By Simon Kent. The Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF), is hosting its fourth annual "In their shoes" 5K Run/Walk in Alexandria, Virginia on Saturday, May 14th to benefit Iraq's most vulnerable children – its orphans, street children and kids fleeing ISIS. Funds raised provide social services and legal aid to children at risk of trafficking and recruitment by terrorist […]
Archive | ‘Your Country’
Baghdad Christmas Celebrations Have Deeper Meaning
By Simon Kent. Christmas has been celebrated in Baghdad for centuries, but over time the small Christian minority has been dwindling at an alarming rate, especially since they have been singled out by ISIS. There are now thought to be only half a million Christians left in Iraq, out of a population that was once […]
Iraqi Government Delegation Visits UK for Talks
By Simon Kent. A delegation of Iraqi lawmakers, led by the Speaker of the Parliament, Mr Saleem Al Jabouri, visited London this week for talks with British business leaders and politicians. The group visited the House of Lords, the UK’s Upper House, and met Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to […]
IBBC Announce Iraq Business Clinics
By Simon Kent. The Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) have announced that they will be offering expert advice on Iraq’s marketplace and how UK businesses can get involved on 21 October 2015 at the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). Companies are welcome to register for 20 minute appointments by contacting LCCI at [email protected] […]
KRG to Enter Bond Market
By Simon Kent. After months of talks, the Kurdish Regional Government says it has authorisation from Baghdad to issue bonds, in a move aimed at easing growing financial pains in the semi autonomous region. According to Bloomberg, the region needs approximately $1.4 billion to balance its books. Quoting IBN blogger Robert Tollast, the report noted how the KRG […]
New Route for Jordan-Iraq pipeline
By Simon Kent. The Iraqi Ambassador to Jordan has announced plans to re-route a proposed pipeline to the country's Western neighbour. According to Ambassador Jawad Abbas, the $18bn, 150,000 bpd pipeline will now go south towards Basra and then west into the neighbouring Kingdom. The project is one of a number of oil and gas […]
Re-settling refugees: Iraq's endgame?
By Robert Tollast. Loveday Morris, who usually reports on Iraq for The Washington Post, has written an engaging piece on the returning "internally displaced persons" or IDPs, to Tikrit following the expulsion of Islamic State forces in the town. Morris' piece touches on some of the nuance that is often lost in reporting on Iraq. For […]
UK Seeks Head of Trade in Erbil
The British Consulate General Erbil has a vacancy for a Head of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) C4 (L) position. Interested candidates should forward the following to [email protected]: An updated Curriculum Vitae. A fully completed Application Form. Please provide examples of performance in each competency on the summary section of the application form. A covering […]
UK to Fund Peshmerga Training
The UK has announced that it is funding state-of-the-art bomb disposal training to assist the Kurdistan Region of Iraq’s Peshmerga forces in their frontline battle against ISIL. This funding is for a four-week pilot course, delivered by a UK firm, which will initially train up to 18 students from the Peshmerga to counter Improvised Explosive […]
Weekly Security Update, 30 September - 06 October 2014
By Anne-Laure Barbosa at Constellis Consulting ISIS’s military strategy continued to defy airstrikes conducted by the US and their allies, with militants gaining ground in Anbar and launching successful assaults on towns to the north of Baghdad. The security situation continued to complement stagnating political dynamics in Baghdad, with disagreements opposing moderates and conservative elements judging […]
UK Minister Promotes Political Unity
Minister for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood (pictured) visited Iraq with the Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening, and the Government’s Security Envoy to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Lieutenant General Sir Simon Mayall, to promote political unity in the country and to urge the immediate formation of a representative government. The delegation […]
US Orders Airstrikes Against ISIS
Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby on Airstrikes in Iraq At approximately 6:45 a.m. EDT, the U.S. military conducted a targeted airstrike against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists. Two F/A-18 aircraft dropped 500-pound laser-guided bombs on a mobile artillery piece near Erbil. ISIL was using this artillery to […]