The reconstruction of Baghdad — in pictures
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The Iraqi government has been laying sewage and water pipes across Baghdad and repaving roads. All photos: Reuters -
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani is pushing to improve services for citizens weary of years of conflict and government neglect -
The infrastructure works have been buoyed by high oil prices and the relative stability the country is enjoying -
The government has been improving roads, bridges and pavements, as well as removing security checkpoints that had made congestion worse -
It has also been cleaning up the facades of buildings damaged by war and revamping parks and promenades that hug the Tigris River -
Electricity supply has also improved but disruptions are expected to return in summer as consumption peaks -
The country's recent stability has opened it up to tourists, mostly from Arab states -
One of the main projects is a 2.5km corniche along the Tigris, next to Abu Nawas park -
Fitted with running and cycling lanes, benches and public bathrooms, it has received throngs of visitors since it opened this year -
Many Iraqis said the changes were the most significant they had seen since the 2003 US invasion -
However, they still fall short in a country that made more than $115 billion from oil sales in 2022 and suffers from rampant corruption -
The current works are being financed by a budget of $400 million, with Baghdad also seeking help from abroad
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