Monday, May 21, 2012

ABU DHABI(Zawya Dow Jones)--Iraq's minister for construction and housing said Monday his country is expecting to spend $9.8 billion on construction between 2012-2016 as the country's oil revenues are expected to soar when production doubles by 2016.

"We are planning to spend $5.8 billion on roads and bridges and infrastructure for 2012-2016 and $4 billion for housing; so $9.8 billion in total," said Minister Mohammed Al Daraji.

The minister added: "Our budget will be doubled by 2016 as oil production increases to 6 million barrels a day."

The minister said he expects his country to close tendering for a $250 million housing project in Shatt Al Arab, Basra, in two or three weeks.

-By Tahani Karrar-Lewsley, Dow Jones Newswires; +9714 446-1692; Tahani.Karrar@dowjones.com; Twitter: @ZDJnews

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21-05-12 0822GMT