1,800+ delayed public projects slow Iraq’s infrastructure development

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s stalled public service projects have exceeded 1,800 nationwide, including more than 600 in Baghdad and over 1,200 in other provinces, the Parliamentary Services and Reconstruction Committee reported on Friday.

Lawmaker Mahma Khalil, a committee member and part of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), told Shafaq News that the stalled projects cover key infrastructure sectors, with delays affecting efforts to improve electricity, water, sewage networks, roads, and other essential facilities.

“The slowdown in project implementation was driven by several factors, including delays in approving annual budgets and limited investment allocations,” he added, noting that investment spending remains below the level needed to meet Iraq’s infrastructure needs, while the country’s heavy reliance on oil revenues leaves public finances vulnerable to economic and regional shifts.

The Commission of Statistics and GIS previously disclosed that Iraq awarded 2,279 public-sector building and construction contracts worth 24.163 trillion Iraqi dinars ($18.45B) in 2025. Baghdad ranked first among provinces, receiving 416 contracts valued at 4.753 trillion dinars ($3.63B), accounting for 18.2% of all public construction contracts awarded.

Warning that uneven allocations are widening development gaps among provinces, the watchdog urged the government to adopt fiscal policies that support a more balanced distribution of resources and promote broader national development.

Read more: 2026 budget: Iraq confronts unprecedented fiscal strain