Archive | 2025

New Italian Ambassador meets Iraqi PM

By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani met recently with Italy's new Ambassador to Iraq, Niccolò Fontana. He congratulated Fontana on his new role and wished him success in his mission. Discussions covered bilateral relations and opportunities for enhanced cooperation across various sectors. Regional developments were also addressed, including the situation in Syria and […]

Iraq Stock Market Report

Advertising Feature Rabee Securities Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX) market report (trading week ending: 6th February 2025. Please click here to view a table of listed companies and their associated ticker codes. RSISX Index Change       RSISX Index Closings Change (w/w) (%) Change (YTD) (%) RSISX IQD Index 2,246.7 1.3% -0.1% RSISX USD Index […]

$800m Iraqi Refinery Expansion Project Signed

By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani has overseen the signing of an $800-million contract for the expansion of Al-Diwaniya Refinery, adding a 70,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) atmospheric distillation unit to raise total capacity to 90,000 bpd. The project includes hydrocracking, gasoline upgrading, isomerization, and environmental compliance measures. The initiative aims to modernise Iraq's refining […]

Gulfood 2025 to celebrate 30th Landmark Edition

Centred on creating actionable solutions for the global food trade industry Mega event continues to act as a pivotal catalyst for empowering global cross-industry collaboration and trade partnerships. Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) celebrates the return of Gulfood for its momentous 30th edition running from 17 - 21 February 2025. Under the theme 'The Next […]

Basra Launches Major Sustainable City Project

By John Lee. Basra Governor Asaad Al-Eidani (pictured) has reportedly announced the launch of Madinat Al-Nakhil [Palm City], a major residential and developmental project in Iraq. Planned for over a decade, the eco-friendly city will span 54 nature reserves and 34 additional dunams, featuring 120,000 housing units, universities, and industrial zones aimed at reducing carbon […]

Iraq Launches Comprehensive Banking Reform Initiative

By John Lee. The Iraqi government, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI), has launched a strategic initiative to modernise the country's banking sector. The reforms aim to enhance banking standards, strengthen financial resilience, and improve Iraq's integration with global financial systems. Key pillars of the initiative include: Governance and Ownership: Strengthening transparency […]

Trump's Foreign Assistance Review "Prioritizes Funding Over Policy"

By Ben Fishman, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Trump's Foreign Assistance Review Prioritizes Funding Over Policy The U.S. government has demonstrated a long-term interest in supporting the Iraqi security forces, investing $1.25 billion […]

Wood Hires 500th Iraqi Local in Basra

Wood reaches 500 Iraqi local nationals hiring milestone in Basra Wood has recruited its 500th Iraqi national employee, demonstrating its commitment to building a sustainable workforce to support Iraq's energy sector. Administration Assistant, Rehab Zubaid, was recruited as her experience aligned perfectly with the role requirements. Rehab said: "It is an honour to be the […]

Chinese Company Wins $534m Water Project in Karbala

By John Lee. The Iraqi Council of Ministers has approved the recommendation of the Social Services Council to award the Design, Construction, Operation, and Maintenance of the South Karbala Water Project to Shandong Shiji [Shandong Xieji Construction Engineering], a Chinese company. The project, with a capacity of 16,000 m³ per hour, is valued at 699.75 […]

Iraq Expands East Baghdad Oil Field Contract Area

By John Lee. The Iraqi Council of Ministers has approved a modification to the contract area of the East Baghdad Oil Field - Southern Region, adding 95 km² west of the Diyala River. According to the Media Office of the Prime Minister, this expansion aims to exploit an estimated 710 million barrels of crude oil […]

Iraq Approves Waste-to-Energy Project in Baghdad

By John Lee. The Iraqi Council of Ministers has approved the Waste-to-Energy Power Generation Project in Nahrawan, Baghdad, awarding it to the Chinese company Shanghai SUS Environment. The project will have a two-year construction period and a 25-year investment term. The National Investment Commission (NIC) will issue the investment licence and finalise the contract. The […]