French state-owned airport operator Aeroports de Paris, has secured an order worth $42.5 million contract from Iraq’s transport ministry for a new upcoming international airport in Baghdad.

The new airport, which will be built between the three provinces of Kerbala, Najaf and Hilla, is scheduled to be ready within 3 to 5 years, with an initial capacity of five million passengers per year and eventual capacity of 35 million per year.

Baghdad Airport currently manages around 7 million passengers a year

It should be recalled that French President Nicolas Sarkozy visited Baghdad in February this year, to promote business opportunities for French companies.