A large delegation of US Congressional staff visited the Kurdistan Region last week to meet with government officials, local businesses and schools, and to get a first hand view of how US-KRG relations can be further developed and improved.

“This was the first Congressional staff delegation of its kind and size to the Kurdistan Region,” said a member of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Representation office in the US. “The delegation visited all three Kurdistan provinces, gaining a thorough understanding of theregion and how the US business community is a true partner in its development.”

Commenting on the delegation’s visit to the Region, the Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations Minister Falah Mustafa said, “The political, institutional and developmental success of Kurdistan is a shining example of what can be achieved through the pursuit of our shared values with the United States. We have a long history with the US, and we believe that greater commercial, cultural and educational exchange between us is long overdue.”

While in Erbil the Congressional staff met with local representatives of the newly established United States-Kurdistan Business Council (USKBC) in order to both hear and see first-hand how US investment is at work in Kurdistan.

The delegation received an insightful briefing from US Consul General Alex Laskaris during the visit, and spent an afternoon at the campus of the American University of Iraq – Suleimani (AUIS), holding informative talks with both the students and faculty there. The group also had good exchanges with Christian leaders based in Kurdistan during their stay.

The bipartisan delegation included senior staff of ten Congressional offices, from both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The delegation was also received by KRG ministers and officials including: President Barzani’s Chief of Staff Dr Fuad Hussein; Minister Falah Mustafa; Minister of Education Dr Asmat Khalid, and Chairman of the Investment Board, Minister Herish Muharam.

(Source: KRG)

President Barzani yesterday welcomed US Ambassador to Iraq James Jeffery and Chief of the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq General Robert Caslen in Salahaddin to discuss the current political crisis facing Iraq.

Both sides underlined the importance of urgently resolving the current crisis through constitutional means and by respecting the existing agreements between the political blocs. They also emphasized the need for genuine power-sharing and expressed their support for any decision that Iraqis may take within the framework of the constitution.

President Barzani shed light on the recent meetings and consultation he held in Erbil with a number of other Iraqi leaders. He stated that the only threat to Iraq’s unity is dictatorship.

On the recent security developments in certain disputed areas, General Caslen talked about efforts to convene a meeting of the Iraqi army, the Peshmerga forces and representatives from the US Embassy security cooperation office, to address the security challenges facing those areas.

(Source: KRG)

The battle for Iraq’s oil goes on. Iraqi Kurdistan is intent on controlling its own oil, Baghdad is intent on wresting that control from them. Will the impasse ever be solved? Only if both sides see reason, one commentator argues in this article from NIQASH.

Ever since oil was found in Iraq nearly a century ago, there has been a battle to control the most important commodity the country has known. In the beginning, the struggle over oil played out between foreign or colonial powers. Then when the Iraqi oil industry was finally nationalised in the early 1970s, the struggle for control of the oil industry became internal. Today it dominates domestic politics.

Ever since the government of the semi-autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, in the north of the country, decided to come up with its own version of oil and gas laws in 2006 and 2007, the Kurdish and the Iraqi federal government in Baghdad have been on a collision course.

The Kurdish formulated their own laws because they were largely frustrated by the federal government’s inability to come up with such a law and to start to develop the oil industry. Iraqi Kurdistan then began to negotiate contracts with international oil companies and to move on without Baghdad’s explicit approval.

Since then the powers-that-be have been deadlocked, with neither side willing to compromise. Baghdad is refusing to recognise contracts made by the Kurdish region and threatens to blacklist international companies operating there. In return the Kurdish halted oil exports from out of their region.

In fact, it is only relatively recently that the Kurds have been able to control the oil under their own feet – and it is hard to imagine they would ever give up those rights, especially now that huge companies like Exxon Mobil and other major oil companies are lining up to do business in the region.

President Masoud Barzani this week paid an official visit to the United Arab Emirates to strengthen political, economic, cultural and investment ties between the Emirates and the Kurdistan Region.

The President had meetings with the Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE and constitutional monarch of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al-Maktoum, and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al-Maktoum reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to a stable and prosperous Iraq in which all its people can live together peacefully.

President Barzani expressed his admiration for the rapid economic development and progress that the UAE has witnessed and said that the Kurdistan Region can learn much from their experience. He described his visit as the start of a turning point in their relations, and said that Kurdistan is keen to increase economic cooperation with the UAE.

Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan said to President Barzani that both sides would benefit from greater cooperation.

Both UAE leaders commended the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and its leadership for their achievements and the positive role they play in Iraq.

President Barzani visited Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted renewable energy company, on Tuesday to receive a brief on the UAE’s efforts in developing renewable energy solutions and clean technology.

He also met with the UAE’s Chambers of Commerce to discuss business and investment opportunities in the Kurdistan Region.

The President and his accompanying delegation attended a number of other meetings with UAE leaders, focusing on further strengthening ties in areas including agriculture, tourism and industry.

During the three day visit, the President was accompanied by the KRG Deputy Prime Minister, Imad Ahmad, the KRG Minister of Planning, Ali Sindi, the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, Falah Mustafa and the Head of the Board of Investment, Herish Muharam along with several KRG advisers.

By Michael Aron, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Iraq. This article was originally published by Rudaw, and is re-published with permission by Iraq Business News.

Rather than the usual one or two day visit to Erbil, I have just spent a week in Kurdistan Region travelling to Suleymaniya, Dohuk, Soran and Shanidar. What a country; a land blessed with breathtaking mountain views, hydrocarbons, fertile plains, fast-flowing rivers, a deep and remarkable history and, more important than all of that, a resourceful, determined and tolerant people thirsting for international exchanges. All around me as I travelled and spoke to people I heard about change, progress and optimism for the future.

Iraq over the last few decades has been broadly inward looking; Kurdistan which has had more than its fair share of isolation is now determinedly outward looking. That is the mark of a confident society and body politic and surely in this globalised world a necessary ingredient for sustainable growth. It was good to see Iraq generally more confident and outward looking following the successful Arab League Summit in Baghdad.

I heard this confidence in a series of discussions Chris, our Consul General in Erbil and I had with students in Suleymaniya, Dohuk and Soran. Judging by the students we met, Kurdistan Region will have a vibrant and dynamic future. And so, I am thrilled that UK seems to be Kurds’ partner of choice for higher education. I was able to open the new centre for language and academic development in Soran. The centre is jointly run with University College, Plymouth. Soran and Plymouth had their first discussions in June 2011. Only ten months later the centre was opened. That shows the ambition and energy of Soran and the responsiveness of UK higher education.

It looks as if Bristol University’s groundbreaking collaboration with Suleymaniya on researching and reducing gender based violence will continue for another three years. Kurdish society is at its best and bravest when it tackles head-on such difficult issues.

Levels of violence fell in Iraq last week following a spate of al-Qaeda attacks the previous week which killed dozens of people. Nonetheless, conditions were still relatively bad. At least 47 people were killed and 65 injured in nationwide incidents.

Tactics
A suicide bomber in Ba’qubah killed 10 people and injured 15 mid-week. Otherwise a total of 25 non-suicide bomb attacks left 19 people dead and 36 injured. Small arms fire attacks left 15 people dead and 10 injured. An RPG attack in Mosul also left three people dead and four injured. There were no reported kidnappings.

Geographic Distribution
Mosul was in fact the most violent part of the country last week, followed by Sa’adiyah in Diyala province, where Kurdish civilians appear to have been singled out for attack by Arab militants. Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) territory on the other hand remains relatively secure. Baghdad, Tikrit, Kirkuk and Fallujah also saw several attacks.

Weekly Attacks in Iraq - the last 6 months

April Casualties
According to ministry statements at least 126 Iraqis were killed in violence during April. However, AKE research contradicts this, suggesting the much higher figure of 231 dead. Either way, conditions worsened over the course of the month, with the majority of casualties inflicted during a spate of co-ordinated al-Qaeda attacks on 19 April.

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.

Afren plc announced on Wednesday several senior technical management appointments for its operations in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Appointment of Managing Director Afren MENA

Afren announces the appointment of Mr David Kennedy as Managing Director Afren MENA, who will assume responsibility for Afren’s operations in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, including the major Barda Rash field development. Prior to joining Afren, Mr Kennedy held various senior positions within Hess Corporation, where he was most recently Country Manager Hess Equatorial Guinea, and Chevron Corporation, where he held senior management roles internationally in Nigeria, Angola, Indonesia and Kazakhstan. With over 30 years of upstream industry experience, Mr Kennedy holds a B.S in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Mr Kennedy will be based in Afren’s Erbil office in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Operations and subsurface appointments

In addition, Afren is pleased to announce two further senior appointments. Mr Mark Maurin joins as Operations Manager for the Kurdistan region of Iraq and Dr David Goggin joins as Subsurface Director.

Mr Maurin will assume responsibility for the safe and efficient management of Afren’s operations in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, including field development and production operations at the Barda Rash field development. Mr Maurin has over 25 years of international upstream oil and gas experience, and joins Afren from Hess Corporation where he most recently fulfilled operational management roles at Hess Equatorial Guinea. Prior to this, Mr Maurin held senior engineering, operational and project management roles at ExxonMobil, including international assignment in Nigeria. Mr Maurin has a B.S in Petroleum Engineering from Texas Tech University.

Dr Goggin will assume responsibility for Afren’s post-exploration stage subsurface activities including subsurface aspects of the Company’s field development and production activities. Dr Goggin has over 24 years of upstream industry experience and joins Afren from Hess Corporation where he was most recently Subsurface Director (Production) Offshore Americas and West Africa. Prior to this, Dr Goggin held senior reservoir engineering and subsurface management positions with Chevron Corporation. Dr Goggin holds a B.S, M.S and PhD in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.

Iain Wright, Technical Director of Afren, commented:

“As we move towards first oil at the major Barda Rash field development and assess the transformational discovery on the Ain Sifni exploration block, I am delighted to further strengthen our technical capabilities in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.“

Genel Energy has issued the following update on its operations at the Chia Surkh block in Kurdistan:

On 16 January 2012, Genel Energy plc (“Genel Energy”) announced that it had entered into transactions with Forbes & Manhattan (Kurdistan) Inc. (a subsidiary of Longford Energy Inc.) (“F&M”) and Petoil Petroleum to increase Genel Energy’s interest in the Chia Surkh block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq from 20 per cent to 80 per cent and to become Operator of that block.

Genel Energy today announces that the Kurdistan Regional Government Oil and Gas Council has approved the F&M transaction and that accordingly, the F&M Transaction has completed. As a result, Genel Energy has increased its interest in the Chia Surkh block to 60 per cent by acquiring the 40 per cent interest formerly held by F&M, and has been appointed Operator of the block. The total paid by Genel Energy for this additional 40 per cent interest was $68 million.

Genel Energy also announces that Genel Energy and Petoil have terminated the Petoil Transaction, and Petoil will retain its 20 per cent interest in the Chia Surkh block. The Government will retain its existing 20 per cent carried interest.

Tony Hayward (pictured), chief executive of Genel Energy said:

“We are pleased that the transaction has now completed, allowing us to increase our interest in Chia Surkh and to take over the operatorship of this high quality asset. Genel Energy remains focused on deepening its interest in the Kurdistan Region and we look forward to driving forward a thorough exploration and appraisal programme on Chia Surkh.“