Iraq has decided to end long queues in the construction sector by awarding building permits online for the first time as part of post-war reforms intended to tackle annoying red-tape and speed up public services, the local press reported on Friday.

Contractors and individuals seeking to start on a construction project had to go through a long lengthy process at numerous public offices before they are awarded permits.

New online services for such permits have just been enforced in parts of the capital Baghdad and there are plans to implement the service to all governorates, Aliqtisad News and other Iraqi publications said, quoting a statement by the Cabinet Secretariat.

The statement said the new service ended “a long, complicated process of obtaining permits for buildings in Iraq.”

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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