Resort rising in semi-autonomous northern Iraq

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By Ben Lando

IRBIL, Iraq - Getting a tee time in Iraq may seem far-fetched, but a $4.5 billion development planned in the more secure northern Kurdish area would bring 9 holes, a country club and a resort to northern Iraq.

The Tarin Hills project announced this month is a made-to-order community including apartments and houses, a mosque, primary and secondary schools, a medical center and a lake running through what is now dusty foothills home to no one but a few scattered families and shepherds.

The rest of Iraq is focused on security and building up the fledgling government, and getting vital services to citizens. Kurdish citizens, too, still want for regular electricity, food and other daily supplies.

But with internationally protected semi-autonomy under a U.S. no-fly zone since 1991, the Kurdistan region is able to leverage its economic, security and political head start to lure investment.

"This is a point for Kurdistan that its stable and we can do a huge project like that. This project will give opportunity for labor forces, for entertaining for people, housing" said Nawroz Muhammad Amin, a director general at the Kurdish Regional Government's Board of Investment.

"Kurdistan is a big gate to bring investments to whole Iraq. By way of Kurdistan all Iraq can find investors and have these progressed projects."

International companies courted by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) see a home in northern Iraq, as well as an eventual gateway south when the climate allows.

The KRG is also developing oil fields and agriculture while welcoming industries to produce their goods here.

Even a major pastry factory in southern Iraq has sought the safety of producing its baklava by moving to Iraqi Kurdistan.

"If we can focus on these two sectors - agriculture and tourism - then the oil can be an insurance policy for us," said Qubad Talabani, the KRG's representative to the United States.