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Iraq signs deals to advance new civil airport project

By Pramod Kumar
A rendering of Nasiriyah International Airport in Iraq. Bilateral trade between China and Iraq amounted to nearly $50 billion in 2023 CSCEC
A rendering of Nasiriyah International Airport in Iraq. Bilateral trade between China and Iraq amounted to nearly $50 billion in 2023

Iraq has signed two contracts for the construction of Nasiriyah International Airport in Southern Iraq.

The Iraqi transport ministry this week signed an addendum to the construction contract with China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) and the consulting contract with Turkey’s Kiklop Design Hertz Insaat, the state-run Iraqi News Agency reported.

The Turkish company will oversee construction implementation of the first civilian airport in the Dhi Qar governorate, while the Chinese company will construct the airport, the news agency reported, quoting Taha Khaled Ismail, director of the legal department at the General Company for Airports and Air Navigation Management.

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Last year, CSCEC commenced the construction on the 3,400-metre-long runway at the airport.

The runway will be capable of landing wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A340. Once completed, the project will have an annual passenger capacity of 2.5 million.

The Iraqi government signed the construction deal with CSCEC in June 2021.

Iraqi Airways resumed direct flights from Baghdad to Beijing this month, ending a hiatus of several years, with hopes of increased business travel and tourism.

According to the International Trade Centre, bilateral trade between China and Iraq amounted to nearly $50 billion in 2023.

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