Iraq’s capital Baghdad needs to build 850,000 new houses to tackle a widening supply shortage caused by years of wars, an official has said.

The number accounts for nearly a quarter of Iraq’s housing needs of around three million units, said Abdul Zahra Hindawi, a Planning Ministry spokesman.

He told Alforat Bews that the Iraqi capital has the highest housing needs in the country.

Officials said last month a new residential city would be built in Baghdad’s outskirts with 100,000 units that will house at least 600,000 people.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)

Subscribe to our Projects' PULSE newsletter that brings you trustworthy news, updates and insights on project activities, developments, and partnerships across sectors in the Middle East and Africa.