MoU Signed for Diwaniyah Int'l Airport and Free Zone

By John Lee. A memorandum of understanding has been signed for the development of Diwaniyah International Airport and a free zone in the province. The governor of Diwaniyah, Abbas Shuail Al-Zamili, signed the MoU with Al-Balaghi and Chinese firm China CAMC Engineering, described as a strategic step to support commercial and investment activity in the […]

Iraq Oil Conf Opens; Focus on Exports, Refining and Gas

By John Lee. Iraq's fourth international oil, gas and licensing rounds conference has opened in Baghdad, with the Ministry of Oil outlining progress on exports, refining and infrastructure over the first 100 days of the new government. According to the Ministry of Oil, Minister Basim Muhammad Khudhair al-Abadi said oil exports had risen from around […]

Iraq and Brazil to Sign Agricultural MoUs

By John Lee. Iraq and Brazil have agreed to proceed with signing memoranda of understanding (MoUs) covering livestock and crop production, following talks between Agriculture Minister Abdul-Rahim Jassim and Brazilian Ambassador Alfredo Leoni. The discussions focused on developing the poultry sector and expanding broader agricultural cooperation. The ambassador also extended an invitation to the minister […]

New OTC Listings for Iraqi Insurance Companies

By John Lee. Eight insurance companies have been approved for listing, deposit, and trading on Iraq's over-the-counter (OTC) platform. According to the Iraq Securities Commission (ISC), the decision was taken at the commission's seventh session on 18th August 2026. The companies admitted to the OTC platform are: Al-Dhaminoun Insurance Company Al-Sadiq Insurance Company Al-Murtakaz Insurance […]

Iraq-Korea Business Council Talks on Economic and Trade Ties

By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Trade has held talks with the Iraq-Korea Business Council to discuss strengthening economic and trade relations and advancing private sector support plans. Dr. Malik Khalaf al-Durai'i, Director-General of the Private Sector Development Directorate, visited the council's headquarters and met with its president and members. He underlined the importance of […]

Iraqi Customs Revenue to Exceed $3bn by Year-End

By John Lee. Iraqi customs revenues are expected to reach 4 trillion dinars ($3.05 billion) by the end of 2025, up from around 800 billion dinars ($610 million) before the introduction of the ASYCUDA (Automated System for Customs Data) system in 2022. The director-general of the General Customs Authority, Thamer Qasim (pictured), attributed the rise […]

Ford Names New Iraqi Distributor

By John Lee. Ford Middle East and North Africa has appointed Shimal Al Jazeera Auto-Trading and Commercial Agencies (SAT) as its distributor partner in Iraq, effective 1 October 2026. According to a press release from Ford, SAT is a strategic alliance between March Holding, a regional investment group with a diversified portfolio across technology, financial […]

Iraq-Palestine Talks on Pharmaceutical Market Access

By John Lee. Iraq and Palestine have discussed cooperation on the pharmaceutical sector, including procedures for registering Palestinian drug products with Iraqi authorities to facilitate their entry into the Iraqi market. The talks took place on the sidelines of the 118th regular session of the Arab League's Economic and Social Council, where Minister of Trade […]

ILO-Iraq Workshop Planned on Small Business Resilience

By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Planning has held a virtual meeting with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to discuss organising a workshop on building inclusive and risk-informed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Iraq, as part of efforts to support sustainable recovery and local economic development. According to the Ministry of Planning, the workshop […]

Iraq-Tunisia Trade Talks at Arab League Economic Council

By John Lee. Trade relations between Iraq and Tunisia were discussed on the sidelines of the 118th ordinary session of the Economic and Social Council of the Arab League, with both sides exploring ways to increase bilateral trade and expand Iraqi exports to the Tunisian market. According to the Iraqi Ministry of Trade, Minister Mustafa […]