Iraqi PM Invites International Airport Operators to Invest in Mosul International Airport
Why It MattersOpening a rebuilt but still largely domestic airport to private operators points to Iraq seeking outside capital and expertise for aviation capacity in its post-conflict northern provinces.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on Monday invited international companies specializing in airport management and operations to invest in Mosul International Airport, as the government seeks to expand aviation services in Nineveh province after years of conflict and reconstruction. During his visit, Zaidi described Mosul as "a civilizational gateway for Iraq and an important window to the world" and said the government was committed to completing key projects to address the province's service and economic needs.
The airport resumed domestic operations in November last year, ending an 11-year closure. It was extensively damaged during the war against the Islamic State, which seized Mosul in June 2014; Iraqi forces retook the city in a campaign that began in October 2016, recaptured the airport in February 2017, and Mosul was declared liberated in July that year.
Reconstruction began in August 2022 with a budget of about 200 billion Iraqi dinars ($142.8 million). The facility has a main terminal hall, a VIP lounge, modern radar systems and a 3,000-meter runway, and can accommodate up to 630,000 passengers and handle 30,000 tons of cargo annually. Earlier this year it hosted international flights carrying pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, but it remains closed to other international passenger services.
