Iraq Awards $764 Million Contract to Global Consortium to Develop Baghdad Airport

The Iraqi government has approved a $764 million Public-Private Partnership to develop and operate Baghdad International Airport, awarding the contract to a consortium led by Corporacion America Airports (CAAP) in partnership with Amwaj International. The consortium will finance the project entirely with no cost to the government and will allocate 43.05% of the airport's annual revenue to the central treasury during the concession period, reportedly 25 years. The development plan includes constructing a modern passenger terminal initially capable of handling 9 million passengers annually, expandable to 15 million, along with upgrades to runways, aprons, firefighting systems, and other infrastructure. The project aims to enhance airport services to meet international safety and security standards, improve global connectivity, and create approximately 1,000 direct jobs for every additional million passengers. The tender process was overseen by the International Finance Corporation, ensuring transparency and competitiveness against rival bids. Iraq is also using this public-private partnership model for managing other airports, including reviewing bids for Mosul International Airport.