DLA Piper, Al Tamimi & Company advised on the landmark public-private partnership (PPP) for the redevelopment, expansion, financing, operation and maintenance of Baghdad International Airport.

The project, valued at approximately USD 764 million, marks Iraq’s most significant transport PPP to date and its first major aviation-sector concession.

DLA Piper has advised the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and the Government of Iraq on the procurement of the landmark public-private partnership (PPP) project for the rehabilitation, expansion, financing, operation and maintenance of Baghdad International Airport. The project represents an investment of approximately USD764 million.

DLA Piper advised IFC and the Government of Iraq on all aspects of the structuring, procurement, and negotiation process of the PPP, including the preparation of the tender documentation and the PPP agreement, ensuring compliance with international standards and best practices.

A multidisciplinary and cross-border DLA Piper team from offices in Italy, Austria, and the United Kingdom, worked on the project led by Finance Partners Francesco Ferrari (Finance and Co-Head, Infrastructure, Construction and Transport, Europe) and Jasna Zwitter-Tehovnik. The team also comprised Partners Sharon Fitzgerald advising on sustainability and climate change aspects of the project, and Tony Payne (Lit&Reg) advising on regulatory matters. They were supported by Legal Director Luigi Mula and lawyer Riccardo Simionato for the Italian team, and by Counsel Ivan Males and Associate Barbara Vičič for the Austrian team.

Al Tamimi & Company, alongside DLA Piper, advised IFC as transaction advisor to the Government of Iraq. The team was led by Partner Khaled Al Saqqaf, supported by Partners Thomas Calvert and Haydar Jawad, Senior Associate Aro Omar, and lawyers across multiple Iraq offices. The firm also assisted with the Government of Iraq’s approval process and implementation workstreams.