Oil companies working in Iraq complained of a "mafia" type atmosphere that drove the price of security up considerably, according to leaked U.S. diplomatic cables revealed by Wikileaks. London's Guardian newspaper reports that official at oil services company Halliburton complained the price of security in Iraq was "unwarranted" during a modestly secure environment in 2008. […]
By Ranj Alaaldin, a Middle East political and security risk analyst based at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He visits the Middle East regularly and as part of his recent work on Iraq has visited the country on a number of fact-finding missions. Foreign Policy magazine recently listed him among its 100 […]
Members of Parliament from Iraq’s al-Ahrar (Liberals) Bloc has demanded that the Parliament holds a special session to discuss the problem of electrical power, according to a statement carried by Aswat al-Iraq. “We demand the Parliament’s chairmanship to add the issue of the electric power on the schedule of the Parliament for next session, in […]
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) ambassador to Iraq Abdullah Ibrahim reviewed with local officials in Anbar on Thursday economic conditions and investment and trade opportunities in the province, a local council source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. “Ambassador Ibrahim met with Anbar Provincial Council Chairman Jassem Mohammed Hamad and other members and exchanged views on […]
AKnews reports that the Egyptian Housing Ministry is to contribute to the Iraqi government's plan to build a million housing units in Iraq. The General Director of the Technical Department of the Iraqi Housing and Construction Ministry, Hussein Majid Hussein, said on Thursday that the Iraqi Ministry signed a contract with the Egyptian Housing Ministry […]
The big news this week in Iraq was the announcement of Nouri al-Maliki's new cabinet, and, unusually for such a decision, the fact that it was made several days ahead of the legal deadline. Nevertheless, BBC reports that Iraq now has the dubious honour of holding the world record for the longest period between an […]
Iraq's new oil minister, Abdul Kareem Luaibi, put building infrastructure at the top of his priority list and said yesterday he expected the expansion of Basra's crude export facilities to be finished by the end of 2011, according to a report from Gulf Daily News. Luaibi, who was sworn into office with Iraq's new government […]
Iraq's daily oil production rose to 2.5 million barrels, the biggest since 2003, a spokesman for the oil ministry said on Wednesday. “The daily oil production rose by 10% through cooperation among national and foreign companies,” Essam Jehad told Aswat al-Iraq news agency, pointing out that this is the highest production since 2003. Iraq’s newly […]
The following is a statement from US President, Barack Obama, on the formation of the new Iraqi government: Today’s vote in the Council of Representatives is a significant moment in Iraq’s history and a major step forward in advancing national unity. I congratulate Iraq’s political leaders, the members of the Council of Representatives, and the […]
Shares in ShaMaran Petroleum (TSX VENTURE:SNM) rose 8% today following an update on its Atrush-1 exploration well in Kurdistan. The well was spudded on October 5, 2010 and 9 5/8" intermediate pipe was set after logging the Jurassic section to the top of Kurrachine at a depth of approximately 2,230 metres. Drilling operations have progressed […]
In addition to proposing his new cabinet, Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki presented his government's new program to Parliament this week. The full text of Iraq's program for government is as follows: 1. Maintaining and commitment to Iraq's constitution completely, and that any subsequent modifications will be in accordance with Article 142 of the Constitution, […]
The Karbala Investment Commission has granted an investment license to an Iraqi company to build an industrial compound at a cost of $39 million, the chairman of the KIC said on Wednesday, according to a report from Aswat al-Iraq. “The KIC gave an investment license to an Iraqi company to implement a project to set […]
