Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Thomas R. Nides visited Iraq from December 10-11, 2012, and met with President Jalal Talabani, Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hoshyar Zebari, and Minister of Finance, Rafi al-Issawi in Baghdad. Deputy Secretary Nides and his Iraqi interlocutors discussed U.S.-Iraqi relations under the Strategic Framework […]
Drafted and adopted by a referendum in 2005, the Iraqi constitution outlines the structure of the federal government and stipulates what bodies should form its legislative, executive and judicial branches. The legislative branch is to consist of the Council of Representatives (CoR; the Iraqi parliament) and the Federation Council, an ‘upper chamber’ of parliament that […]
Anbar Investment Commission (AIC) announced today that it is postponing its third annual international conference which was scheduled for December 15-17, 2012 in the city of Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq. The Commission's Board of Directors met yesterday and decided it would be best to postpone the conference to allow for greater participation and sponsorship. Many companies […]
By John Lee. WesternZagros Resources has announced that it and the operator, Talisman, are preparing to complete the Kurdamir-2 well after successfully finishing an additional cased-hole test in the Oligocene Formation (DST#7). The test was conducted over a 24 metres thick interval between depths of 2,528 metres and 2,552 metres. It achieved a stabilized flow […]
By John Lee. An article from Seeking Alpha speculates that Iraq could provide solid opportunities to oil field services firms like Baker Hughes, but points out that there are significant risks and issues that need to be addressed before international firms can participate wholeheartedly in this promising market. Baker Hughes has been making steady progress […]
The Government of Iraq has launched a new national education strategy to improve access to quality education for Iraq’s 33 million citizens. “This is Iraq’s first ever national education strategy, which is unique in both Iraq and the region,” said Dr. Mohammed Ali Tamim, Iraq’s Minister of Education. “This strategy will respond to the needs […]
By John Lee. Iraq has completed a new $146-million project to supply drinking water to much of Baghdad's population. Saleh al-Mutlaq (pictured), deputy prime minister for service affairs, told Al-Shorfa: "The ministry of municipalities opened the Abu Ghraib Great Water Project ... It will provide drinking water to houses through modern networks, and will cover […]
By John Lee. Transparency International has said that Iraq maintained its position in the global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). In the latest annual list, Libya was in 8th-last position, a ranking it shared last year with Haiti, which has improved its position by two places. From at total of 176 countries, Iraq came in at […]
The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) for Iraq, Mr. Martin Kobler (pictured), has welcomed the beginning of the first voter registration update in three years as part of preparations for the forthcoming Governorate Council elections on 20 April 2013. “The opening of 891 Voter Registration Centres is an important step towards transparent […]
By John Lee. Reuters reports that top oil trader Vitol has apologised to the Iraqi government for buying Kurdish oil that was exported via Turkey without Baghdad's permission. Iraqi Oil Minister Abdul-Kareem Luaibi [Elaibi] said on in Vienna: "In terms of Vitol, they have cancelled the Kurdish amount and they apologised officially ... As for […]
By John Lee. South Korea's STX Heavy Industries has said it has won a $150-million order to construct and operate a power plant in Amara, in Missan province. Under the turnkey contract signed with Iraq's Ministry of Electricity, STX will take responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the plant for a year after its […]
By John Lee. The General Commission for Iraqi Free Zones (IFZ) has signed a contract to establish a special zone for commercial activities in accordance with the Free Zones law number 3 of 1998, reports to Aswat al-Iraq. IFZ director Saleh Saleh al-Qeissi [Sabah Saleh al-Qaisi] said: "The IFZ signed an investment contract with the Eaamar […]
