Under the mandate, the IFC will act as lead adviser in attracting private sector participation in the expansion and rehabilitation of QAIA and conduct a study into the feasibility of privatising RJ. The government will base its decision on the the results of the study.

IFC's role on the airport expansion will be split into two phases - transaction preparation and implementation - with the assignment expected to take nine months to complete. Officials at the Civil Aviation Authority say the expansion plan for the airport is likely to be carried out on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis.

A consortium led by Germany's Lufthansa Consultingsigned a four-year, $3 million contract to provide technical assistance to the Transport Ministry in July 2004 (MEED 30:7:04).