Author Archive | Editor

Thailand and Iraq to Re-Open Embassies

Relations between Thailand and Iraq have gradually improved, and the two countries are preparing to re-open embassies in Bangkok and Baghdad. According to a report from MCOT, the Iraqi ambassador to Thailand, Dr Amal Mussa Hussain Ali Al-Rubaye, who is based in Kuala Lumpur, paid a courtesy call on Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at […]

The Cassation Court Vote: A Rare Case of Iraqi Consensus?

The following article was published by Reidar Visser, an historian of Iraq educated at the University of Oxford and currently based at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. It is reproduced here with the author’s permission. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. […]

Press Freedom and Economic Development

In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 3rd May to be World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), a day which, among other objectives, serves as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. According to UNESCO figures, since 2008 a total of 26 Iraqi media workers have been killed, […]

Iraq Hits New Oil Export Highs in April

Iraq's crude oil exports averaged 2.508 million bpd in April, the highest level in decades, the head of the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) has announced. The figure was up 8.3 percent on March's 2.317 million bpd, Falah al-Amri told Bloomberg. Oil sales in April generated $8.8 billion in revenue from a total of 75.25 […]

Afren Bolsters Kurdistan Team

Afren plc announced on Wednesday several senior technical management appointments for its operations in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Appointment of Managing Director Afren MENA Afren announces the appointment of Mr David Kennedy as Managing Director Afren MENA, who will assume responsibility for Afren's operations in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, including the major Barda […]

Iraq to Buy New Trains

Iraq has reportedly asked several international companies to submit bids for the supply of 10 passenger trains. Bloomberg reports that France's Alstom, and China's Datong Electric Locomotive Company have been invited to submit bids, as have manufacturers in Turkey, Iran and Croatia. Jawad al-Kharsan, a spokesman for the national railway company, said the winning company […]

New Air Routes from Qatar to Iraq

Myanmar and Iraq are among the highlights of Qatar Airways' announcement of launch dates for new routes in the Middle East, Africa and Asia with capacity hikes being introduced to a number of other international destinations from the carrier's Doha hub. Speaking at Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the Middle East's premier travel trade event taking […]

Genel Energy Increases Chia Surkh Stake to 60%

Genel Energy has issued the following update on its operations at the Chia Surkh block in Kurdistan: On 16 January 2012, Genel Energy plc ("Genel Energy") announced that it had entered into transactions with Forbes & Manhattan (Kurdistan) Inc. (a subsidiary of Longford Energy Inc.) ("F&M") and Petoil Petroleum to increase Genel Energy's interest in […]