Iraq has drawn up a list of projects which it intends to award to Chinese companies under a landmark oil-for-projects agreement signed with Beijing three years ago, an Iraqi official was reported on Wednesday as saying. 

The projects in various parts of Iraq cover infrastructure, new cities and other housing complexes, roads and bridges, energy, water desalination, health and other sectors, said Haidar Majeed, a spokesman for the Iraqi Cabinet Secretariat. 

“The Planning Ministry has drawn up a list of strategic projects which will be carried out as per the agreement with China,” Majeed said, quoted by Aliqtisad News network. 

He said the list would be presented to China to select the interested companies, adding that the projects do not include the $367 million Nasiriya Airport in South Iraq, which will be executed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC). 

Under the oil-for-projects deal signed in mid-2019, Chinese firms will undertake projects in Iraq in exchange for crude oil supply. 

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon @lseg.com)