Mosul Forests Granted on 50-Year Lease to Former Minister's Son

Tourism specialist Ali Cemal said the well-known Mosul Forests tourism investment project in Iraq’s Nineveh province was transferred as a long-term investment opportunity to the son of a former government official. He said the site was handed over without a proper investment tender. Cemal said on television that Hammudi, the son of former Culture Minister Mohammed Ahmed al-Fakki, obtained usage rights to the forests for 50 years. He described Mosul Forests as one of Nineveh province’s most important natural and tourism landmarks. The specialist said such investment appointments raise serious questions among tourism and investment circles in the region. He added that the issue is being closely followed by the public.