A Qatari investment group is planning to build a large tourism village in the Iraqi capital Baghdad comprising a hotel, houses and restaurants, Iraq’s media reported on Monday.

The Iraqi cabinet has approved the project proposed by Estithmar Holding, a public listed group with a diverse portfolio of 51 companies, the report said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani on Sunday reviewed an outline of the project in central Baghdad and said it would receive government support, Shafaq News agency and other Iraqi publications said, citing a statement by Sudani’s office.

The 47,000-sq-metre project includes the construction of a hotel, public halls, a chain of international restaurants and houses inspired by the history and civilisation of Mesopotamia, the report added.

In June 2023, Estithmar Holding announced the signing of three memorandums of understanding worth $7 billion with Iraq’s National Investment Commission (NIC) to develop new cities, 5-star hotels and manage and operate several hospitals in Iraq.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)