Iraq supplement synopsis

Rebuilding Iraq is the top priority of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government.

In 2010, Baghdad published a five-year National Development Plan 2010-14 that aims to repair the country’s war-torn infrastructure. It lays out $186bn of planned public and private investment for the next few years.

Iraq is now the fastest growing projects market in the region. According to regional projects tracker MEED Projects, about $363bn worth of projects are now planned or under way in the country, up 41 per cent from the beginning of 2011.

On March 16, MEED is publishing a special supplement on the Iraq Projects market. It provides in-depth analysis of the investment requirements of the country and the opportunities available for international businesses to become involved in the reconstruction effort. 

Iraq Projects examines the major sectors of the economy and details the projects planned and under way as well as providing essential information on key government clients. It will feature expert analysis and comment from leading officials in the Iraqi projects market.

The supplement will be published along with MEED magazine and will also be distributed at MEED’s Iraq Energy, Iraq Utilities and Iraq Infrastructure conferences, which will be held during 2012.

CONTENT SYNOPSIS

Energy projects

With nearly 10 per cent of the world’s oil reserves and more than 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, Iraq’s energy sector has huge potential for further growth. The government has set ambitious plans for raising output to more than 12 million barrels a day (b/d) by 2017, from less than 3 million b/d today. The supplement details the projects proposed and under way to raise oil production, along with Baghdad’s plans for its gas sector.

Power and water projects

In 2010, Iraq managed to produce less than half the 13,000MW of electricity it requires. Blackouts are a daily occurrence for many and access to reliable supplies of water is also not guaranteed. The Electricity Ministry has drawn up a programme of projects to deliver up to 32,000MW of extra capacity by 2030 and efforts are also being directed to improving water provision. But progress has been mixed. The supplement analyses the opportunities in the utility sector.

Construction

With an estimated housing shortfall of 3.5 million housing units, Iraq is gearing up for a major construction boom. The five-year National Development Plan also identifies huge requirements for new schools and hospitals. Work is already under way with the award last year of $1.5bn of housing construction contracts to a major US firm. The supplement examines which will be the next projects to be tendered.

Transport

Much of Iraq’s transport network has been wrecked by decades of war and neglect. For the country’s economy to get back on its feet, the efficient movement of goods and people is essential and efforts are under way to improve transport links. A $60bn programme has been drawn up to upgrade Iraq’s airports, $51bn of which will go into overhauling Baghdad International Airport and developing an airport city. Between 2012 and 2015, the government also aims to invest $5.8bn in improving road networks and there are also projects planned to rehabilitate and expand Iraq’s ports and rail network. Iraq Projects supplement analyses where opportunities lie for contractors and consultants operating in the transport sector.

Regional development

Iraq’s provinces have long complained that resources, funding and development are diverted away from them and into Baghdad. The government has dedicated 17 per cent of its five-year development budget to the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region. A separate feature will examine the opportunities in the Kurdistan region’s project market.