By John Lee.
According to the National Investment Commission (NIC), a new financial and economic city is planned for land adjacent to Baghdad International Airport, with all infrastructure costs to be met by private investors rather than the state.
The NIC confirmed that the land in question is state-owned, with ownership legally divided between the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Finance. The Commission said that any current occupation of Ministry of Transport land by third parties constitutes an unlawful encroachment, while Ministry of Finance land has been transferred to the NIC under Council of Ministers Resolution No. 375 of 2025.
Previous agricultural contracts on the land are considered legally void, the NIC said, as the plots have been converted to commercial uses in breach of their original purpose. The Ministry of Water Resources has confirmed that no water allocation exists or is planned for these areas, making continued designation as agricultural land impractical.
The project is based on a mixed-use model encompassing commercial, residential, educational, and services facilities. Key stated objectives include:
- Relocating company headquarters, commercial offices, and large warehouses from congested central Baghdad to the new city
- Reducing property and office rental prices across the capital as a result of the commercial shift
- Full private-sector funding of all internal and external infrastructure
- Investors to provide land and built facilities to the state at no cost as part of their development obligations
The NIC said the project falls within the urban planning framework established under Baghdad Basic Design Law No. 156 of 1971 and is consistent with the Baghdad 2030 Comprehensive Development Plan approved under Council of Ministers Resolution No. 24882.
(Source: National Investment Commission)
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