Archive | Politics

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

Iraq's 'Phantom' Electricity Deal Not So Ghostly?

The latest scandal at Iraq’s ministry of electricity involves multi-billion dollar “phantom deals” with a German and Canadian company. The minister of energy has been asked to resign. But according to a report from NIQASH, the real story is not as simple as it first appears. As a long, hot summer continues to overheat the […]

Parliament Finishes 1st Reading of Strategic Policy Council Bill

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. […]

Four Million More Jobs By 2015

The Iraqi Planning and Development Ministry is to create four million new jobs by 2015, minister Ali Shukri said today. Speaking to AKnews, he said the jobs would be both public and private sector and will bring down the poverty rate from 23% to 16%. Private-sector employment is hampered by limited rights, such as a lack of […]

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Who's Behind The Dodgy Electricity Deals?

As we reported yesterday, the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has fired the electricity minister, Raad Shallal, following highly questionable energy deals conducted almost a year ago. It was thought that the sacking may be politically motivated, because the minister had been appointed by a top rival to the prime minister. Now the picture gets more […]

Non-Oil Trade with Syria Hits $2bn

Trade between Iraq and Syria is now running at US$2bn per year, according to a spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Trade. Hashem Hatam said that this does not include trade in oil and gas, according to Aknews. At the same time, events could sour increasing trade between the neighbours. As Syria cracks down on […]

Iraqi Electricity Minister Sacked for Deals

Iraq's prime minister has fired his electricity minister, who is under investigation following allegations that he failed to follow government guidelines in the signing of $1.7 billion in power generation deals with two foreign companies. The minister Raad Shalal signed the deals in question with the Canadian Alliance for Power Generation Equipment (Capgent) and the […]

Is the Iraqi Presidency an Appellate Court?

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. […]

Ramadan Agreement: Some Answers but Uncertainties Linger

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. […]

Iraqi Government is Downsized

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. […]

Iraq Economic Overview

Annual inflation in Iraq is now 6.3%, according to government figures. It is likely this is due to rising commodity prices. Government receipts for oil in the last quarter were up 19% to US$20bn, the highest since before the Iraq War began. The dinar was unchanged versus the dollar during the quarter. The International Monetary […]

Syria Next to Sign Iraqi Trade Deal

Everywhere from Northern Ireland to China have sought bilateral agreements to benefit from the rapid growth of Iraq. Now it is Syria's turn. Mohammed Nidhal, Syria's minister of trade, headed to Iraq with a delegation of more than 100 Syrian businessmen. The two countries pledged to increase trade between them. Khayrullah Babakir, Iraqi minister of trade, said "The […]

Iraqi Reparations Moving Rapidly

The UN has approved the release of another US$1bn from the reparations fund that compensates Kuwaiti businesses, government bodies and international organisations for losses due to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Iraq has now repaid more than $33bn of its $52bn due in damages claims. The $1bn comes from a 5% cut of Iraqi oil […]

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