The Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) for Iraq, Mr. Martin Kobler (pictured), welcomed the official appointment of eight members of the Board of Commissioners of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC). “I welcome this appointment. It now paves the way for the conduct of governorate council elections in early 2013,” Mr. Kobler said. […]
On September 25, the U.S. Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Kurdish Regional Government's (KRG) of Iraq Ministries of Health and Planning supporting the KRG's efforts to improve primary health care, as called for under the U.S. - Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement. The […]
Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani today hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for a new international airport in Duhok. Duhok International Airport will be the third airport in the Kurdistan Region. After its completion in 2015, travellers will have direct international access to each of the Region’s three provinces. Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister highlighted the […]
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad hosted officials from Iraq's National Investment Commission, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Planning, and several Provincial Investment Commissions on September 13 to discuss investment opportunities in the Iraqi housing and construction sectors with representatives of U.S. companies, who joined the meeting by videoconference from Washington, D.C. The meeting was part […]
By John Lee. Bahrain’s state-owned carrier, Gulf Air, has resumed flights to Najaf after a gap of more than a year, according to Bloomberg. The carrier plans to operate four weekly flights to the city. A report from AFP that Najaf decided to ban Gulf Air planes from landing, as a sign of “solidarity with […]
The US designated the Iranian group Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) as a terrorist organisation since it started listing down state sponsors of terrorism in 1997. Supporters say it is working for a nuclear-free Iran. So what is the MEK and why is it being removed from the US terrorist list now? Guests: Ali Gharib, Patrick Clawson, Jeremiah […]
By John Lee. Iraq and Jordan have agreed to build a pipeline to supply Jordan with crude oil and natural gas, according to Petra, the Jordan News Agency. Iraqi Oil Minister Abdul Karim Luaibi [Elaibi] said that the pipeline would carry crude oil to the Jordanian refinery in Zarqa for use in Jordan, and to […]
By John Lee. Doha-based Qatar Airways is to operate four flights a week to Najaf, according to Arabian Aerospace. The company will use an Airbus A320 with 12 seats in Business Class and 132 in Economy. Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “Iraq is proving to be an important market for Qatar Airways; we […]
Around 80 executives from the world's leading companies doing business in Iraq will arrive in Baghdad this weekend as part of a major trade delegation. They will attend a two day conference on Sunday September 30th and October 1st at the Al Rashid Hotel, Baghdad, to hear speeches from Deputy Prime Ministers Sharistani and Shaways […]
By John Lee. Air Arabia is to launch services to Erbil from 14th October, according to a report from Arabian Aerospace. The company will offer four weekly services between Sharjah and Erbil: On Mondays, Fridays and Sundays, flights depart from Sharjah International Airport at 07:00 and arrive in Erbil International Airport at 09:00. Return flights […]
On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Al Jazeera's James Bays spoke to Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshyer Zebari about his country's role in the Syrian conflict. Bays asked the minister about claims Iraq has allowed Iranian planes to use its airspace to send supplies to the Syrian government: (Source: Al Jazeera)
By John Lee. Reuters reports that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) expects an initial payment of 1 trillion dinars ($858 million) from Baghdad to clear next week after the two sides settled their dispute over payments to oil producers. "By 2015, we are looking at 1 million barrels per day. We're on track, regardless of […]
