Iraq awards contract for Baghdad Metro project to international consortium

BAGHDAD – Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s office announced on Thrusday the awarding of the Baghdad Metro project contract to the international consortium Vaskhod and Wonter Capital. The consortium will design, execute, operate, maintain, and finance the metro, according to a statement from Al-Sudani’s office.

The project will feature seven lines spanning 148 kilometers with 64 stations. The consortium includes French companies Systra and SNCF, Spanish companies Alstom, Talgo, and SENER, Turkish construction firms, and the German bank Deutsche Bank.

Al-Sudani emphasized the strategic importance of the project, which will feature the latest international specifications and keep pace with future developments.

The Baghdad Metro project was initially conceived in the 1980s but was shelved due to prolonged war and international sanctions. Over the decades, the project resurfaced in planning agendas but never materialized. Baghdad has long struggled with congested traffic and inadequate transportation infrastructure, failing to keep pace with its growing population and urban demands.

The metro project is set to be led by a consortium of renowned international companies. French engineering firm Systra, known for its work on the Riyadh and Doha metros, will collaborate with SNCF, the French national railway company that has developed high-speed rail networks across Europe, including the Eurostar. Alstom, another French giant, brings its experience from the Paris and Dubai metros. Spanish train manufacturer Talgo, known for its high-speed trains in Spain and the Haramain High-Speed Railway in Saudi Arabia, adds to the consortium’s strength. The Spanish engineering group SENER, with projects like the Bilbao Metro and Oran Tram, and Deutsche Bank, a leading financial services provider with a strong portfolio in infrastructure financing, are other members of the consortium.

Negotiations will soon commence between the Baghdad Mayoralty, the Investment Commission, and the consortium to finalize the technical, financial, and execution details of the contract, as per Al-Sudani’s office statement.