Shafaq News – Dhi Qar

A severe financial bottleneck threatens to halt more than 120 reconstruction and infrastructure projects in Dhi Qar, southern Iraq, Deputy Governor Hassan Daadoush revealed on Wednesday.

Daadoush told Shafaq News that the local government has intensified follow-ups with the Ministries of Planning and Finance to release overdue payments owed to contractors. He noted that the matter was also raised during the caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s recent visit to Nasiriyah, adding that the tranche currently due is nearly 100 billion dinars (≈ $71M), with overall outstanding entitlements far higher.

He explained that companies have begun filing legal notices to suspend operations, with more than 120 projects submitting such requests despite reaching completion rates of up to 85%.

In April, Al-Sudani launched a major reconstruction drive in Dhi Qar, unveiling three strategic projects valued at 2.195 trillion dinars ($1.67B). The program includes new road networks, bridges, and urban infrastructure aimed at easing congestion, expanding public services, and supporting the province’s long-delayed development efforts. The government described the package as “one of the largest investment injections in Dhi Qar in recent years.”

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