In the midst of efforts to address the population congestion crisis in Iraq’s major cities, which has placed immense pressure on their infrastructure and services, leading to the proliferation of informal settlements in their outskirts and suburbs, the Iraqi Minister of Construction and Housing, Bankin Rikani, has revealed designs for over 20 new residential cities. Baghdad alone is set to witness the construction of three new modern cities.
New Population Policy:
Speaking at the First Ministry of Construction, Housing, and Public Municipalities Conference, themed “Government Programs and Solving the Housing Crisis,” Rikani emphasized that “the country has witnessed a dispersion in housing policies, resulting in an accumulated housing shortage and deterioration of the current housing stock due to infrastructure inadequacy.”
He pointed out that “the population has multiplied since 2003, with urban population surpassing rural by 70 percent, leading to urban overcrowding and the emergence of informal settlements, which is an uncivilized phenomenon.”
Addressing the Informal Settlement Issue:
The Iraqi Minister of Construction and Housing, Bankin Rikani, mentioned that “the draft law addressing informal settlements will significantly alleviate the issue if approved by parliament.” He also noted that “only around 7,000 housing units have been built with government funding since 2003.”
Rikani continued, saying, “We have initiated a policy of new cities and completed designs and all related aspects for more than 20 sites that will be selected as new cities.”
He emphasized that “these new cities will greatly contribute to resolving the housing problem.”
Experts believe that proceeding with the construction of these cities will help address the escalating housing problem in a country with a population exceeding 43 million, positively impacting job creation, investment opportunities, and reducing urban congestion.
Nabil Al-Saffar, spokesperson for the Ministry of Construction and Housing, stated in an interview with Sky News Arabia’s Economic website:
“The housing crisis in Iraq is a long-standing issue, and as a ministry, we seek serious solutions to alleviate it. This is within the framework of the government’s approach, which pledges to address and contain this crisis, particularly by supporting low-income and vulnerable groups and encouraging the private sector to contribute to addressing this crisis.”
The government program is based on constructing entire new cities, not just housing complexes, with more than 15 cities planned. This responds to the urgent and significant need, which cannot be met without establishing entirely new cities to accommodate the increasing demand for housing units.
As a first phase, these new cities will provide around 200,000 housing units. Additionally, there are plans to announce six more cities as investment opportunities. Details will be revealed through the National Investment Commission’s website and the New Cities Authority, recently established within the Ministry of Construction, to coordinate with provinces for site selection and land allocation for the construction of these cities according to the latest specifications.
