Iraq is in talks with a Chinese manufacturer to build and operate a vehicle assembly plant in the war-torn country.
According to a report carried by national news wire NINA, talks have taken place between a local Iraqi investor and an unnamed 'specialised' Chinese firm.
Acting Head of Sylaymaniya Investment Body, Farman Ghareeb, told NINA that the investor submitted a request to establish a car manufacturing and assembly factory in Sulaymaniya, and that the body is busy studying and evaluating the request.
He added that after the body evaluates the project’s feasibility, then the project will be licensed and a land will be allocated for it.
Ghareeb pointed out that the investor has concluded a contract with a Chinese firm specialised in manufacturing and assembling automobiles.
At present, the there is a limited number of specialist vehicle assembly plants in the GCC. There are specialist manufacturers of military vehicles through the region, and Isuzu has an assembly plant in Saudi Arabia
Iraq is also planning on manufacturing its own, home-grown truck to service the light commerical vehicle sector by 2020.