Archive | Politics

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

Basra Postpones Bid for Independence

Last year the oil-rich state of Basra announced it wanted more independence from Baghdad. This year it changed its mind. Decision makers say the timing is wrong, critics say Baghdad put locals under pressure, according to this article from NIQASH. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views […]

Pragmatism Breaks Out in Iraq

There has been a welcome outbreak of pragmatism in Iraq in recent days. While the fact that ExxonMobil will apparently be allowed to take part in the auction for the fourth round oil licences was not entirely unexpected, some will see it as a climb down on the part of Baghdad. Others, such as Hess […]

Brain Drain with No Gain?

By T. Keyzom Ngodup, co-founder at Ideas sYnergy.  Ideas sYnergy is Iraq’s first multiple bottom line advisory company committed to inclusive economic and social development through market-based solutions that help build and scale youth-driven innovative ideas for social change.   An Economist report rightly pointed out that when people in the developed countries worry about […]

Arab League Summit to go Ahead in Baghdad

The Arab League envoy to Iraq, Ahmed Bin Hili, said on Wednesday that Iraq is ready to host the next Arab League Summit, expected to be held in Baghdad in March. According to AKnews, Bin Hili arrived in Baghdad on 30th January to inspect the preparations for the summit, which has been postponed several times […]

Broad Welcome for Sunni Return to Iraqi Politics

This article was written by Abeer Mohammed, and was originally published by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, iwpr.net. It is reproduced by Iraq Business News with permission. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. A decision by Iraq’s Sunni Arab political […]

Lost in Translation: Iraqi Jitters at "Iran Domination" Quote

This article was written by Abeer Mohammed and Anas al-Bdeer, and was originally published by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, iwpr.net. It is reproduced by Iraq Business News with permission. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Reported comments by an […]

Political Tensions Delay Iraq Oil Law

The current political tensions in Iraq are likely to delay the finalisation of a new hydrocarbon law for more than a year, according to Reuters. "With these chronic political differences I can’t see any possibility of having an oil law this year,” said Adel Barwari, a Kurdish adviser to Maliki. “If the [differences] were, say […]

Fascinating Year for Kurdistan Region

By Chris Bowers, British Consul General in Erbil. This article was originally published by Rudaw, and is re-published with permission by Iraq Business News. After months of waiting, we look to be in the final stages of government reshuffle. Around the world that is a time when the political system takes a deep breath, scans […]

After a Futile and Counter-Productive Boycott, Iraqiyya Returns to Parliament

The following article was published by Reidar Visser, an historian of Iraq educated at the University of Oxford and currently based at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. It is reproduced here with the author’s permission. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. […]

Analysis of Iranian Threat to Strait of Hormuz

The following is a presentation by General Barry R McCaffery (USA, retired), on the threat of an Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Barry McCaffrey served in the United States Army for 32 years and retired as a four-­star General. At retirement, he was the most highly decorated serving General, having been awarded three […]

Salih to Hand Over to Nechirvan Barzani in KRG Cabinet Reshuffle

Prime Minister Barham Salih will hand over to former Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani in a reshuffle of the Kurdistan Regional Government cabinet. The move is part of the strategic alliance between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) which are in a coalition government. Under the agreement, Dr Salih was […]