Bloomberg reports that Iraq is to offer more attractive terms in its next auction of exploration rights for natural gas. Oil Minister Abdul Kareem al-Luaibi [Elaibi] (pictured), told the agency in an interview: “Bidding will be next year, but we will start now to prepare the data package, and we will hold a roadshow for […]
The Iraqi Central Bank (ICB) said it is granting licences to "a limited number" of private banks to increase their branches in Iraq. Deputy governor Muzher Mohammed Saleh said more than 40 banks were granted the licences. Iraq has about 800 bank branches, and the ICB has required all banks to have at least 250 […]
Mr Simon Paul Collis has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Iraq. He will succeed Mr Michael Aron who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Collis will take up his appointment at the end of June 2012. Mr Collis joined the FCO in 1978 and after studying Arabic has […]
AKnews reports that a joint business delegation from Jordan and Palestine will arrive in Iraqi Kurdistan Region this week for a business conference. Dara Jalil Khayyat, head of the Kurdistan Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said fifteen businessmen from Jordan and two from Palestine will arrive on Tuesday, and will hold an economic […]
UPI reports that the Iraqi and Jordanian governments plan to meet in July to discuss the building of a natural gas pipeline between the countries. As its current supplies of natural gas from Egypt are unreliable, the Jordanian government has been considering securing natural gas supplies from other neighbouring countries. Last week, Iraq approved a […]
The former CFO of Australia's AWB has admitted to authorising payments to Saddam Hussein's Iraqi government. According to a report in the Herald Sun, Paul John Ingleby, aged 60, admitted he failed to "join the dots" and question payments disguised as inland transport fees before approving the transactions which ultimately went to Hussein's regime. The […]
AKnews reports that Kurdistan's Minister of Finance and Economy says he cannot afford to increase the housing grant. Bayiz Talabani [Bayiz Saeed Mohammad Talabani] (pictured) attended a budget meeting on Thursday to answer reports of parliamentary committees. Talabani said: "Now 18,000 staff and civil servants get paid from the Kurdistan Regional Government." It was suggested […]
The Director of the British Council in Iraq has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List. Brendan McSharry directs various educational and cultural programmes within the country and presents on these at international conferences. For the British Council, He has previously been country director of Bahrain, Palestine, Yemen and Zambia, as well […]
The governor of Nineveh province, Atheel Nujaifi, has expressed support for the oil deals signed in October between ExxonMobil and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), according to a report from AKnews. Atheel, who was reportedly opposed of Exxon's KRG deals, said in a interview with Iraq Oil Report that joint oil development could help ease tensions […]
The deputy governor of the Iraqi Central Bank (ICB), Muzher Mohammed Saleh, has set a deadline for all banks in Iraq to increase their capital to at least 250bn IQD ($215m). He said: "We asked all banks in Iraq to increase their capital this month to strengthen their dealings and give more loans." According to the report […]
Qatar Airways has in the span of just two weeks expanded passenger services to Iraq with the launch of its second destination in the country – to the capital Baghdad. The Doha-based airline is operating four-flights-a-week non-stop on the Baghdad route. Located on the banks of the Tigris River, Iraq’s capital is one of the […]
A source in the Iraqi trade ministry told Reuters on Thursday that Iraq bought 100,000 tonnes of rice from Argentina, Uruguay and Thailand following a tender that closed on 10th June: 30,000 tonnes will be sourced from Argentina; 30,000 tonnes from Uruguay; and, Commodity trading firm Olam International will supply Iraq with the 40,000 tonnes […]
