Iraq has awarded a number of road projects, including Baghdad’s ring road, to foreign companies within ongoing plans to rebuild its war-damaged infrastructure, an Iraqi official was quoted on Thursday as saying. 

The contracts were awarded three weeks ago to a number of “well-reputed and experienced” foreign companies, said Sabah Abdul Lateef, an adviser to the Iraqi Prime Minister for Construction and Housing. 

In a statement published by Aliqtisad News and other Iraqi publications, Lateef said the projects comprise a ring road in the capital Baghdad to ease traffic congestion, as well as new bridges and roads, and expansion of the city’s gateways. 

“The Prime Minister has issued instructions to award such important projects to well-reputed foreign companies with long experience in this field….we signed these contracts with a number of foreign firms about three weeks ago,” he added. 

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)