'Billion-Dollar' Trade Centre Unveiled
Gulf Daily News Feb 10, 2007
ARBIL, (Southern Kurdistan): An Iraqi
consortium has completed the first stage of what was billed yesterday as the
billion-dollar Nishan Trade Centre in Arbil, northern Iraq and is to boast three
25-storey office towers.
Nizar Hanna, chairman of the Nasri Consortium
and head of the project, said eight per cent of the centre city project had been
achieved since 2002, and gave 2010 as the final completion date. Investors
include his consortium, the Iraqi Trade Bank and the Al Omar investment group,
Hanna said.
"We got the land from the government of
Kurdistan for a symbolic price meant to encourage investment," he added.
Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani called
the centre an important project that would create jobs for Kurds and help local
businesses.
"Iraqi Kurdistan's doors are always open to
investors," Barzani said.
Parking for 5,000 vehicles is also in the
works.
The centre's designers were identified as the
Dubai-based Middle East Company for Reconstruction.
