Iraq Business News brings you the latest Iraq Industry & Trade News, with information on developments and opportunities.
2010 saw hundreds of trade agreements signed, a score of new consulates opened, and dozens of countries and thousands of companies scrambling to get in on the Iraq story. Inflation has remained low all year and exchange rates have been stable. The oil price averaged $15-$20 above the $62.50 price allowed for in the Iraq budget. […]
As Baghdad ponders fewer checkpoints, oil exports sent by sea face more checks. The capital has 870 security checkpoints, which have been blamed for slowing an already congested city down and inhibiting productivity. Some commuters must stop at half a dozen checkpoints each morning, sometimes waiting for an hour at just one of them. Many residents find […]
In another sign of Iraq's continued, swift, steady progress, Iraq's ports reported record profits exceeding 46bn dinars, according to Aknews. This is an increase of 10% compared to last year. Anmar al Safi, a director of the Iraqi Ports Public Company, said: "The rate of cargo dump increased 100,000 tonnes from 2009." No doubt shipping imports and profits will […]
Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Ahmed Abul Gheit, officially opened his country’s consulate in Erbil on Sunday; this is the first Arab consulate to be opened in the Kurdish region, according to a report from Bloomberg. The opening of the consulate is expected to boost bilateral ties between Egypt and Iraq and Kurdistan Region. The minister stressed […]
Iraq has applied to join the Economic Cooperation Organization, or ECO, Turkey's President Abdullah Gul has reported, according to an article at the weekend from World Bulletin. Leaders of ECO-member countries gathered in Istanbul for a one-day summit meeting during which Turkey assumed the rotating term presidency from Iran. Iraq, as well as Qatar and […]
Following Iraq's exit last week from the UN's Chapter VII restrictions, an Iraqi economist has called for a rescheduling of the country's debt repayments. “Iraq’s financial funds are under UN trusteeship, according to UN’s Article 7,” Dr. Nabil Jaafar of Basra Univesity told Aswat al-Iraq news agency, pointing out that “the official and private debtors […]
The Kurdistan Regional Government has licensed a firm to build a $1.1 billion smelter and steel plant, according to Trade Arabia. Mass Global was granted the to build the project in the Chamchamal area between Kirkuk and Sulaimaniya, said Haidar Mustafa, head of the industrial projects department of KRG's investment commission. "The total amount of […]
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. […]
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 […]
Iraq's Agriculture Minister has allocated 112 billion Iraqi Dinars (IQD) [over $95m] to purchase dates from the local growers. The deputy head of the ministry’s finance and management board told AKnews that the decision is to support and encourage the farmers and boost the agriculture sector. Each ton of first grade dates will be purchased […]
Following on from our listing on Monday of the main cabinet positions, we present a more complete line-up below, compiled from information sourced from Iraq Oil Report and Reuters. The official website of the Iraq cabinet has not published the official list, and has chosen instead to lead with an article about the importation of […]
Iraq's core annual inflation slipped to 3.1 percent in November from 3.2 percent in October and is likely to be at a similar level in December, a central bank official said on Tuesday. Reuters reports that Mudher Kasim, a senior adviser at the Central Bank of Iraq, said inflation was driven mainly by higher housing, […]
