Sweco

Environmental & Social Information • Dec 8, 2008

Sweco to strengthen environmental and waste management expertise in Iraq

Swedish environmental expertise is in high demand, not only in the home market. In the coming year Sweco will prepare a comprehensive development programme for Iraqs Ministry of the Environment to help the country address the urgent environmental problems that have arisen over the past few decades.

Sweden has significant environmental experience and knowhow, and these resources are in high demand at the global level. We have seen proof of that in this particular case, where we succeeded in winning the procurement in very tough international competition, says Mikael Kullman, an environmental consultant at Sweco with special responsibility for overseas activities.

The development programme has been divided into two separate contracts, where one is focused on general environmental issues (air, water, soil, noise) and the other on waste management.

The programme in its entirety is made up of three main components. Sweco will first draw up an environmental plan to address acute pollution problems in the country, then review and propose changes in Iraqs environmental legislation and lastly prepare a waste management plan for the capital city of Baghdad, with a special emphasis on hospital waste.

Sweco will work closely with the Ministry of the Environment and its staff, and will also provide training for Ministry employees and other stakeholders. The two contracts together are worth over EUR 1 million and will be funded under a grant from the World Bank.

Iraq offers interesting possibilities for us, and the prestige of working for the Iraqi Ministry of the Environment will be a valuable reference for our future efforts in this new market, says Mikael Kullman.

For further information please contact:

Peter Ullman, Assignment Manager, Environmental Management, +46 8−695 58 10 Anders Rydergren, Assignment Manager, Waste Management, +46 8−695 62 32 Sahar Almashta, Market Coordinator, Middle East, +46 8−695 64 38