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The Child Labourers of Baghdad

This article was originally published by Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Child labour is illegal in Iraq. But if there is death or disease in the family, minors are often forced to work. The authorities responsible for policing labour laws take […]

Funding Facility for Stabilization Q3 Report

By the end of the third quarter of 2017, UNDP’s Funding Facility for Stabilization (FFS) was undertaking 1,208 projects in 23 cities across five governorates in Iraq. Over one quarter of the projects were being implemented in the city of Mosul, which was fully liberated in July 2017. The liberation of all of Mosul marked […]

Delay looks likely for Iraqi Elections

By Omar Sattar for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.  It's beginning to look like Iraq won't make it to the polls on time — again. Though Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi just announced Dec. 5 that parliamentary and local elections will be […]

No Winners In Iraq’s New ‘War On Corruption’

This article was originally published by Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Every day new anti-corruption cases are announced in Iraq's new "war on corruption". Yet they achieve virtually nothing. This may well be a war that nobody in Iraq can win. […]

Baghdad denies Russian Claims regarding KRG Oil Deals

By John Lee. The Iraqi Ministry of Oil has denied reports that Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak discussed Russian oil companies' operations in Iraqi Kurdistan with the Iraqi prime minister or oil minister during his trip to Iraq. Novak had been quoted as saying that Baghdad had no problems with Russian companies doing business with the […]

Saudi, Iraq sign 18 Major Energy Deals

By John Lee. Saudi Arabian companies have signed 18 agreements with the Iraqi government to jointly develop several key projects in the energy sector. The statement from the Iraqi Oil Ministry gave little detail, but quotes the Saudi Minister of Energy Khalid Al-Falih as saying that Saudi companies are keen to develop relations with Iraq, […]

How Likely is a New Government really in Iraqi Kurdistan?

This article was originally published by Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Since the ill-fated Kurdish independence referendum, critics have been calling for the current government of the region to be replaced. But, as some critics say, nobody is serious about this […]

What next for PMU in Anbar Province?

By Shelly Kittleson for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.  Flags of Iran-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq (League of the Righteous) — with their distinctive arm thrusting a gun upward over a green Iraq against a white background, a strip of red and a Quran […]

Alstom to Develop Rail Projects in Baghdad, Basra

French company Alstom has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iraqi government for the development of urban transport in Baghdad and Basra. The MoU was signed during the Franco-Iraqi government authorities meeting, in the presence of Dr.Sami Al Araji, Head of National Investment Commission (NIC) of Iraq and Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, French Secretary of State. […]

US, Iraq discuss Coalition Support for Iraqi Forces

The High Level Committee of the Iraqi Ministry of Defense and Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve has met in Baghdad to discuss the way forward for the coalition’s continued support of the Iraqi security forces. The committee’s chairman, Staff Lt. Gen. Waad Zainl Saleh, senior secretary to the Iraqi chief of defense, and […]

Iran to Boost Gas Exports to Iraq

A top Iranian energy official unveiled plans for a rise in natural gas exports to neighboring Iraq next year. In an interview with Tasnim on Saturday, Managing Director of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) Hamid Reza Araqi said the country’s exports of natural gas to Iraq will increase during the spring and summer of […]