Iraq Business News brings you the latest Iraq Industry & Trade News, with information on developments and opportunities.
U.S. investors and other foreign companies continue to shy away from investing in Afghanistan and Iraq because of security and infrastructure problems as well as government corruption, a critical shortcoming in the two countries' efforts to grow their economies and increase stability. "Security is essential to economic and business development," said Ethan B. Kapstein, a […]
Expected Council Action The US (Council president in December) has scheduled a high profile meeting of the Council on Iraq on 15 December. US Vice President Joseph Biden is expected to chair the meeting. It was unclear at time of writing at what level other Council members would participate. It seems that the rationale for […]
Kuwaiti Logistics firm Agility has not received an official offer from France Telecom for its stake in Iraq's Korek Telecom, but welcomes any, its chairman said in published remarks on Thursday, according to Reuters. "Exiting is possible if the company receives a suitable price level that results in good revenue," Tarek Sultan told Kuwaiti daily […]
The Swedish ambassador in Iraq visited Basra on Thursday to discuss cooperation in business and investment. Basra's governor, Sheltag Abboud Mayah, told AKnews, that the Swedish delegation to Basra came after his visit to the Swedish government to promote cooperation between the two countries. “Opening the Swedish consulate in Basra ... means opening investment opportunities” […]
While Turkey is undoubtedly the country with the most companies operating in Iraq -- 270 of them, according to this recent report -- it is France that clearly takes the prize for the most active of Iraq's non-bordering countries. Iraq's National Investment Commission (NIC) says there are 123 French companies with operations in the country, […]
An adviser to the Iraqi Central Bank said on Wednesday that the 2011 budget will result in economic growth of 10%. Muzher Mohammed told AKnews that the 2011 budget in its present state is one of the best Iraqi budgets since 2003 as it will increase the country's economic output by 10%, and it will […]
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) last week inaugurated a new representation office in Spain. Mr Daban Shadala, the KRG’s Representative, hosted the inauguration at the new office in central Madrid. Mr Shadala welcomed guests including Dr Ziyad Khalid, Iraq’s Ambassador to Spain, Spain’s Honorary Consul in the Kurdistan Region, representatives from the autonomous regions of […]
A total of 170 projects have been implemented in Maysan [Missan] at a cost of 85 billion dinars [$73m] during 2010, according to a director of the financial department of the Maysan Council. “Missan has implemented 170 projects in the public sector, health and education sectors at a cost of 85.520 billion dinars,” Abd Ali […]
The French ambassador to Baghdad, Boris Bouillon (pictured), has met the governor of Anbar and the chairman of its council to discuss ways of enhancing trade and investment in the region, expressing France’s willingness to open a consulate in the province. The French ambassador, heading a delegation of French businessmen, described his visit to Anbar […]
Iraq has not enjoyed regular foreign relations since 2003, and arguably for several years before, argues Gareth Stansfield in a report for Chatham House. Looking ahead, Iraq is now in a position to develop its foreign relations fully, yet how these relations will be constructed remains unclear. As with all states, Iraq's foreign policy remains […]
In a letter to the Editor of the Washington Times, Harry Schute Jr., a retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel with extensive experience in Iraq, and currently a consulting adviser to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), says American firms are missing out on opportunities in Iraqi Kurdistan. Of the 850 international firms taking part in the […]
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) will launch in January a EUR 3 million technical cooperation project in Iraq to develop industrial zones and enhance investment in the country. The two-year project will be funded by the Government of Italy, and implemented in coordination with the World Bank. An agreement on the funding was […]
