Iraq plans to initiate Najaf–Karbala Metro with Malaysian-Emirati joint venture
90-kilometer route to include four main stations as part of major transport expansion
BAGHDAD, Iraq (MNTV) — Iraq’s National Investment Commission (NIC) has received cabinet approval to move forward with the Najaf–Karbala Metro project, signing an agreement with a joint venture between Malaysia’s HSS Engineering (HSSE) and Dubai-based Consultant HSS (CHSS).
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office, the Council of Ministers amended Resolution No. 24306 of 2024, authorizing NIC to issue the investment license and finalize the contract in line with existing laws and regulations.
The metro line will extend 90 kilometers and feature four main stations, linking two of Iraq’s most important religious and cultural cities.
While financial terms of the Najaf–Karbala project have not yet been disclosed, the HSSE–CHSS consortium had earlier secured a contract in July 2024 to provide project management and construction supervision for the $17.5 billion Baghdad Metro.
Under that deal, service fees were set at 0.6% of construction costs for the evaluation phase and 1.2% for the supervision phase.
HSSE, a subsidiary of Malaysia-listed HSS Engineers Berhad, owns a 50% stake in the Dubai-based joint venture with CHSS, positioning the consortium to play a key role in Iraq’s broader infrastructure development strategy.
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