. or even a wiki article..

we need some insiders to grab us some pics lol

Man!! i've been trying to find some on the web for ages.. its so hard
but yea i've seen them on TV few times .. for somereason most projects in iraq have no websites or info.. or even a wiki article..

we need some insiders to grab us some pics lol


hahaha :lol: you mean an ICIA (Iraqi Central Intelligence Agency) agent ?

hahaha :lol: you mean an ICIA (Iraqi Central Intelligence Agency) agent ?

LOOL I meant someone who works in the metro project , but an intelligence agent will be good too :lol:

Man!! i've been trying to find some on the web for ages.. its so hard
but yea i've seen them on TV few times .. for somereason most projects in iraq have no websites or info.. or even a wiki article..

we need some insiders to grab us some pics lol
That's probably because the networks all over Iraq are currently under construction, give it another few years and there will be tons of info coming out of Iraq.

i heard also it's a ghost city over there...for some reason people like more Erbil than Duhok
I don't know the corruption in the north is unprecedented, Most of the infrastructure built by Kurdish companies is of poor quality, the turks and other foreign companies build alot better, mostly because they put less of that money into there pockets and more into the actual job. I'm guessing thats where the money's going to at current.

All right, seems like Iraq is getting back on track, very nice and astonishing projects, here are the main economic figures for 2008 according to the CIA World Factbook:

Iraq

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$113.9 billion (2008 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$84.09 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.6% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,000 (2008 est.)

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/iz.html#Econ

^^ thanks for that laurus, I've been waiting for an official GDP figure for a while now..
tho i'm a little dissapointed, the growth figures that people have been using around the web for 2008 are between 8% to 10% 6.6% seems a quite low..

^^man u are talking about acountry that went throught 30 years of wars and economic sanctions and technically speaking iraq been kind of stable for about 9 months now so hopefully by time will be heeps better inshallah.

damn that is low man..hopefully it will be better for 2009 inshallah..

^^man u are talking about a country that went throught 30 years of wars and economic sanctions and technically speaking iraq been kind of stable for about 9 months now so hopefully by time will be heeps better inshallah.

yes i know, but for 2005 the real growth was 52% , and 2008 was a much more "stable" year than 2005 and 2007, so i expected a higher figure.. especially that most news i read stated that the inflation rate was very well controlled in Iraq (which directly affects the real GDP growth figure)

hopefully this year will be much better :) (even though 2010 is the year that most electricity generation projects will go online)

^^i was hoping electricity will improve this summer so i can spend summer in iraq this year:)
u know it reaches 50 degrees some times in summer specially in basra imagine with no electricity:uh:

1. Did you see the sprawl in the photos?!!!
2. An American Village?! oh for crying out loud, Baghdad has it's own style and the style is beautiful, the American one does not even work with people's lifestyle.
3. Haven't we had enough buldozing already?!
4. What piligrims in Baghdad?!! It's not Macca?! Even so, you don't need to destroy the city's history to build a hotel.

Dammit that is our style!
Iraq has it's own beautiful styles! :)

^^i was hoping electricity will improve this summer so i can spend summer in iraq this year:)
u know it reaches 50 degrees some times in summer specially in basra imagine with no electricity:uh:

Well if your lucky and live next to Saddam's old palace (my dad's house) you might get 24/7 electricity if not, it depends by region like in Basra electricity will be hopefully 12 hours or more due to low violence and especially no attacks on electricity infrastructures. Even if not that much there's always the good old mouwalada! (generator) lol

^^ your dad lives in Saddam's place :O


hmm.. some friends & relatives we know who live in Baghdad say they get 24 hrs (or close to it) from the grid .. it depends alot on the area i guess..

You should go back in winter Karar, not summer LOL... that's insane.

^^ your dad lives in Saddam's place :O


hmm.. some friends & relatives we know who live in Baghdad say they get 24 hrs (or close to it) from the grid .. it depends alot on the area i guess..

You should go back in winter Karar, not summer LOL... that's insane.


lol nope he lives next to it ..saddam use to have his own private electric grid ( SOB ) so after the war they connected the few house next to it ..like at least 100 house..and now they get 24/7 electricity

^^ oh looool, that's interesting, i never knew that

$1.5 Billion New City in Dewaniya

Dewaniya, 26 January 2009 ( Al-Sabaah )

Investment committee in Dewaniya province assigned 10 thousand donums, or 25% of the province center area, to build new city as it would contract with private company to build 1000 homes in the province's outskirts.

The new city would cost around $1.5 billion, as the committee considers many bids to build the city that would be named "New Dewaniya" that includes various-designed homes, health care centers, parks, malls, sport arenas and cultural facilities, Hakim Khuza'i head of the investment committee said.

lol nope he lives next to it ..saddam use to have his own private electric grid ( SOB ) so after the war they connected the few house next to it ..like at least 100 house..and now they get 24/7 electricity
24/7 electricity shouldn't be too far away, there have been some huge deals signed by the govt with GE and Siemens that will either meet demand or come close enough to satisfy the people enough to increase the security situation.

Hey, arent there some mosques being rebuilt in limestone? I don't remember which ones they are but I know the stone comes from Indiana! :D

24/7 electricity shouldn't be too far away, there have been some huge deals signed by the govt with GE and Siemens that will either meet demand or come close enough to satisfy the people enough to increase the security situation.

yah but the thing is when are they going to start it ? ? ? ? TIME IS PRECIOUS

sorry thats the only photo i got get for the saad intrsection square in basra

http://i42.tinypic.com/nedk40.jpg

roads construction in basra

http://i40.tinypic.com/2prd0zm.jpg

sorry thats the only photo i got get for the saad intrsection square in basra

http://i42.tinypic.com/nedk40.jpg

roads construction in basra

http://i40.tinypic.com/2prd0zm.jpg


yah that is pretty old

Karbala, 28 January 2009 ( Voices of Iraq )

A Turkish company has received an investment permit to build a housing compound in Karbala province at an estimated cost of $248 million U.S. dollars.

“The compound will include 5,000 housing units,” the media director of Karbala’s Investment Commission, Raed al-Assly, told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

The company has presented its designs to the commission, which gave the go-ahead for the launch of the project, he noted.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the commission and the Turkish company in September 2008, the official added.

The holy Shiite city of Karbala lies 110 km southwest of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

Thi-Qar, 29 January 2009 ( Voices of Iraq )

The Investment Commission in Thi-Qar on Wednesday granted a Kuwaiti company an investment permit to build a superb tourist hotel at an estimated cost of $40 million U.S. dollars.

“Abdelrazeq al-Salihi and Partners Company has received a permit to set up a five-star hotel of international standards during a ceremony held today at the Businessmen’s Union Hall and with the participation of Thi-Qar Governor Aziz Kadhem Alwan,” Ismail al-Abboudi told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“The permit was granted after all legal procedures had been completed in accordance with the Investment Law no. 12 of the year 2006,” he explained.

“The project includes the establishment of a six-story hotel on an area of 14,000 square meters,” Abboudi noted, adding that the estimated completion period is 30 months.

Nassiriya, the capital city of Thi-Qar province, lies 385 km south of Baghdad.






I don't get it...why 30 months for a 6 story building ? In Dubai that will take them 1 month !

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu320/Rsaid21/090129f9.jpg
I believe this is the pic of that hotel, I'm sure it isn't as hard to import materials anymore, maybe the infrastructure isn't in place...

^^yes thats apic for the hotel.

I don't get it...why 30 months for a 6 story building ? In Dubai that will take them 1 month !

LOL yea ><" time frames for some of the projects are so ridculous

1500 Housing Units in Sulaimaniyah


The government of Kurdistan region have announced the imminent establishment of a village containing 1500 housing units in the province of Sulaimaniyah.

That has came in a release by the Minister of construction at the region government Emad Ahmed, according to a statement issued of the NMC, indicating to that one of the specialized German companies will execute the village project inside Settak district at Sulaimaniyah with the cost of 70 million dollars.
http://www.iraqupdates.com/attachements/tn/photo1152.jpg

ive read it also but i don't get it ...is those this picture related to the subject? in other words is this project ?

http://inlinethumb04.webshots.com/34819/2470973080104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2470973080104514396yyXpAm)

http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/44651/2314410050104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2314410050104514396RDVnDI)

http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/43453/2138526940104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2138526940104514396qlGigc)

http://inlinethumb14.webshots.com/42701/2584016050104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2584016050104514396mijrzS)

http://inlinethumb47.webshots.com/31854/2960922840104514396S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2960922840104514396mJYAFN)

ive read it also but i don't get it ...is those this picture related to the subject? in other words is this project ?
most likely not >< but it came with the article

is that in iraq?! where is this project? Arbil?

is that in iraq?! where is this project? Arbil?

yah those are the houses in Tarin hills

6520 MW Electricity production !

The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity on Thursday said that it has managed to increase its overall power production to 6,520 MW, the highest in its history.

“Baghdad’s production of power has reached 2,100 MW,” according to a ministerial statement received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“These high figures will help achieve power self-sufficiency in the shortest period possible,” the statement added.

On December 15, the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity signed a contract with General Electric to import $3 billion worth of stations with a capacity of 7,000 MW. It has signed another contract with Siemens to set up new power generating stations with a capacity of 3,300 MW.

6520 MW Electricity production !

The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity on Thursday said that it has managed to increase its overall power production to 6,520 MW, the highest in its history.

“Baghdad’s production of power has reached 2,100 MW,” according to a ministerial statement received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“These high figures will help achieve power self-sufficiency in the shortest period possible,” the statement added.

On December 15, the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity signed a contract with General Electric to import $3 billion worth of stations with a capacity of 7,000 MW. It has signed another contract with Siemens to set up new power generating stations with a capacity of 3,300 MW.


Almost there hopefully ...

5000 housing units in the marshes of Maysan, Dhi Qar and Basra.

The Minister of State for Marshes, Hassan al-Sari has concluded a memorandum of understanding with a Swiss company to construct 5000 housing units in the marshes of Maysan, Dhi Qar and Basra.

Al-Sarri stated on Thursday that the ministry will distribute these residential units free of charge to the recipients.

He called on all the global organizations to activate their role of investment across the facilities provided by Iraq to foreign companies to reconstruct the marsh area, which has suffered from neglecting policies and deprivation during the reign of previous regime.

450 more Units for Sulaimaniyah

Kurdistan region government has signed a contract with Ukraine to construct large number of residential units in Sulaimaniyah.

A statement issued of the NMC, as Eye Media has received a copy of which, has mentioned that a delegation of Ukrainian businessmen have visited the city of Sulaimaniyah on Tuesday, and concluded an agreement with the businessmen at the region of Kurdistan to establish 450 housing units in Sulaymaniyah.

The government of Kurdistan region had earlier announced the conclusion of an agreement with a German company to establish a village contains 1500 housing units with the cost of 70 million dollars in Sulaymaniyah.

Basra is now less dangerous than Manchester, the general commanding British troops in Iraq has said.


Add requested on crime rate in Manchester
Maj Gen Andy Salmon told The Daily Telegraph that following months of steady improvements in the security situation in Iraq's second city, the rate of violent crime and murder in Basra has fallen below some major British cities.
"On a per capita basis, if you look at the violence statistics, it is less dangerous than Manchester," he said, hailing a "radical transformation" in Iraq's prospects.
Since an Iraqi government offensive largely routed violent insurgent groups in Basra last May, British officials in Iraq say that the city has become ever more secure and stable and the Iraqi security forces increasingly competent.
In the latest sign of progress after years of insurgent attacks on British and Iraqi forces, local elections last month passed off without significant violence.
"In a nutshell, Basra is stable," said Maj Gen Salmon.
The general, a Royal Marine Commando, also jokingly compared Basra and Stockwell in south London where he once lived. Asked where he would rather spend a Saturday night, he replied: "Downtown Basra, in the restaurants, enjoying myself."
He said: "It's pretty normal down there: people going about their business, the nights bustle, people are enjoying themselves, kids are playing in parks. People are concerned about the normal things you'd be concerned by: jobs, the delivery of essential services, their future prosperity."
The improved security situation was witnessed by Bob Ainsworth, the Armed Forces minister, who this week visited Basra. Previously, visiting ministers have been confined to secure military bases, but Mr Ainsworth was able to walk the streets of the city and meet locals.
Almost every one of the Iraqis Mr Ainsworth spoke to named the economy and unemployment as their main concern instead of the security worries that predominated in earlier years.
Mr Ainsworth said he had seen "nothing but progress" on his visit and said his walkabout was proof that Basra has been transformed.
He said he was concerned that British people did not realise how much southern Iraq has changed in recent months. "Most people back home haven't caught up with the reality of what has gone on on the ground," he said.
Maj Gen Salmon said the improving security situation is largely down to the presence of very large Iraqi army and police forces: there are more than 30,000 Iraqi security forces in a city of more than 2 million. He said: "The risks are diminishing on a monthly basis. Security, as far as the population is concerned, has ceased to be a concern."
According to British military estimates, the murder rate in Basra fell from 22 in October to 11 in January. Only one of January's deaths has been linked to extremist groups; the rest were "old-fashioned" crimes.
Maj Gen Salmon will be Britain's last general officer commanding forces in Iraq. Starting next month, he will oversee the withdrawal of all but around 400 troops who will remain to train Iraqi forces.
Accepting that the British presence in Iraq since the 2003 invasion has been intensely controversial, the general insisted that the results are now positive.
"We have been through some ups and downs, but the fact is, we have stayed and endured and we have ridden the ups and downs," he said. "We had an opportunity to get behind the Iraqis, get them on their feet. That's what we have done."
After the UK "drawdown," the main British base outside Basra will be taken over by American forces.
Maj Gen Salmon was insistent that there is no question of the British leaving with tasks unfinished, forcing the Americans to take over their work.

Emirates International Investment Company (EIIC) is planning a multi-billion dirham real estate project in Iraq as it looks to take advantage of growth opportunities in emerging markets in the region, the group chief operating officer said.

The Abu Dhabi-based private investment firm was in the early stages of carrying out a feasibility study considering three possible locations in the country, Constantin Salameh, said on the sidelines of the Arabian World Construction Summit in Abu Dhabi.

“We are looking at Iraq where we believe there is going to be some significant short-term opportunities,” he said.
Story continues below ↓
advertisement

In addition, it was close to starting construction on an AED6bn ($1.6bn) to AED8bn project in Algeria, he added.

Salameh said the company would only consider investments in the Middle East North Africa region where a minimum of 20 percent returns could be achieved for its shareholders but that both the Iraq and Algeria projects would offer “significantly higher returns.”

It would pay for the investments through a mixture of debt and equity financing and revenue from pre-sales, he said.

EIIC is part of National Holding, a leading Abu Dhabi-based private holding company.

It has five divisions spread across the real estate sector (Bloom Properties), industry (Exeed Industries), wholesale and trading (RISE General Trading), oil and gas (Petromal) and an investment wing (EIIC Investments).

The company has majority stakes in Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Citadel Holding of Egypt

Tags looks abroad for new opportunities to expand

Bangkokpost Published: 27/01/2009 at 12:00 AM


Facing limited new business opportunities at home, Thai Airports Ground Services Co (Tags) is pursuing a strategy of growing its portfolio overseas, including in far-flung locations like Iraq. The company, 28.5% owned by Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT), has set an ambitious target of contracts from the 303 new airports to be developed in Asia over the next two decades.


So far, Tags' determined move offshore has included securing a contract for services including passenger and cargo handling at Al Najaf International Airport, a former military airfield about 120 km south of Baghdad.

The company also expects to win contracts to provide ground handing services at six airports in Sudan.

Tags is said to be at an advanced stage of talks to serve several central African airports, which the company declines to name due to strong competition from other bidders and the sensitive nature of negotiations.

It is also targeting emerging opportunities in India and China, where the bulk of Asia's new airports will be developed over the next 20 years.

This year alone, Tags aims to secure new contracts to serve 10 airports in the region.

Tags chief executive Ladya Uriya said Tags' future lies in overseas contracts. Their contribution to the firm's total revenue is targeted to grow to 30% in 2011 from 10% this year.

Opportunities to land major new airport service contracts in Thailand are now drying up, Mr Ladya pointed out.

Tags, which was set up in 1990, has already got a fair share of business at the country's four major airports _ Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket and Chiang Mai. Service requirement volumes justify its presence here but other airports in Thailand are too small for Tags to get involved, said Mr Ladya.

The foreign airports that Tags is keen to capture are described by the 45-year-old chief executive as medium-to-large facilities, with international status, daily traffic of at least 40-50 flights and throughput of 800 passengers.

''We will enter into countries which offer definite opportunities, stability, security and strong partnership,'' he said.

Local partnerships will be vital for Tags to land overseas airport service contracts. In the case of Al Najaf airport, Tags works with Aqeeq Aviation Holding, a subsidiary of Kuwait's Al-Aqeelah, which was mandated to manage the civil airport. The facility, converted from a military airfield, started commercial flights in July last year.

Al Najaf is a key destination for millions of Shiite pilgrims yearly, who visit the city's various religious locations.

The Al Najaf contract is for three years with renewal options with a span of three years. Some 60 Thai staff have been assigned to carry out the work at a managerial level.

Tags is training 300-400 Thai staff to assume senior management positions in countries where it can secure service contracts.

In Thailand, the company has begun to capitalise on the logistics business by working with parties involved in the supply chain. This will augment Tags' management of the free zone at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Tags, which employs 3,500 people, expects to increase its profit to 60-70 million baht this year, up from 50 million baht last year

all of these projects are converting Iraq cities in a cars paradises.

no care for global warming and human interaction

this is the future: http://www.newurbanism.org/newurbanism/principles.html

^^ :lol:

Iraq went through almost 3 decades of wars and sanctions, do you think the average iraqi cares so much about global warming? they still dont have 24hr electricity for god's sake!!

Iraq is still a developing nation, and is it needs all types of investment that it gets, regardless if it causes global warming or not.. compared to India and china, and obviously USA.. Iraq has produces so little green house gasses!!

Iraq is going to care and should about global warming.
Once it kicks in which countries do you think are going to be feeling it first?
The poor ones, like Iraq.
There will be less food, hotter summers, less water, and less everything.
It is EVERYONES issue.
Seems like for the first time in a long time humanity is united by the fact that we are all going to suffer.

^^ Iraq's Oil & gas revenue makes up more than 90% of its GDP.. Its the only playing card that Iraq has, do seriously think Iraq can afford a 'green economy' ?!

maybe when Iraq has a developed and diversified economy it can take steps towards reducing CO2 emissions; otherwise its just wishful thinking.

all of these projects are converting Iraq cities in a cars paradises.

no care for global warming and human interaction

this is the future: http://www.newurbanism.org/newurbanism/principles.html


HAHAHA btw does iraq produce any Co2 ? LOL

Saturday, 14 February 2009

Abu Dhabi-based EIIC is to embark on three major construction projects across Iraq.

Emirates International Investment Company (EIIC) is set to launch three major real estate projects across Iraq.

The Abu Dhabi-based group is carrying out a feasibility study, and expects to make an announcement "over the next few weeks."

The comments were made by EIIC COO Constantin Salameh speaking at the Arabian World Construction Summit.

"We are now in the feasibility stage," Salameh said. "We haven't signed, but you will hear over the next few weeks about the projects we have coming up. These are primarily real estate projects."

Salameh refused to reveal the value of the upcoming projects, though did say that they were "fairly large," comparing them to similar EIIC projects in Algeria.

"To give an idea of the size of our projects, in Algeria we are talking about 2 million m2 of mixed-use property. This is valued at around US $2.18 billion (DZD156 billion) or more," he said.

EIIC concentrates its business within the industrial, property, general trading, and oil and gas sectors. Its real estate development arm is Bloom Properties.

Salameh said EIIC, while maintaining its focus on Abu Dhabi, was looking to emerging markets over the medium term.

"Our business model is emerging and we are diversifying into real estate, industrial, and financial services in emerging economies," he said. "These countries are good examples of places where we believe there is going to be significant growth in the short- to medium-term."

The move into Iraq will see EIIC become the latest in a line of UAE-based construction firms looking to the recovering country's emerging construction sector.

Damac Properties announced a $15 billion development in Kurdistan last year while Abu Dhabi based property developer Al Maabar International announced a $10 billion project in Baghdad.

Iraq is due to spend $15 billion this year on repairs to its crumbling infrastructure. This figure represents almost 25% of the country's draft 2009 budget, which was revised down from $80 billion to $62 billion last month in reaction to sliding oil prices.

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/546641-eiic-to-launch-three-iraq-projects

IMES Consulting Group MD David Edwards investigates why Iran and Iraq are now bright spots on the global retail landscape.

So it's official. The US, the UK and most other developed economies are formally in recession, as defined by two consecutive quarters of negative growth. Of course, we all knew that this was coming, indeed to read the newspapers you would have thought it was the case months ago, but it's nice to have expectations confirmed.

Meanwhile here in the Gulf the gloom deepens, with almost daily announcements of projects delayed, workers laid off, hotel bookings down and retail sales slipping. All of this means that we denizens of the Gulf feel rather as if we're in a recession even though we're not.

Western-style supermarkets are rare even in the more prosperous districts of North Tehran.

That's why this is an interesting time to look at two regional countries where market prospects are somewhat detached from the malaise in the Western economic system, Iran and Iraq.

Prior to 1979 the Iranian market was very open to imported consumer goods but the Islamic revolution brought this to an end. More recently, Iran has come under strong pressure since President Bush declared it part of an "axis of evil" in 2002, pressure which intensified after Washington accused Tehran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons and of trying to subvert US efforts in Iraq.

Relations remain very strained and in particular limit the ability of American companies to do business in Iran.

Yet with a population of more than 72 million people, the Iranian market is potentially twice the size of the entire GCC. Moreover the country has many characteristics that are attractive to marketers - over 50% of the population is under the age of 25, most people are relatively well educated with a literacy rate at around 80% and 65% live in urban areas, simplifying distribution to them.

Although from statistics Iranians appear relatively poor with a per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of just over US $4000, it can be argued that most households are not too badly off at all: nearly all homes have refrigerators, televisions etc; many people hold down two jobs; women are active in the workforce; Iranians living overseas remit funds to family at home.

Working on a purchasing power parity basis, which adjusts for the relative cost of living, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that GDP per capita is more realistically over $10,600, or at a level close to that of Oman. On the negative side, both unemployment, which is at least 16%, and inflation (17.5% in 2007) are high.

Iran's economy is characterised by an inefficient public sector, an over reliance on exports of oil, and statist policies that create market distortions.

A large proportion of economic activity is still controlled by the state, through a system of ‘Bonyads', large charitable foundations set up after the Revolution to control economic interests that had previously been owned by the Shah or his supporters.

Increasingly, however, the Bonyads are entering private ownership, since the Government's position on privatisation started to change in the late 1990s. For example, by far the largest dairy company is the Iran Dairy Industries Company (IDIC), which was previously wholly state-owned but is now undergoing at least partial privatisation.

The retail sector is severely underdeveloped with Western-style supermarkets rare even in the more prosperous residential districts of north Tehran.

Restrictions on imports arising either from international sanctions or more importantly from Iran's own protectionist licensing and tariff regime have encouraged international companies to look increasingly to joint ventures or other forms of local co-operation in order to penetrate the market.

For example, unlike in other markets around the region, Coca-Cola and Pepsi do not dominate supply of carbonated soft drinks. Rather the market is predominantly in the hands of four charitable foundations, which together control around 60% of the carbonates market.

However both Coca-Cola and Pepsi have now recommenced local filling operations, and indeed are taking increasing market shares, in co-operation with local partners. The only really significant imported product in the beverage market is Aujan Industries' Rani juice imported from Dubai.

In light of its success, Aujan is currently building two neighbouring factories in Iran - one to produce cans, both for its own use and sale, and one to fill them with Rani for the local market, after which imports will cease.

In the dairy sector, local processor Sahar Dairy Company has finalised joint ventures with two international partners, Fromagerie Bel and Groupe Danone, with in each case the international company holding the majority. In the short term at least, the venture with Fromagerie Bel is the more significant as it involves milk, cheese, cream and butter while the Danone venture is more limited, being focused on dairy desserts.

Looking west to Iraq, far less is known. This large country, with a population approaching 30 million people and substantial oil resources, has been more or less off-limits to outside businesses for almost 20 years, originally because of sanctions following the first Gulf War and more recently because of poor security subsequent to the US invasion in 2003. It is one of the world's great untapped markets.

At a time when property prices around the world are plunging, those in Baghdad are soaring and are now double the level of three years ago, a trend which has accelerated since the security agreement under which US forces will leave Iraq by the end of 2011.

In terms of trade, there is no question that very significant volumes of consumer goods enter Iraq overland from neighbouring countries including Iran but also Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Turkey.

Perhaps more surprisingly it is also clear that some of this is re-exported. The local consumer goods industry itself is very underdeveloped, not least because of the difficulty in obtaining new plant and machinery over the last two decades, and industrial scale food processors are few - although some traditional market pioneers such as Coca-Cola do already have bottlers in place.

However, the market is served by a large and thriving artisanal sector supplying a basic range of products to the local populace where they are located.

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/546583-time-to-look-at-our-northern-neighbours

The long wait in Iraq for the foreign investment that was supposed to pour in after the 2003 U.S-led invasion may finally be over as violence begins to fade, U.S. officials believe.

‘‘We've heard this before, but the conditions are lining up (such) that there could be significant interest being shown by Western companies," said Marc Wall, the top U.S. economic official in Baghdad.

Wall signalled that a sharp drop in violence, coupled with perceptions of progress for Iraq's fragile democracy, may put to rest the concerns that have so far kept major Western investment, especially in Iraq's lucrative oil sector, at bay.

Foreign investment will be one of the keys to transforming Iraq's economy, now almost entirely reliant on oil and unable so far to fuel broad-based growth, into an engine that can create jobs and rebuild the country after years of war.

When the Bush administration led the invasion to oust Saddam Hussein in 2003, Washington promised to reinvent an economy frozen in time, and establish a flourishing, modern free market.

Six years and tens of thousands of deaths later, many Iraqis complain that life is no better than it was under Saddam.

In Baghdad many get only a few hours of public electricity a day, public healthcare and education falls far short of what it should be, and private sector jobs are scarce.

Iraq is lucky to be sitting on the world's third-largest oil reserves, and the government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is in the midst of welcoming competition from the world's biggest oil firms, like Exxon Mobil and Total, to secure contracts to develop major oil and gas fields.

While growth outside Iraq's oil industry has finally begun to stir, sectors like agriculture, industry and tourism are dwarfed by oil and prospects for major development are distant.

Some investment from fellow Arab nations, especially the Gulf, has begun to trickle into Iraq, but the dearth of Western and especially U.S. firms operating on the ground is stark.

Iraq remains a dangerous place. Suicide bombings and car bombs occur daily, and recent weeks have seen a worrying uptick in political assassinations after the Jan. 31 provincial elections.

Security costs for Western officials or businessmen are hugely expensive. Most travel around Baghdad in armed convoys - when they are able to venture outside walled compounds.

There is a perception, too, of serious political risk. Tension is mounting between the government of Prime Minister Maliki, a Shi'ite Arab, and semi-autonomous Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq over oil resources and territory.

Many ask if Maliki, who made a strong showing in the local polls, will try to grab more power. Corruption is another worry.

Wall, who has the rank of ambassador, called the election a milestone, for the simple fact it was not marred by violence.

"Politics are becoming more normal. What that means is the door is open for greater business activity and ... engagement."

He said Iraq may benefit from the global financial crisis, as it might prompt some to look past Iraq's security risks in stacking up regional investment opportunities.

"The banking sector was essentially closed off, and did not suffer contagion," he said.

"On relative terms, this place looks better. Western companies see an untapped market."

But the global economic slowdown also poses a major risk for Iraq as it depends on oil for 90 percent of its revenues.

After oil prices collapsed from their all-time high last summer, amid expectations for lower demand, Iraq was forced to slash 2009 spending plans twice, and officials say that budget woes could start to impact reconstruction spending in 2010. (Reuters)

I have been told that Erbil was booming, but this is really amazing.

Does anyone know construction / arch. consultancies working in Iraqi Kurdistan?

I have been told that Erbil was booming, but this is really amazing.

Does anyone know construction / arch. consultancies working in Iraqi Kurdistan?


yes Erbil is booming hardcore like dubai right now, the rest of Iraq following
and will be at the same level by next year hopefully.

About jobs, you can reach the companies that are building there, like Damac Properties, Noor holdings or any others.

5,000 housing units in Basra $1.5 Billion

An Iranian firm has won a $1.5 billion contract to build a new town in the southern city of Basra, Hayder Ali, the head of Basra Investment Commission said.

The town will include 5,000 housing units as well as modern amenities like schools, markets, parks and health facilities, he said.

It is Iran’s largest construction contract in Iraq since the 2003-U.S. invasion and signals Tehran’s economic arm in a country that is practically still ruled by its nemesis, Washington.

News of the massive contract comes only a few days after a landmark visit to the country by Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki to Baghdad during which the countries were reported to have drawn a roadmap to boost trade exchange value to $5 billion.

Iran has expanded its diplomatic reach in Iraq. Besides its embassy in Baghdad, it now has diplomats offering consular services in at least four other cities.

The new town will have all the facilities of a modern city, Ali said.

He said there will be a supermarket, 2,000 commercial shops as well as annexes offering different services.

Iranian construction firms are active in several places in Iraq and currently dominate the country’s building projects.

Iraqis are said to be very fond of their designs and luxurious styles, particularly the newly rich in northern Iraq.

Flats built by Iranian firms in the Kurdish north are said to cost up to $250,000.

Government to Build a 5000 Unit Residential Complex to House IDPs


The Iraqi government plans to build a residential complex 25km south of Baghdad to house people who have been squatting in abandoned government properties or land since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled the government of former president Saddam Hussein.

“The residential complex will be built in Mada’in area and will include 5,000 residential units which will be distributed to the squatters,” Moyeen al-Kadhimi, Head of Baghdad’s Provincial Council, said.

Al-Kadhimi stressed that the government, which has clashed with the squatters in the past, would deal with them peacefully, taking into account their humanitarian needs.

Al-Kadhimi did not elaborate but another council official, who requested anonymity as he was not authorised to discuss official plans before they were finalised, said that the council would be soliciting proposals from local and foreign constructions firms over the next two months.

The official added that discussions were still underway on how the residential units would be distributed and on what payment terms.

Arbil, 18 February 2009 ( The Independent )
By Patrick Cockburn

As the price of housing collapses in the rest of the world, it is soaring in Baghdad. “Property is the fastest way to make money here,” says Mohammed al-Hadithi, who runs a real estate office in the wealthy Yarmouk district of west Baghdad. “Over the past two years there has been a big rise in the market because the security situation is calmer.”

Until recently anybody wanting to sell a house in Baghdad avoided putting up “for sale” signs because they were closely watched by gangs who would wait for the purchase to go through and then kidnap the seller or one of his children so they could demand the selling price as ransom.

House prices have risen by 50 per cent in many parts of central Baghdad during the past year, and rents have almost doubled. Mr Hadithi says that this is explained primarily by the end of the war. “Refugees are returning, but not to the places where they once lived,” he says. “A Shia who owns a new and expensive house in a Sunni area will want to sell it and buy a cheaper one in a Shia-majority district for safety reasons.”

Baghdad has become wholly divided into sectarian enclaves since the Sunni-Shia civil war of 2005-07. Long grey concrete walls snake through the city, cutting off neighbourhoods from each other. Exits and entrances are closely guarded. Checkpoints every few hundred yards create horrendous traffic jams. There is far less violence than two years ago, but there are still daily bombings and assassinations.

The property market reflects the outcome of the Sunni-Shia war, in which the Shia were by and large the winners. Baghdad is today probably about 75 per cent Shia. The Sunni – traditionally the richer community – have been pushed into smaller enclaves. “It is very well known that the majority of the Sunni areas, like Mansour, Yarmouk, Amariya and Khadra, are expensive in comparison with Shia ones,” says Mr Hadithi. “So the Shia living there think it is better to save their lives and buy a cheaper house in a Shia area like Palestine Street.”

Refugees who fled either to other parts of Iraq or abroad – mostly to Jordan and Syria – are beginning to return to the country. From the 4.2 million people who fled, the UN refugee agency expects that 500,000 will come back this year if the violence stays at present levels. This will have a disproportionate affect on Baghdad because, of the 1.6 million who became refugees after the al-Askari Mosque bombing in February 2006, some 63 per cent came from Baghdad.

The returning refugees will not find it easy to secure housing. Many never were rich and others have used their savings to wait out the war. A typical middle-class house in Yarmouk costs $340,000 (£240,000), while a similar one in Palestine Street costs $240,000, according to estate agents.

Even before the civil war Iraq was chronically short of housing. Ms Bayan Dezayee, the Minister of Construction and Housing, said last month that by 2015 the population of Iraq would be 39 million and there is a need for 1.9 million extra housing units. Very little has been built over the last six years.

The spectacular rise in house prices is not good news for the majority in Baghdad. Nadia Salem, a 42-year-old accountant at al-Rafidain Bank, says: “It is really hard for any employees to own a house in Iraq and Baghdad for many reasons, the most important of which is the impact of the new rich. These are the people who made money after the occupation, either because they stole from the banks in the week after the fall of Baghdad, or contractors who got millions and millions for construction, though in fact they built nothing.”

Mr Hadithi confirms that in central Baghdad businessmen and contractors “who won tenders from the Americans and the government became rich very fast”. They are buying up big houses in expensive areas like Mansur either to live in or as an investment, expecting embassies and foreign companies to start to return to Baghdad. There is also a rumour that the government will ask international companies to move out of the Green Zone, which means they will have buy or rent elsewhere.”

The rich in Iraq are not just those who did well out of the war since 2003. Saddam Hussein’s wars, starting in 1980 with the Iran-Iraq war, and UN sanctions, created a stratum of wealthy Iraqis. Jassem Ibrahim, a 49- year-old technician at the Ministry of Oil, says: “It is becoming so difficult, not just for poor people, but for the middle class, to own a house because of the high prices, and the government does nothing to protect us from greedy house owners. I got land in 1987 but I did not have enough money to build on it. I sold it in 1989 because my cousin joined the Dawa party and was executed and I was dismissed from my job. All my life I have rented houses.”

Under Saddam Hussein, army officers and officials were often rewarded by being given state land on which they built. This secured their loyalty and also defused popular anger over the high price of housing. But this course may not be so easy for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki because of the fall in the price of oil. As the price of oil has dropped to below $40 a barrel, he is seriously short of money. The housing price boom is a sign that peace is returning to Iraq, but it is also underlining the vast gap between rich and poor in the country.

It's a damn shame whats happening to the poorer population, all the while under the noses of a government that refuses to act

Hey guys there is a iraqi forum aliraqi.org that you guys might like, you might already be members but FYI....

yes, i think iraq will have a very big gap between the rich and the poor, perhaps expected from fast economic growth...

I just saw a news report on tv about a village near al-ahwar where everyone in the village doesn't even know how to read or write !! the entire population lives in extreme poverty with no electricity at all !! not even for one hour :ohno:

yes, i think iraq will have a very big gap between the rich and the poor, perhaps expected from fast economic growth...

I just saw a news report on tv about a village near al-ahwar where everyone in the village doesn't even know how to read or write !! the entire population lives in extreme poverty with no electricity at all !! not even for one hour :ohno:


I think Iraq will have a modern system like many western countries such as welfare programs or anything that will help the poor. We use to have that back before Saddam's regime,i read in a book that Iraq was the only one in Asia who's quality of life was compared to Europe and North-America. It's just a matter of time, as we say God is with the patients!

^^ sure hope you're right dude ..but it will not be easy .. the population has grown so much since the 60s and 70s, and the crumbling infrastructure will cost $400 billion to fix at the most optimistic estimates ... but as u said .. "إن الله مع الصابرين"