Erbil’s employment committee announced today that it has overseen for the first time the recruitment of 1,868 new primary and secondary school teachers in the province.

AKnews reports that the names of the new recruits were announced in a ceremony at the Health Directorate Conventions Hall at the heart of the provincial capital.

At the head of the committee – set up to oversee the recruitment of public sector workers as part of a bid to eradicate nepotism – deputy Erbil governor Taher Abdullah said that the teachers were recruited on the strength of their qualifications, experience and personal interviews.

Abdullah said that there is a 20% reserve of teachers ready to take up positions to cover any of the recruits who are unable to meet the demands of their new posts.

Erbil’s Education Director Pakiza Tal’at said that despite the high number of appointments, there are still vacant spots that need to be filled, particularly for maths and physics teachers, as teachers from other specializations cannot be offered these positions.

(Source: AKnews)

A new school funded by the Kuwaiti government was opened in Erbil on Sunday.

AKnews reports that the school, which is one of the seven schools that Kuwait plans to construct across Iraq to assist education in the country, was built at a cost of $2.5 million [3 billion Iraqi dinars].

It is located in Bahar neighborhood and on a site of 4,000 square meters.

(Source: AKnews)

The Iraqi economy is suffering due to a lack of properly trained managers, an Iraqi business leader said on Monday.

The head of the Iraqi businessmen federation in Basra, Sabih Habib al-Hashemi, told AKnews that the management situation means that Iraq’s resources are not being properly exploited.

“Most of the economic issues in the country are due to institutions and committees being managed by unspecialized people and this has negatively affected the Iraqi economy,” he said.

“Iraq took positive steps by opening the doors to the private sector, but unfortunately these steps were accompanied by a number of drawbacks, notably poor management and this allowed the entrance of many the unspecialized people.”

Despite this lack of local expertise, Iraq has taken steps to restict the numbers of foreign workers who can enter the country.

(Source: AKnews)

Basra University has entered into a joint agreement with the American University of Oregon, for the development of English language competence in the areas of petroleum engineering and geology at the University.

An official source at the university said the agreement aimed at developing the English language capability of the teaching staff and students of the University.

(Source: National Media Center)

Iraq is not just a nodding donkey.

The country’s progress can be seen not just in its growing population of oil wells, nor even merely in its breeding building sites. It can also be admired in its rapid expansion in education.

Najaf, a city of around 600,000 people south of Baghdad, is to build 15 more schools, according to the National Media Center. Although three have funding from the World Bank, most are local government projects.

Basra University has entered into a joint agreement with the University of Oregon in the USA. This will help develop English language skills, as well as bringing petroleum engineering and geology to Basra, Iraq’s largest port town with two million inhabitants.

Al Muthanna University in Samawah, a city south-east of Baghdad with a population of around 130,000, is teaming up with Russian universities for a scientific and cultural exchange. The Russian universities are Altai State Technical University, Ufa State Petroleum Technological University, and the Moscow State Geological University.

Iraq is also renewing academic ties with Egypt, reports AKnews. Egypt is going to open branches of its universities in Iraq, and the two countries are going to exchange visits of students and teachers.

(Sources: National Media Center; AKnews; Encyclopaedia Britannica)

According to a report from Azzaman, the Province of Najaf is to build 10,000 flats to house school teachers as part of a new policy to upgrade education in schools across the province.

Governor Adnan al-Zarqai said his local administration has decided to place more emphasis on developing all aspects of education in the province.

“Iraq’s problems are huge and addressing them requires massive budgets for several years. Our priorities in the province are health and education and this places more responsibilities on our shoulders to build more schools and new houses for teachers”,  the Governor said.

He said more school buildings were needed to solve problems related to overcrowding and buildings being used by several schools at a time.

The holy city of Najaf has attracted a lot of foreign investment but most of it has centered on tourism and related industries such as hotels.

Zarqai said it was time to allow both private and foreign entrepreneurs to invest in education.

He said his province would not mind establishing private schools to ease the pressure on state-run schools.

He said 30 more schools were to be built throughout the province this year.

But most ambitious among Najaf’s projects in the educational sector is the decision to build 10,000 flats to house all teachers working in the province.

These flats will be built in different parts and in close proximity of schools in provincial towns and villages.

“The provision of decent housing to teachers will save them from skyrocketing rents which devour most of their monthly salaries,” Zarqai said.

(Source: Azzaman)

(Photo: Imam Ali Shrine, Najaf)

By Tariq Abdell, Iraq’s political risk analyst, and Founder & CEO of Mesopotamia Insight.

The opinions expressed here are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

In light of ongoing socio-political changes in MENA region, Iraq’s massive protests, from Zakho to al-Faw, accentuate the political astuteness and the frustration of the Iraqi people with their elected officials. Disenfranchised Shiites, Sunnis, Kurdish, Arabs, and Christians are all demanding the same: an end to ethno-sectarian quota-sharing system, corruption, and, most importantly, universal access to basic services such as potable water, electricity, housing, education, healthcare, and jobs.

Nonetheless, given the legitimacy and urgency of the protestors’ demands, the government nebulous responses (halving of some officials’ salaries, 100-day ultimatum to incumbent ministers, boosting food ration with extra cash, etc…) are mere cosmetic measures to allay people’s frustration and anger. Unarguably, the cumulative effects, hitherto, of the elected officials’ ineptitude and schism are protracting decades of erroneous policies and, subsequently, the people’s tribulations. Impelling the majority of the Iraqi people to question the legitimacy of their government and the effectiveness of its institutions, a dangerous threshold that could hastily throw the country back into its darkest years of sectarian violence and lawlessness.

Notwithstanding Iraq’s colossal energy resources, billions of oil and natural gas reserves, Iraq fragile democracy and ineffectual institutions, in a restive region, are the breeding ground for societal and political upheavals and foreign interventions. In fact, Iraq’s daunting and intricate challenges are both internal and regional:

Internal challenges:

• Lack of basic services, e.g., six million people with no access to clean water -UNICEF.
• 20 to 25 percent of Iraqis still live below the country’s poverty line.
• Unemployment rates hover around %18, notably among military-age male population.
• Higher illiteracy rates, exacerbated with massive brain drain, are eroding Iraq’s skilled and professionally literate workforce.
• Rampant corruption and nepotism undermine the efficiency of the State institutions.
• Inequitable distribution and mismanagement of oil’s revenues – no hydrocarbon law.
• Parliament still faces a backlog of sensitive issues.

Regional challenges:

• Given the region new geopolitical developments, heightened tensions between Iran and Saudi, Iraq could easily turn into a sectarian proxy war battleground – Shiite Vs. Sunnis.
• The fallouts of Iran’s nuclear standoff with the West could easily spillover to Iraq’s already contentious politics and further undermining its stability.
• Given Kirkuk’s enormous oil reserves and ethnic diversity (Arabs, Kurds, and Turkmen), it’s protracted dispute is a timed bomb, which could expeditiously reignite Iraq’s civil war.
• Turkey’s recurrent incursion into Northern Iraq in the pursuit of the Kurdish workers party (PKK) elements and PKK assiduous attacks on the northern oil pipelines are a major threat to the country’s resources and sovereignty.
• Given the hostile intentions of some neighboring counties, the U.S. planned troops withdrawal, by the end of the year, could further jeopardise Iraq’s defense capabilities.

Thus, given the enormity and complexity of the aforementioned challenges, Iraq only viable mean to fend off political instability and chaos is to renounce its sectarian-based policies and espouse an inclusive and genuine democratic system that heads to the people aspirations and protects their rights (UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights). Furthermore, both the government and opposition ought to consolidate their efforts to bolster accountability, eradicate corruption and, subsequently, strengthen the State institutions, an essential prerequisite for a rapid socio-economic recovery. To this end, the new government’s long-term vision should entail an action plan that reflects the country strategic and pressing priorities, namely:

• Genuine national reconciliation to overcome sectarian and political schism and violence.
• Overhauling of State institutions to rein in corruption and enhance efficiency.
• Merit-based appointments to promote efficiency and accountability.
• Providing access to basic services (e.g., potable water, electricity, running sewer, etc)
• Equitable distribution of oil revenues.
• Investing in human capital through education and training.
• Job creation to fend off societal and political unrest (Organized crime, for instance).
• Advancing the principles of human rights and rule of law.
• Diversifying and reviving of Iraq’ strategic industries to curb its dependence on a single commodity – fossil fuel.

Conversely, in the absence of a comprehensive and inclusive socio-economic development strategy, aiming at strengthening State institutions, eradicating corruption, and addressing the aspirations of the Iraqi people, regardless of their political and religious believes, Iraq may revert to its darkest years of sectarian violence and lawlessness (05-07), giving regional players (Iran, Saudi, Turkey, Syria) a free hand in Iraq’s affairs – exploiting Iraq’s vulnerabilities (Shiite-Sunni strife, for instance)- to further their national interests and, subsequently, turning Iraq into a prime battleground for proxy wars, or worse, a pariah State. Simply put, “a house divided against itself cannot stand” Abraham Lincoln.

The opinions expressed here are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

The author, Tariq Abdell, Iraq’s political risk analyst, and Founder & CEO of Mesopotamia Insight

He can be contacted at: atariq2000@hotmail.com

or

Followed on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/atariqx

By Tariq Abdell, Iraq’s political risk analyst,  and Founder & CEO of  Mesopotamia Insight.

The opinions expressed here are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

 As Iraq-business news celebrates its one year anniversary, MENA region is witnessing a fundamental political upheavals and changes,  costing Mubarak of Egypt and Ben Ali of Tunisia their presidencies, as result of decades of unpopular and undemocratic policies and, most importantly,  for injudiciously disenfranchising  a crucial segment of their societies: their younger constituents.

  Unarguably, Iraq is undergoing major socio- economic changes, among them, the formation of a new and inclusive government, following months of political horse-trading, improved security conditions due to a strong and nonsectarian Army, and surge of foreign companies and investors’ interest in Iraq’s potentials. However, Iraq’s severely languished infrastructure,  lack of basic services, impoverished and disgruntle  population  – decades of wars and despair-  could easily jeopardize its hard-earned achievements.

 According to the Iraqi Institute for economic reforms, Iraq’s agricultural output had fallen from 8% to 3.5%, industrial output  from 7% to 1.5%,  estimated poverty rate  of almost 23%, unemployment still hover above 18%,  the appropriation of credit to the economy  as % of GDP is 3.37 % in 2008,  current power output at 6,5000 megawatts  is less than half of Iraq’s needs, national debt amounts to $33 billion.

 Given the aforementioned challenges, it’s an absolute imperative for the Iraqi government to devise a comprehensive and inclusive post-conflict reconstruction strategy, taking into account the aspirations of its people and current  budget constraints, which estimates overall expenditure at $81.86 billion and income at $68.56 billion, leaving a shortfall of $13.3 billion.  Drawing on past experiences (BRIC countries, for instance) and the support of the international agencies (IMF and WB, for instance), Such a strategy ought to:

• Create a conducive and transparent business environment, compatible with Iraq’s new constitution,  that is legally and politically permissive (adoption of a new investment law, for instance),  and susceptible to attract foreign capital, foster Iraq’s political capital, and reinvigorate the efficiency of its institutions .  According to the world bank, Iraq ranks 166 on the ease of doing business -next to Afghanistan.
• Institute an independent and inclusive  Petroleum Council — reflecting  the geographic distribution of Iraq’s energy resources — that is responsible for formulating oil strategies (hydrocarbon law, for instance), deflecting the politicization of the oil sector, enforcing transparency and accountability as bulwarks against corruption , and robust enough to reign in SOC, NOC, and IOCs.
• Set a mechanism that will allow for an equitable distribution of the oil revenues and avoid the resource-rich nations’ deleterious disease, the resource war. Historically, the bulk of Iraq’s oil revenues are distributed along ethno-sectarian, political, and tribal allegiances, as opposed to inclusive and growth-oriented economic policies.
• Foster strategic partnership with the private sector and academia. For instance,  GOI could seek foreign companies’ expertise to help revamp its oil sector by introducing technological know-how, the industry best practices, and foster a professionally literate workforce. With such perspicacious initiative, Iraqi government will definitely enhance its oil sector efficiency, boost production, and, eventually, spur economic recovery.
• Revive Iraq’s strategic industries(Petrochemicals, for instance) to curtail its dependence on a single commodity, fossil fuel, and, consequently,  avoiding its hasty depletion. Furthermore, given Iraq’s acute electricity and water crisis, direct solar energy is by far the most abundant renewable energy source in Iraq which can be used for power generation for domestic and international markets , and seawater desalination to help alleviate southern regions water shortage.

 Conversely, in the absence of a concerted and inclusive national development strategy that reflects the needs of the Iraqi people (e.g.,  more jobs, better wages,  universal access to basic services, health care, and education) and help resuscitate the country’s weakened economy, Iraq may risk reverting to its years of lawlessness, sectarianism,  and chaos, which is far worse than Egypt and Tunisia combined. Irrefutably, “A nation’ s strength ultimately consists in what it can do on its own, and not in what it can borrow from others.” Indira Gandhi

 The opinions expressed here are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

The author, Tariq Abdell, is an Iraq’s political risk analyst, and Founder & CEO of Mesopotamia Insight

He can be contacted at: atariq2000@hotmail.com

or

Followed on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/atariqx