A little more than a year after Iraq’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) issued a tender for Baghdad International Airport (BGW) under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, the CAAP Consortium, led by Corporación América Airports, was announced as the winner at the end of October.

The speed of the process is an indication of the country’s determination to rebuild its transport infrastructure—and economy. Other airports are also lined up for PPP management through a partnership with the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), which has acted as the Iraqi government’s specialized advisor on the investment side. The airports are: Basra (BSR), Mosul (OSM), Najaf (NJF), and Nasiriyah/Dhi Qar (XNH).

The two-stage tender for BGW was first issued in Jul 2024 (see image above). Submissions for the request for qualification (RFQ) had to be submitted by mid-September, after which the selected parties could take part in the request for proposals (RFP).

By July 2025, ten consortia had been shortlisted (from 14 applications) for the USD400-600 million project, according to Zawya, citing the government-owned Iraqi News Agency (INA).

The critical nature of the BGW award was evidenced on November 5 when the Prime Minister, Mohammed S. Al-Sudani, himself was present to oversee the contract signing ceremony. The IFC had worked for two years to prepare the bid, evaluate and qualify the best offers, and draft the PPP agreement. The award was signed on behalf of Iraq by the Director General of the MOT’s Contracts & Licensing Department, and the consortium’s regional Director of Business Development.

As Iraq’s busiest airport, carrying 3.4 million passengers in 2023, BGW’s development and enhanced operation are central to the growth of the country. Iraq’s economy is heavily dependent on oil—something the Al-Sudani government wants to diversify away from and one reason for its pro-privatization stance. The IMF warned in July that Iraq’s anemic growth “was largely due to the small size of the private sector and the large reliance on oil.”

As the biggest airport in a country of 45.5 million people, BGW’s expansion is one among several elements that can support moves to unlock private enterprise and expand non‑oil growth.

Below, airportIR takes a closer look at what BGW’s rehabilitation entails, offers a historical perspective on why the PPP model has been adopted, and what Corporación América Airports says it is planning for the airport.

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