NAJAF INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT EXPANDING RAPIDLY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 000502 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR ETRD EINV IZ IR SUBJECT: NAJAF INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT EXPANDING RAPIDLY SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Najaf Airport is expanding rapidly to accommodate the demand from Shi'a pilgrims coming to religious shrines in the province. Religious pilgrims visiting the province have increased dramatically over last year, and most pilgrims stay for at least a week. Currently the bulk of the airport's business is from charter flights coming from Iran, Kuwait and Dubai. Issuance of visas on arrival for 10 days began in early February. The Governor, Investment Commission officials, and Chamber of Commerce representatives all seek increased investment in several sectors of the province, with housing and tourism infrastructure top priorities. Najaf, as a Shi'a cultural center, believes it can attract millions more tourists in future. However, the Office of the Transportation Attach notes that the first passenger flights began more than six months behind schedule, and that the airport has suffered from poor management. END SUMMARY. -------------- Al Ashraf International Airport - Najaf -------------- ¶2. (SBU) During a visit by Senior Advisor Gordon Gray and econoff to Najaf on February 23, we received a tour of Al Ashraf International Airport Najaf. The airport, which opened in November 2008, was clearly growing rapidly, with construction work ongoing for the completion of the main terminal building. The airport receives charter flights from Dubai, Beirut, Tehran, Amman, Kuwait and Mashad, consisting mainly of Shi'a pilgrims. (Note: The largest carrier presence at Najaf is from Iran, currently 14 flights per week, which is expected to increase significantly. Iran operates under a bilateral agreement with Iraq with scheduled frequencies though not a published schedule. Najaf currently receives three-four flights a day. End note.) Sabre International, which manages the security contract for the airport, said that passengers go through seven layers of security screening. (Note: Sabre International took over security at the end of January when the former company, Global International, had a contract dispute with the airport authorities. Although the handover has gone as well as can be expected, Sabre has had to get up to speed quickly. End note.) The total screening and boarding process takes about three hours. Najaf Airport won the "Iraq Reconstruction" prize in 2008. -------------- -------------- Pilgrim Tourism Increasing Visa-on-Arrival Issuance -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Airport and business officials noted a dramatic increase in tourism over the last year. Visitors come to visit more than 40 Shi'a religious shrines (including the shrine of Imam Ali) in Najaf, during 40 special holidays and occasions. An average of 3,000 pilgrims visit the Imam Ali shrine each day during the week, with the number rising to 10,000 on Thursdays and Fridays. Tourists may now receive a visa-on-arrival for up to 10 days. Overstays are subject to a fine per day of overstay. While the Ministry of Interior granted permission in November 2008 to issue visas-on-arrival, the program only started at Najaf Airport in early February. Most pilgrims stay at least a week, first visiting the shrine of Imam Ali, then moving to other religious sites. Airport officials told us that while earlier pilgrim traffic was mainly from Iran and the region, now Shi'a visitors are coming from Europe and the U.S. as well. Najaf has recently received visitors from Iran, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Gulf states, the U.S., the U.K. QIndia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Gulf states, the U.S., the U.K. and the Netherlands. Najaf officials believe that the province has the potential to receive millions of tourists a year. -------------- Airport Expansion -------------- ¶4. (U) Najaf officials regard the airport as a key to the province's development and expressed gratitude for USG support. The provincial government has spent $80 million on the airport and its facilities thus far. They hope that the airport can eventually become a cargo center as well, but needs cold storage facilities. When the new terminal is completed in one-to-two months, it will add five additional gates and increase capacity to thirty flights per day. The airport has only handled narrow-bodied jets until now, but airport officials hope to get wide-bodied jet capacity eventually. (Note: The runway is not yet approved for wide-body aircraft due to weight limits. This is not expected to change in the near term. End note.) ¶5. (SBU) Sabre International representatives said that the facility was still "essentially a construction site, operating as an airport," but that it should improve soon. Airport officials also told us that Najaf needs more support from the Iraq Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) to obtain approvals for more flights. (Note: While ICAA is supportive of additional services at Najaf, it wants to BAGHDAD 00000502 002 OF 003 encourage such service through the usual framework of bilateral or multilateral aviation agreements. Such agreements provide the ICAA with a better understanding of demands placed on the airport and also provide a vehicle for securing reciprocal rights for Iraqi Airways into other countries. In addition, it is important for the ICAA to balance the number of additional flights with the airport's capability to safely support those flights. Based on observations of Office of Transportation Attach staff, Najaf airport authorities do not have a good understanding of these agreements. End note.) -------------- Getting Up to International Standards -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Iraq is a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO),and Najaf Airport seeks to follow international standards in all areas of operations and is duly licensed by ICAO. Air Traffic Control uses international standard satellite technology, but there is still a shortage of qualified Air Traffic Controllers. (Note: ICAA has provided Air Traffic Controllers to support Najaf operations since the opening of the airport. Contracted Air Traffic Controllers failed a basic English test, despite airport authorities assurances that they were language qualified. English is the international language of Air Traffic Control. End note.) Najaf airport is trying to recruit Air Traffic Controllers from abroad. Airport officials noted that contact with Balad was often problematic. The Air Traffic Control tower was often blind until the aircraft contacted the tower. (Note: Najaf Airport was issued a temporary operating certificate with the caveat that it would install navigational aids and communication with Balad. To date, it has not complied. Najaf Airport will not receive a full instrument flight rules certificate until both requirements are fulfilled. End note.) -------------- Optimism and Obstacles -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Najaf officials are clearly aggressive and enthusiastic about airport expansion. The Najaf International Airport is making progress and is a vital element of the reconstruction of Najaf and indeed also of southern Iraq. However, the airport still needs the advice, oversight and sometimes daily badgering provided by the USG. The recent security contract dispute shows that although progress has been made, the airport is still nascent and requires guidance. In addition, based on numerous on-site visits by the Office of the Transportation Attach, the development of Najaf Airport has been poorly managed from its inception. This has resulted in delays, missed opportunities, poor relations with the Iraq Civil Aviation Authority, and lost revenue. The Transportation Attach has recommended that Najaf Airport contract with a qualified airport management firm. -------------- More Tourism Infrastructure Needed -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Provincial officials want Najaf to be a key gateway to Iraq. Najaf's 4,024 hotel beds only meet 54 percent of current demand, and demand is rapidly rising. Hotels are only of one- to two-star quality. Higher quality hotels are needed. The price of a hotel room has jumped from an average of $16/night last year to $75/night currently to meet increasing demand. Najaf envisions several 3-star hotels, along with good restaurants and transportation companies (buses, taxis). Chamber of Commerce and Investment Commission representatives boasted that Najaf, as an Islamic cultural center, would lead the recovery of south and QIslamic cultural center, would lead the recovery of south and south-central Iraq. They told us they were even reviewing an old U.K. plan from the 1950s which included a rail-link to the Mediterranean. Chamber of Commerce and Investment Commission representatives said that they had received over 70 inquiries of investor interest for Najaf from the U.A.E. and other regional and international investors. They requested additional assistance from the U.S. for training in marketing and investor outreach. -------------- Other Sectors Also Seek Investment -------------- ¶9. (SBU) The Najaf Construction Committee was set up in 2005 in part to help attract investment to the province. During our visit, we received a power-point presentation with information on various Najaf districts and key sectors seeking investment, including the health sector: Najaf wants to expand its hospital beds from 1,200 to 3,000. Tourism is another sector targeted for expansion: in addition to the shrines, Najaf offers historic sites (Al Hirah and Al Manatherah). Najafis want to build a resort at Abu Najim Hoor with an amusement park and recreation facilities. They would also like to create a large mall, a floating restaurant and a children's BAGHDAD 00000502 003 OF 003 park. Potential industrial sectors include minerals that could be used for glass manufacturing and iron and steel. The agricultural sector offers agribusiness and food processing opportunities, but has been neglected for many years. ¶10. (SBU) Individual Chamber of Commerce members noted that trading companies would like more access to higher-quality products from Gulf neighbors, Europe and the U.S. Iranian products are easy to get, but of poor quality. They requested help with a trade show for U.S. companies, and licensing arrangements for U.S. goods. One businessman noted that he comes from an old trading family that goes back to the 1920s and would like more trade opportunities. One representative suggested a permanent exhibition for Najaf's products and services. Several representatives noted that all areas of the services sector needed a boost to support Najaf's tourism including hotel services, transportation, restaurant, banking and travel. Najaf is not only important to Iraq, they stressed; it is a symbol for the entire Shi'a world. BUTENIS