The largest desert region in Iraq, Rutba, offers industrial, tourism, and agricultural investment opportunities.
The largest desert region in Iraq, Rutba, offers industrial, tourism, and agricultural investment opportunities.
2026-08-14
Shafaq News – Anbar
The mayor of Rutba in Anbar, Imad al-Dulaimi, confirmed on Friday that the western desert in the province represents a “promising area for investment” in the agriculture, livestock, minerals and energy sectors, noting that security stability, the opening of border crossings and the availability of water sources are essential factors for stimulating investment in the region.
Al-Dulaimi told Shafaq News Agency that “the western desert of Iraq, the largest part of which lies within the borders of the Rutba district, extends over an area of approximately 90,000 square kilometers, and is characterized by the diversity of its terrain, from wide areas and valleys to desert regions.”
He added that “the region includes a number of important dams, most notably the Hauran Dam, which has a storage capacity of about 38 million cubic meters, while work is underway to establish the Wadi Al-Masad Dam with a capacity estimated at about 7 million cubic meters, in addition to other dams, including Al-Karaa, Al-Mat and Al-Fayda, as well as future dam projects included in the plans of the Ministry of Water Resources.”
He pointed out that “the western desert contains many important minerals and elements used in various industries, including silica, phosphates and other materials that can be invested in manufacturing industries, as well as indications of gas deposits.”
Al-Dulaimi explained that “the Al-Sakar field, which extends towards Saad Air Base and reaches Al-Qaim, is one of the promising fields included in the Ministry of Oil’s future plans, in addition to the presence of other minerals and resources that can be invested in.”
He explained that “the security situation was previously one of the most prominent obstacles to investment, whether in the agricultural sector, livestock, or the mining sector, but today the security situation is stable in the Rutba district and its surroundings and in the desert areas, thanks to the efforts of the security forces.”
He pointed out that there are “requests submitted for investment opportunities in agricultural areas, as well as investment contracts in the field of silica with a number of companies, and work on investing in iron ore deposits to establish cement manufacturing plants.”
Al-Dulaimi stressed that the local administration is working on “promoting other investment opportunities, in conjunction with the stability of the district center, which is witnessing increasing commercial activity after the opening of the Al-Walid and Tarabil border crossings.”
He added that “the stability of the electricity supply around the clock via the Jordanian line, along with the stability of the highway and securing the movement of vehicles and trucks, contributed to revitalizing commercial and investment activity in the region.”
The mayor of Rutba believes that “agricultural investment and livestock represent some of the most prominent future opportunities in the western desert, due to the existence of vast natural pastures that can accommodate hundreds of thousands of livestock, thus providing an important resource for the local market.”
He pointed out that “the Rutba district and the western desert supply the governorates and the center of Anbar Governorate with about 1,400 sheep per day for slaughter and consumption purposes, in addition to other animal products.”
Regarding water sources, Al-Dulaimi pointed out that “reliance is not limited to dam water, but also includes groundwater, as there are identified and successful wells in different areas of the desert, with depths ranging between 120 and 200 meters, and some of them are suitable for agricultural use.”
He concluded by saying that “the western desert represents a promising investment area, given the availability of security stability, geographical location, water and natural resources, which are factors that can make it an important center for agricultural, animal, mineral and energy investment in the coming period.”
shafaq.com
