Archive | 2011

Solution Reported over Hydrocarbon Law

In the ongoing conflict between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government in Baghdad over the proposed new oil and gas law, both sides agreed to adopt the draft law that had been presented in February, reports AKnews, citing Ghadhban Fadel, head of the advisers committee in the federal government. The announcement is […]

$21bn for Housing Project in Baghdad

The Iraqi government has decided to allocate $21 billion USD (25 trillion IQD) to implement the Rashid Housing project. AKnews reports that the preliminary negotiations with the UAE-based contractor, Maabar, are completed, and the final contract will be signed by the end of 2011. Rashid Barracks in Baghdad were used by the former Iraqi army […]

Iraq to Build Five Industrial Cities

The Iraqi cabinet has approved the establishment of five industrial cities in various Iraqi provinces, with the intention of strengthening local industry and reducing the need for imports. Iraqi government adviser Salam al-Quraishi told Mawtani: ''The government has agreed to the proposal in view of its vital importance for Iraq, from an industrial point of […]

New Contracts Fuel Growth for both Khudairi Group and Iraq

In the past few months, major steps have been taken by Khudairi Group to expand opportunities that will help successfully reconstruct critical Iraqi infrastructure. On July 22, 2011, the Khudairi Group entered a dealership agreement and sales contract with Sany International Development Limited. Sany is a global leader in the construction machinery industry, with vast […]

Iraq Project Not Worth the Millions Spent

Heavy fighting in Falluja, poor planning, unrealistic cost estimates, and inadequate funding led to significant cost-overruns and delays in constructing the city’s new wastewater treatment system, according to a new report from the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR). After seven years and the expenditure of over $100 million dollars, the backbone of a […]

Iranian Company Fails to Complete Power Plant

Iraq's Electricity Ministry has criticized the Iranian company Sanir [Sunir] for its alleged failure to complete the construction of the Sadr gas power plant in Baghdad, reports AKnews. Ministry spokesman Musab al-Mudarres said that the complex still does not have distribution centers, control centers, management chambers and housing facilities. "The Electricity Ministry did not fail […]

North Oil Company Opposing Kirkuk Refinery

The North Oil Company (NOC) is hindering the construction of a refinery in the oil-rich disputed province of Kirkuk, a local official said on Wednesday. The refinery is one of four projects that the Iraqi Oil Ministry tendered to foreign companies for final designs late October. The four refineries to be located in Kirkuk, Karbala, […]

Iraqi Parliamentary Attendance Data Are Bogus

The following article was published by Reidar Visser, an historian of Iraq educated at the University of Oxford and currently based at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. It is reproduced here with the author’s permission. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. […]

Weekly Security Update for 2nd November 2011

Levels of violence rose in Iraq over the past week, with the highest number of weekly attacks recorded since mid-August. At least 80 people were killed and 197 injured nationwide, with incidents concentrated in Baghdad, Mosul and Babil province. There was also sporadic violence in towns such as Kut, Fallujah and Ba’qubah.   North Turkish […]

Afren Closes Kurdistan Acquisition And Financing

Afren plc has completed the acquisition of a 60 percent participating interest in the Barda Rash PSC and 20 percent participating interest in the Ain Sifni PSC, located in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, and executed a corporate credit facility for up to US$200 million in connection with the Acquisition. Further to the announcement of […]