Archive | 2012

Gazprom Denies Freezing Kurdistan Contracts

By John Lee. Both Russia's Gazprom Neft and the Kurdistan Regional Government have denied that the company has frozen projects in Iraqi Kurdistan. "Gazprom Neft is still working on these projects. The company keeps its interest in Kurdistan," a Gazprom Neft source told Reuters. A spokesman for the KRG said Gazprom had informed the KRG […]

Weekly Security Update

  By Gary Sandiford, Olive Group’s Dubai based assessments manager.  Olive Group is a leading provider of security and technology solutions and has operated continuously in Iraq since 2003. Overview Olive Groups Iraq statistics are drawn from multiple sources, including media reporting and direct liaison with in country assets. Included within the statistics are a […]

Iraqi Oil to be Game-Changer for World Markets

Iraq’s energy sector holds the key to the country’s future prosperity and can make a major contribution to the stability and security of global energy markets, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says in a special report of the World Energy Outlook released today – the first time that the IEA has conducted a comprehensive review […]

Iraq Approves LUKoil Development

Reuters reports that the Iraqi government has approved the exploration, development and production contract for Block 10 in the south of the country. Russia's LUKoil, which already has an interest in the giant West Qurna-2 oilfield, won the deal for the 5,500-square-kilometer Block 10 in Muthanna and Dhi Qar provinces in Iraq's 4th round energy […]

France announces Visa Service in Erbil

Welcoming the French Ambassador to the Kurdistan Region on Sunday, Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani discussed the Region’s growing ties with France as well as ongoing events in the broader region. On his first official visit to Kurdistan since the arrival of the new French Consul General, Mr Alain Guépratte, Ambassador Denis Gauer announced the opening […]

US-Iraq Conference on Iraq’s Economic Priorities

On October 4, 2012, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Prime Minister’s Advisory Commission co-hosted an economic conference to discuss a new assessment report evaluating Iraq’s economic priorities. The report was released by USAID’s provincial economic growth project, Tijara, and was commissioned by the Prime […]

Iraq to Boost Oil-Refining Capacity by 23%

Iraq’s oil refining capacity will increase by 23 percent to 760,000 barrels a day by early next year, according to Deputy Oil Minister Ahmad al-Shamaa. In an interview with Bloomberg, the Deputy Minister said that the refinery expansions, particularly of the Daura (Doura) facility in Baghdad (pictured), and the Basra plant in the south, will […]

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German Company to Inspect Iraqi Imports

The Iraqi Ministry of Planning has reportedly signed a technical contract with a German company to inspect imports into Iraq. The Ministry said that the aim of the contract is "to limit the importation of bad goods or expired commodities and foodstuffs". According to a report from Aswat al-Iraq, the contract was signed with the […]

Iraq Makes no Purchase in 50,000 ton Wheat Tender

The Iraqi Ministry for Trade has made no purchase in a tender for at least 50,000 tonnes of wheat, according to a report from Reuters. The tender for wheat of any origin had closed on 1st October, with offers having to stay valid until 5th October. A source at the trade ministry gave no reason […]

Iran's Ahmadinejad May Visit Iraq Soon

Tehran Times reports that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will visit Iraq in the near future. In an interview with the Persian service of the Mehr News Agency on Sunday, the Iranian Ambassador to Iraq, Hassan Danaiifar, also said that the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Naval Force, Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, will […]

DAMAC Strengthens its Presence in Iraq

Dubai's DAMAC Properties has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Iraqi Minister for Construction and Housing on the final day of Cityscape Global 2012. The region’s largest private luxury developer already has two plots of land in Baghdad that was previously bought from the private sector and is currently developing designs with the projects […]