By John Lee.

The Thi Qar Investment Commission has approved an Investment License for a $60 million (USD) affordable housing project being developed by Iraq Dream Homes, LLC, a U.S. affordable housing development firm.

The housing project “An Nasiriyah Dream Homes-Phase I” consists of 400 units of single-family affordable homes in a master-planned, sustainable community development. In addition to the energy saving technology and design incorporated into the development, An Nasiriyah Dream Homes-Phase I will include a hybrid solar/photovoltaic renewable energy plant for clean and stable electricity supply for the development’s residents.

According to Iraq Dream Homes, LLC Managing Director William Johnson:

“Thi Qar Investment Commission’s approval of the Investment License for our affordable and sustainable housing project marks a very significant milestone in the project’s development and provides a clear indication that Iraq is serious about addressing their housing shortfall.”

Engineer Ali M. Sangoor, Iraq Dream Homes, LLC Country Manager  says:

“Working with Dr. Luay AL-Khairulla, Chairman of the Commission and the Thi Qar Investment Commission staff in the development of An Nasiriyah Dream Homes-Phase I has been a pleasure and we look forward to delivering our high quality, affordable homes to the residents of An Nasiriyah.”

Iraq Dream Homes, LLC was awarded the Investment License for the An Nasiriyah Dream Homes-Phase I project under Iraq’s Investment Law #13. A combination of construction lending from a U.S lending agency and an Iraqi commercial bank, along with private equity will provide financing the project.

Construction on An Nasiriyah Dream Homes-Phase I, located in the Municipality of An Nasiriyah, Thi Qar Province in southern Iraq is expected to start in November 2012, with initial turnover occupancy of homes scheduled to begin in June 2013.

By John Lee.

The Iraqi province of Dhi Qar (Thi Qar) may get it’s own oil company, according to a report from AIN.

The Deputy Prime Minister with responsibility for Energy Affairs, Hussein al-Shahristani (pictured), discussed the issue with the Deputy Chairman of Dhi-Qar Provincial Council, Hadi Mohan, at his office in Baghdad.

Shahristani instructed to expedite the building of the Nasiriya Oil Refinery, which will have a capacity of 300,000 barrels per day.

Also on the agenda was the idea fo a 500 MW power station, from which half the output would go to the province and half to the national Grid.

(Source: AIN)

Levels of violence fell in Iraq last week, but the overall number of attacks was still above average. At least 69 people were killed and 179 injured in nationwide incidents. A total of 48 bombings left 42 people dead and over 160 injured. A rise in small arms attacks left 27 people dead and 11 injured.

North
Mosul experienced a significant proportion of last week’s violence. The security forces remain by far the most common target, but ethnic and religious minorities are also a common victim of violence. Militants also attacked electricity pylons and oil infrastructure in Ta’mim and Diyala provinces. Vulnerable assets such as lengthy pipelines and unmanned towers far from urban populations appear to have been deliberately singled out and organisations managing such assets are advised to review their security measures accordingly.

Weekly Attacks in Iraq - the last 6 months

Centre
Most of last week’s violence in Iraq was concentrated along a belt of settlements in the central provinces, stretching from Hadithah in Anbar province, through Ramadi, Fallujah, Baghdad then on to Ba’qubah and Sa’adiyah in Diyala province. There was also a spike in activity in the holy city of Samarra (Salah ad-Din province) as Sunni radical groups appear to be stirring up sectarian tensions.

Three suicide bombings (including one which was foiled in Fallujah) left 18 people dead and 43 injured in the region last week. The use of suicide bombers indicates the enduring, and indeed rising activity of radical Islamists, including those affiliated with al-Qaeda. Given the latest rise in attacks in the region it would appear that the group is attempting to implement a co-ordinated and sustained campaign of violence aimed at discrediting the security forces and driving a wedge between the Sunni and Shi’ah communities. This in turn could lead to a worsening in conditions and put a major strain on the security forces.

At least six people were also kidnapped in what appears to have been a mini-spike in abductions in Anbar province last week. AKE will be issuing its next quarterly kidnap report in July. If you would like to purchase a copy in advance please contact intel@akegroup.com.

South
The south of Iraq was relatively quiet last week, although there was a handful of non-fatal but nonetheless concerning attacks in Maysan and Dhi Qar provinces. Militia groups appear to be increasing their attacks against rivals organisations and their supporters, with a number of bombs detonated outside the homes of politically-connected individuals over recent weeks. However, casualties from these attacks remain minimal, while most economic interests (including the energy and construction sectors) are not being affected.

John Drake is a senior risk consultant with AKE, a British risk mitigation company working in Iraq since 2003. You can access AKE’s intelligence website Global Intake here, and you can obtain a free trial of AKE’s Iraq intelligence reports here.

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Iraq Business News is delighted to bring you the latest Iraq Market Tracker report from Dunia Frontier Consultants. The market tracker highlights the activities and market performance of a basket of publicly traded firms who derive a significant percentage of their revenues from operations in Iraq, but are traded on foreign exchanges: a proxy Iraq play as much as practicable. It also identifies and analyzes the primary political and security events that occur in country that have market-moving implications.

Click here to access the report.

Companies Mentioned:

ExxonMobil, Total

Action Calls:

• Sadr threatens no-confidence within 15 days:Not likely to result in no confidence, but may result in movement on some issues.
• Exxon signs contract to drill 20 wells with IDC: Signals Exxon’s commitment to West Qurna 1, and tacit support at Ministry of Oil.
• Our take on 4th Round contracts: Auction will only be first test for viability of exploration under fixed payments.

Headlines:

• Qubad Talabani to return to Erbil: Most likely succession planning and sign of unity, but also signal to Baghdad?
• Tensions with Sadr in Baghdad, Basra: Look to Maliki’s relations with Sadrists as signal of how far he’s willing to push.

Calendar Events Discussed:

• May 23 – P5+1 Nuclear Talks in Baghdad
• May 30-31 – 4th Round Oil and Gas Auction

Click here to access the report, or to add your email address to Dunia’s mailing list to receive the Iraq Market Tracker via email.

A US company named as “EBM” is said to be considering investment in Thi Qar [Dhi Qar] province, according to Aswat al-Iraq.

Luay Kheirallla, the director of Thi Qar Investment Commission, said that the company visited the area to investigate investment opportunities in fields of housing and tourism.

(Source: Aswat al-Iraq)

Advertising Feature

Iraq Business News is delighted to bring you the latest Iraq Market Tracker report from Dunia Frontier Consultants. The market tracker highlights the activities and market performance of a basket of publicly traded firms who derive a significant percentage of their revenues from operations in Iraq, but are traded on foreign exchanges: a proxy Iraq play as much as practicable. It also identifies and analyzes the primary political and security events that occur in country that have market-moving implications.

Click here to access the report.

Companies Mentioned:

DNO International, Exxon, Genel Energy, Gulf Keystone, Shell, Total, WesternZagros

Action Calls:

• Baghdad and Erbil step back from precipice: Moderation has returned, hopefully signalling negotiations are back on track.
• DNO says production hurt in Iraq: Volatility on Erbil-Baghdad has a direct impact on Kurdish oil shares.
• Iraq signs MoU with Shell for huge petrochemical plant: Baghdad’s favorite foil to Exxon gets rewarded.

Headlines:

• Rumored move to Erbil for Talabani: Good for Kurdish unity, good for negotiating with Baghdad.
• Less than 6 Hours of Power this summer in Dhi Qar: Sadr will have look elsewhere to criticize, since his man is PC President in Dhi Qar.

Calendar Events Discussed:

• April 20 – Rewritten contract terms expected for 4th Oil and Gas Auction

Click here to access the report, or to add your email address to Dunia’s mailing list to receive the Iraq Market Tracker via email.

The Iraqi government has awarded contracts worth $199 million to two construction companies  to build 2,000 homes in the southern provinces of Thi Qar [Dhi Qar] and Muthanna, reports Bloomberg.

Markez Inc., an Iraqi-American company incorporated in Maryland, but with no contact address on its website, secured a $139 million deal to build 1,000 homes within three years, according to Louay Mousa, president of the Thiqar Investment Commission.

Koma Co. of Iraq is to build another 1,000 homes at a cost of $60 million in Samawa, the capital of Muthanna province, Adil Dakhil, president of al- Muthanna Investment Commission, told Bloomberg.

(Source: Bloomberg)

Thi Qar [Dhi Qar] Investment Commission has granted a new investment licence to build 850-housing units in Shatra, in the north of Nassiriya city.

The project, to be implemented by an Iraqi company, will cost $150 million [180 billion Iraqi dinars].

Another housing complex with a costing $16.5 million, and a $15 million shopping mall are to be built in the same area.

(Source: Aswat al-Iraq)