Iraq tempts local firms with projects worth $1T
Jan 11,2013
Korean
companies are welcome to follow Hanwha Group’s lead in helping
reconstruct Iraq and investment opportunities abound, said Sami R.
Al-Araji, chairman of the Middle Eastern country’s National Investment
Commission (NIC), yesterday.
The Baghdad-born chairman, who is
visiting Korea with 14 members of his technical committee, said Iraq’s
reconstruction projects will be worth up to $1 trillion over the next
decade. He said he hopes Hanwha Engineering and Construction’s recent
deal will encourage other local players to follow suit.
Hanwha
hit the jackpot last May after signing a $7.75 billion deal with the NIC
to build a new city. Better known as the Bismayah New City Project
(BNCP), the deal is the single-largest overseas construction project
ever won by a Korean company.
“Many Korean companies can see the
Hanwha deal as a stepping stone,” said Al-Araji during a press
conference at the Plaza Hotel in central Seoul. ”We would like to
welcome other Korean companies with expertise to participate in the
project.”
The chairman said the reconstruction work will be
spread over two five-year plans, one from 2013 to 2017 and the other
from 2018 to 2022. For the first five years, Iraq will grant projects
worth a total of $300 billion, including new refinery plants and
electricity facilities and factory upgrades. It will also build one
million houses.
“Iraq hopefully in 2017 will be exporting six
million barrels of oil,” he said. “There are immense and diversified
projects that can hopefully put Iraq back where it was.”
As for
security, Al-Araji said 16 to 20 Korean companies already have offices
there and are managing without any significant problems.
“Iraq
today is stable and secure,” he said. “I won’t say it’s a comfortable
place to work, but I know Koreans are accustomed to working in all kinds
of environments.”
The Korean government is also willing to
support such deals. The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency on
Wednesday signed a strategic partnership agreement with NIC and will
hold a business forum in April.
“The problem for Korean companies
to do business in Iraq is financing,” said Kim Hyun-myung, Korea’s
ambassador to Iraq. “The government’s role is to create greater trust
and credibility between the two sides.”
Meanwhile, Al-Araji said the NIC is talking about extending its business ties with Hanwha, one of Korea’s top 10 conglomerates.
Hanwha
E&C has already been handed full responsibility for the design,
supply and construction of the city for a seven-year period. At 1,830
hectares (4,522 acres), the city located 10 kilometers (6.2 miles)
southeast of Baghdad will contain 100,000 houses. It requires new
infrastructure, including roads and water and sewage facilities.
“We
discussed building several power plants, refineries, and also talked
about insurance cooperation,” he said. “Hanwha is in a privileged
position, and it has already earned the respect of the Iraqi people.”
Al-Araji,
who holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering, said the absence of
Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn would not affect the group’s
business dealings in Iraq.
Kim was sentenced last August to four
years in prison and given a 5.1 billion won ($4.5 million) fine for
embezzlement and breach of trust. The 61-year-old tycoon is currently
hospitalized after the Seoul Central District Court agreed on Tuesday to
release him from prison until March 7 for health reasons.
“We’re
very sorry about the incident and we wish him well,” Al-Araji said.
“Our relationship will not be affected because there is a commitment
from Hanwha Group and the Korean government.”
Hanwha E&C said
all plans are running on schedule and it is currently building a base
camp where 26,000 workers can reside. Its BNCP unit will move to Iraq in
March, while the official construction of houses will begin in
December.
By Joo Kyung-don [kjoo@joongang.co.kr]
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Jan 11,2013
Korean
companies are welcome to follow Hanwha Group’s lead in helping
reconstruct Iraq and investment opportunities abound, said Sami R.
Al-Araji, chairman of the Middle Eastern country’s National Investment
Commission (NIC), yesterday.
The Baghdad-born chairman, who is
visiting Korea with 14 members of his technical committee, said Iraq’s
reconstruction projects will be worth up to $1 trillion over the next
decade. He said he hopes Hanwha Engineering and Construction’s recent
deal will encourage other local players to follow suit.
Hanwha
hit the jackpot last May after signing a $7.75 billion deal with the NIC
to build a new city. Better known as the Bismayah New City Project
(BNCP), the deal is the single-largest overseas construction project
ever won by a Korean company.
“Many Korean companies can see the
Hanwha deal as a stepping stone,” said Al-Araji during a press
conference at the Plaza Hotel in central Seoul. ”We would like to
welcome other Korean companies with expertise to participate in the
project.”
The chairman said the reconstruction work will be
spread over two five-year plans, one from 2013 to 2017 and the other
from 2018 to 2022. For the first five years, Iraq will grant projects
worth a total of $300 billion, including new refinery plants and
electricity facilities and factory upgrades. It will also build one
million houses.
“Iraq hopefully in 2017 will be exporting six
million barrels of oil,” he said. “There are immense and diversified
projects that can hopefully put Iraq back where it was.”
As for
security, Al-Araji said 16 to 20 Korean companies already have offices
there and are managing without any significant problems.
“Iraq
today is stable and secure,” he said. “I won’t say it’s a comfortable
place to work, but I know Koreans are accustomed to working in all kinds
of environments.”
The Korean government is also willing to
support such deals. The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency on
Wednesday signed a strategic partnership agreement with NIC and will
hold a business forum in April.
“The problem for Korean companies
to do business in Iraq is financing,” said Kim Hyun-myung, Korea’s
ambassador to Iraq. “The government’s role is to create greater trust
and credibility between the two sides.”
Meanwhile, Al-Araji said the NIC is talking about extending its business ties with Hanwha, one of Korea’s top 10 conglomerates.
Hanwha
E&C has already been handed full responsibility for the design,
supply and construction of the city for a seven-year period. At 1,830
hectares (4,522 acres), the city located 10 kilometers (6.2 miles)
southeast of Baghdad will contain 100,000 houses. It requires new
infrastructure, including roads and water and sewage facilities.
“We
discussed building several power plants, refineries, and also talked
about insurance cooperation,” he said. “Hanwha is in a privileged
position, and it has already earned the respect of the Iraqi people.”
Al-Araji,
who holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering, said the absence of
Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn would not affect the group’s
business dealings in Iraq.
Kim was sentenced last August to four
years in prison and given a 5.1 billion won ($4.5 million) fine for
embezzlement and breach of trust. The 61-year-old tycoon is currently
hospitalized after the Seoul Central District Court agreed on Tuesday to
release him from prison until March 7 for health reasons.
“We’re
very sorry about the incident and we wish him well,” Al-Araji said.
“Our relationship will not be affected because there is a commitment
from Hanwha Group and the Korean government.”
Hanwha E&C said
all plans are running on schedule and it is currently building a base
camp where 26,000 workers can reside. Its BNCP unit will move to Iraq in
March, while the official construction of houses will begin in
December.
By Joo Kyung-don [kjoo@joongang.co.kr]
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
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