The Kurdistan Regional Government has decided to construct a large dam in the village of Aqhoban in the Hiran region, in the district Shaqlawah [Shaqlawa]. The Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources has allocated more than six billion dinars for the project, which will be implemented by the two companies; work will start in the […]
Archive | 2010
Governor of Erbil to speak at Tufts University, Massachusetts
The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, The Program on Southwest Asia and Islamic Civilization, Gordon Institute, and Institute for Global Leadership cordially invite you to attend a talk by Mr Nawzad Hadi Mawlood, the Governor of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq: “Challenges and Opportunities for Redevelopment in Erbil, Iraq” By […]
Reopening of Sazan Border Crossing Abandoned
Halabja's deputy mayor said Iran has rejected reopening the Sazan border crossing, located near Halabja in Sulaimaniya province. In a statement to AKnews on Sunday, the deputy mayor, Goran Adham, quoted the Iranian consul to Sulaimaniya as saying that an Iranian committee visited the crossing and voiced their reluctance to open the gate again. All […]
Confusion, Contradiction and Irony: The Iraqi Media in 2010
After the fall of Baghdad on April 9, 2003, Iraq’s news media environment transformed almost overnight from the tightly controlled propaganda arm of Saddam Hussein’s rule into one of the most diverse and unrestricted news environments in the Middle East. Built in an atmosphere of chaos and conflict, Iraq’s media landscape now reflects the ethno‐sectarian […]
How high can Iraqi stocks go?
In my October 11 post, I argued that the ISX stands a reasonable chance of joining this year’s emerging markets rally. Today, I’d like to make an even more audacious claim: in 2011, inflows of foreign money could potentially make Iraq the world’s top performing market. You can get some idea of the upside potential […]
US to Hire Another 7,000 Security Contractors in Iraq
The US government will hire an additional 7,000 security contractors once Congress approves the 2011 budget. Speaking at the annual Arab-US Policymakers conference in Washington, Michael Corbin, Deputy Assistant Secretary for State for Iraq said security contractors will help "the Iraqi government improve its police department and other civil agencies." Corbin stated that State Department […]
What Business Leaders are Saying About Iraq
Speaking at the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit this week, business leaders expressed their opinions about Iraq. They were keen to invest in the Iraqi market in sectors including energy, telecoms, finance and infrastructure: "Iraq is a country emerging from a difficult period, it's getting back on track and it's a country that cannot be […]
Exxon "On Track" at West Qurna 1
U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil said on Friday it was on track to reach its initial production target in Iraq's West Qurna I oilfield next year, according to reports from Reuters. "ExxonMobil is moving forward in accordance with the contract timeline and we are on track with our plans to reach the initial production target in […]
Iraq Considers Arab Gas Pipeline Link
Iraq has discussed with Egypt the issue of linking up to a gas pipeline running from Egypt through other Arab states as a way to export its gas, Reuters has reported. The Arab Gas Pipeline is aimed at supplying customers in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey, and potentially Europe through Egypt. (Source: Reuters)
HCL and Inmarsat Consider Iraqi Market
The chairman of HCL Info Systems said on Thursday that his company is seriously looking at Iraq’s needs and considering entering the Iraqi market. This statement was made during the opening of the 30th session of the Jet-ex Exhibition for Information Technology in Dubai. “We are looking seriously towards Iraq’s needs and trying to enter […]
Kuwait to Seize Iraqi planes in Canada?
The Supreme Court of Canada has allowed Kuwait to pursue the seizure of Iraqi government assets in Canada, according to CTV News. The high court has granted an appeal by Kuwait Airways against Iraq and Bombardier Aerospace of Montreal, follows a British judgment that could allow Kuwait to seize Iraqi passenger planes now in Canada. […]
IMF Cuts Estimates of Iraq's Oil Output
Oil prices in the first half of 2010 were higher than estimated by the IMF, but the volume of Iraq's oil exports remained well below projections. Export prices of Iraqi oil averaged $75 per barrel in the first half of 2010, compared to a budgeted price of $62.50 per barrel. Exports, however, averaged 1.88 million […]


