Archive | 2024

Investigation into Recording Alleging Iraq Corruption

By John Lee. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani has instructed the Commission of Integrity to initiate an urgent investigation into the leaked audio recording attributed to the Head of the General Commission of Taxes and to present the findings promptly. According to a statement from the PM's office, this directive underscores his commitment to […]

TotalEnergies' Gas Investment Project in Basra "On-Track"

By John Lee. Iraq's Oil Ministry reported steady progress on the gas investment project led by French company TotalEnergies in Basra, confirming it aligns with the government's strategic timelines. Deputy Oil Minister for Extraction, Mr. Basem Mohammed Khudair, chaired the seventh Joint Management Committee meeting, attended by officials including Deputy Minister for Gas Mr. Ezzat […]

Iraq Finalises Contracts for latest Energy Licensing Rounds

By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Oil has finalised contracts for the "fifth-plus" and sixth oil licensing rounds with the successful companies. Minister Abdul Ghani highlighted that these agreements, which cover the development of oil and gas fields and exploration blocks across several provinces, are poised to boost Iraq's production capacity by 800-850 million standard […]

Iraq Explores for Limestone and Gypsum

By John Lee. The Iraq Geological Survey, part of the Ministry of Industry and Minerals, has started new exploration projects for limestone and gypsum reserves in Anbar and Nineveh provinces, respectively. In Abu Safia, Anbar, teams are searching for limestone deposits essential for cement production, while in Al-Salamiyah, Nineveh, efforts are focused on uncovering borcelanite […]

Iraq to Grow by 4.1 percent in 2025

By John Lee. According to the recently-published World Economic Outlook from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Iraq's economy is forecast to grow by 4.1 percent in 2025, up from 0.1 percent this year. A rate of 4.2 percent is projected for 2029. This would give it one of the fastest real GDP growths of all […]

Iraq Attracts $100bn in Investments; $5bn Deal with Elsewedy Electric

By John Lee. Iraq's government has successfully attracted $100 billion in investments over the past two years, according to Mohammed Al-Najjar, advisor to the Prime Minister for Investment and head of the Iraq Development Fund. He told the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) that a $5 billion agreement was signed recently with Egypt's Elsewedy Electric […]

Iraq Reduced Oil Exports in September

By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Oil has announced finalised oil export volumes for September, but has again not disclosed the value of oil exports for the month. This continues the practice of delayed or missing oil export data from the Ministry. Total exports of crude oil: 99,311,107 barrels. Exports from the oil fields in […]

4-Country Meeting on Development Road Project

By John Lee. Representatives from Iraq, Turkey, the UAE, and Qatar gathered in Basra to discuss the latest developments in the "Development Road" project. The meeting focused on finalizing the economic feasibility study and defining key routes for the project's execution. Led by Iraq, with participation from Turkey, Qatar, and the UAE, this meeting is […]

Iraq "buys Air Defenses amid Spectre of Regional Missile War"

From Amwaj Media. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq buys air defenses amid specter of regional missile war Amid the prospect of a major escalation of regional missile warfare, Iraq has inked a major deal with South Korea on a state […]

Iraq-UAE Investment Dialogue Focuses on Technology

By John Lee. Dr. Haider Mohammed Makiyya, Chairman of Iraq's National Investment Commission (NIC), held discussions with UAE Ambassador Abdullah Matar Al Mazrouei in Baghdad, focusing on advanced technological frameworks for the "Electronic Development Route" project. This initiative includes plans for underground cables, offering a more efficient alternative to traditional undersea cables, and is being […]

AGSIW: China's Rise in Iraq's Energy Sector

By Yerevan Saeed and Sardar Aziz for the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW). Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. China's Rise in Iraq's Energy Sector: From Newcomer to Dominant Player While Iraqi leaders consistently emphasize the importance of Western investment […]