IFC partners with Baghdad Airport to locate private sector partners; what's the attraction? Part one

Airport infrastructure in parts of the Middle East, and notably those blighted by war and terrorism, is sadly inadequate.

Earlier this year CAPA - Centre for Aviation reported on attempts to modernise processes at Beirut's airport by way of a management contract offered to Ireland's daa International, but regrettably - it fell through.

Now the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has partnered with Baghdad International Airport to find private sector partners for a PPP to upgrade and modernise the airport in a project which would involve investment.

Few potential partners surveying the existing operations at Baghdad would be enraptured by the potential for either point-to-point or transit traffic growth - and definitely not when the financial and political state of the country is thrown into the mix.

But business and leisure tourism into Lebanon is booming, despite massively high costs, and that in itself must offer some comfort to the Iraqi government and the IFC.

This is part one of a two-part report.