Archive | Politics

Iraq Business News brings you the latest Iraqi politics news, keeping you up to date with the latest information and developments.

US Commits Another $155m Humanitarian Aid

US Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the United States is providing nearly $155 million in additional humanitarian assistance to displaced and conflict-affected Iraqis within Iraq and throughout the region who are in urgent need of support. This new funding brings total U.S. humanitarian assistance for the Iraq humanitarian response to more than $778 […]

Why Iraqi-Saudi ties are Backsliding yet Again

By Mustafa Saadoun for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq is facing a new crisis with Saudi Arabia as a result of their differing points of view regarding regional issues, most notably those related to Lebanon-based Hezbollah, which was recently classified […]

US Secretary of State John Kerry visits Iraq

By John Lee. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited Iraq on Friday to show support for its prime minister. Kerry's visit "will underscore our strong support for the Iraqi government as it addresses significant security, economic, and political challenges," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. A senior U.S. official in Washington […]

Another Cabinet Nominee Withdraws

By John Lee. Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi's nomination for the position of Finance Minister has withdrawn his candidacy, a week after the withdrawal of his proposed Oil Minister. According to Gulf Today, Ali Allawi (pictured) cited “political interventions and partisan bickering” for his decision. The US-educated former banker had already served as finance minister […]

Iraqis to buy Antiguan Citizenship to Access Europe?

By John Lee. Antigua's opposition is planning to stage a public rally against government plans to establish an embassy in Iraq, and to allow Iraqis to become citizens under the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP). Under the CIP programme, foreign individuals can effectively buy citizenship, which allows them access to the European Union via the […]

Expert Blogger Ahmed Mousa Jiyad on Unaoil Corruption Scandal

By Ahmed Mousa Jiyad. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Unaoil Corruption Scandal: International and Iraq update and follow-up The recent joint report by Australia's Fairfax Media and the Huffington Post uncovering serious international corruption scandal allegedly masterminded by a Monaco based […]

Bribery Scandal: PM Calls for Investigation

By John Lee. Prime Minister Haider al-Abaid has called for an investigation into allegations of bribery in the Iraqi oil industry. Iraq's ambassador to the United States, Lukman Faily, has also said that al-Abadi will personally chair a new committee to review all major contracts issued by government ministries. The moves follow reports from the […]

PM's Oil Minister Nominee Withdraws Candidacy

By John Lee. The Prime Minister's nominee for the post of oil minister in his new 'technocrat cabinet' has reportedly withdrawn his candidacy, apparently because he had not been formally proposed by the main Kurdish groups. Nizar Saleem Numan, a 65-year-old Kurdish petroleum geologist, who is the dean of the college of planning at the University […]

Prime Minister Announces New 'Technocrat' Cabinet

By John Lee. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi nominated a new cabinet on Thursday, pledging to make political reforms to reduce corruption in response to sit-in protests in Baghdad led by Muqtada al-Sadr. Sixteen ministries will be changed, and the parliament will vote in ten days to either approve, reject or amend the proposed cabinet. No […]

Abadi Rejects Deadline for New Cabinet

By John Lee. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has called for parliament to either support or reject his calls for a technocratic government, pushing back against a looming deadline for a new cabinet, according to a report from AFP. He said Parliament must decide if it wants him "to present ministers from the political blocs or […]

IMF could Secure 3-yr Standby Deal for Iraq

By John Lee. Reuters reports that the International Monetary Fund could approve a standby arrangement (SBA) with Iraq as early as June, unlocking $15 billion in international assistance over the next three years. The head of the IMF’s mission in Iraq, Christian Josz, said on Tuesday that the package of assistance, nearly one third of it […]