Egypt and Iraq in Talks to Expand Digital Cooperation
By John Lee. Egypt and Iraq have held ministerial talks on expanding cooperation in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and telecommunications infrastructure. The meeting was attended by Ahmed Khafaji, Egypt's ambassador to Baghdad, and Dr Qahtan al-Janabi, Iraq's ambassador to Cairo and permanent representative to the Arab League. Iraq's Minister of Communications, Mustafa Jabbar Sanad, met […]
Financing Discussed for Iraq-South Korea Air Defence Deal
By John Lee. Iraq's Finance Minister and the South Korean Ambassador to Iraq have met to discuss the financing of an air defence system contract agreed between the two countries. According to Iraq's Ministry of Finance, Faleh Sari met with Ambassador Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday. Also present were the Iraqi Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant […]
New Satellite Operator in Talks for Iraq Licence
By John Lee. A second global satellite communications provider is in negotiations to obtain a licence to operate in Iraq, which would introduce direct competition to Starlink in the market. Baligh Abu Kalal (pictured), head of Iraq's Communications and Media Commission (CMC), told the Baghdad Dialogue Conference that around 40,000 Starlink devices were in use in […]
Qatari Firm in Iraq Pipeline Talks
By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Oil has held talks with a delegation from Qatari company UCC on the proposed Basra-Haditha-Fishkhabur and Haditha-Baniyas pipeline project. Discussions covered the contract type, implementation timeline, and other technical matters. Minister of Oil Basim Muhammad Khudhair al-Abadi, attended by Deputy Minister for Extraction Affairs Nassir Aziz, called for the […]
Dutch Agri-Food Mission to Iraq
By John Lee. The Netherlands Embassy in Baghdad is to lead the first Dutch agri-food trade mission to federal Iraq in almost 15 years, visiting Baghdad and Kerbala from 28 to 30 October 2026. The mission will connect Dutch companies and knowledge institutes with Iraqi businesses, government officials, and other key players to explore trade, […]
AI Training Partnership Between CMC and Zain Iraq
By John Lee. Iraq's Communications and Media Commission (CMC) and Zain Iraq have launched a six-month training partnership focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and its practical applications, aimed at embedding AI use within the CMC and developing staff capabilities. According to the CMC, the programme is being delivered in collaboration with Irada Foundation and Kapita […]
Anton Oil Reports Revenue Decline in Iraq
By John Lee. Chinese oilfield services group Anton Oil reported a 16.2% decline in revenue from the Iraq market in the first half of 2026, with regional disruption cited as the primary cause. Revenue from Iraq fell to approximately RMB 1,212.4 million from RMB 1,447.2 million in the same period of 2025, representing 45.2% of […]
Baghdad-Vienna Air Route Proposed
By John Lee. A direct air route between Baghdad and Vienna has been proposed following a meeting between Iraq's First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Adnan Feihan al-Dulaimi, and Austria's newly appointed ambassador to Iraq, Axel Wech. The two sides agreed on the importance of opening the direct flight link and advancing legislation for an air […]
Electricity Executive Jailed for Bribery
By John Lee. The director-general of the Middle Euphrates Electricity Production Company and one of the company's employees have been sentenced to six years in prison and a fine of IQD 10 million (USD 7,600) each for accepting bribes in exchange for releasing payments owed to a contractor. According to the Federal Commission of Integrity, […]
GKP Shares Up 10% on Half Year Results
By John Lee. Shares in Gulf Keystone Petroleum (LSE: GKP) are trading up around 10 percent this morning (Tuesday, 25th August) after the company published its 2026 half-year results. Full statement from GKP: 2026 Half Year Results Announcement Gulf Keystone, a leading independent operator and producer in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, today announces its results […]
Review of Iraq Development Management System (IDMS)
By John Lee. A meeting has been held at Iraq's Ministry of Planning to discuss the activation and development of the Iraq Development Management System (IDMS), a digital platform used to monitor and manage investment projects and government programmes. The meeting, attended by Basim Dari, Director General of the Sector Planning Directorate, and Tahseen Mahmoud […]
Iraq and Libya discuss Economic Cooperation
By John Lee. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has received the envoy of Libya's Government of National Unity, Al-Taher Salem Al-Baour, along with an accompanying delegation. Al-Baour delivered a letter from Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed al-Dabaiba, which affirmed the importance of strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries and expressed an interest in convening […]