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By John Lee.

Ziad Ali Fadel, Iraq's Minister of Electricity, arrived at the Iraqi-Jordanian border on Saturday morning to inaugurate the first phase of the Iraqi-Jordanian electrical interconnection project.

This interconnection will provide between 40 to 50 megawatts of power to benefit the Rawa district, which has been deprived of electricity for over 10 years due to infrastructure destruction caused by terrorist groups.

Minister Fadel emphasized the importance of interconnection projects, highlighting their high reliability and technical benefits to the power grid, contributing to stability and increasing supply hours.

Further phases of the project, reaching up to 500 megawatts, are planned. He also stated that progress is being made towards completing the Iraqi-Gulf electrical interconnection project, with connections to Saudi Arabia moving in the right direction.

(Source: Ministry of Electricity)

From Amwaj Media. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Iraq-Saudi engagement weathers tumultuous regional climate

Amid growing regional tensions, Iraq has sought to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia and advance its nascent economic ties with the Kingdom.

The full article can be viewed here (registration required).

From Amwaj Media. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Iraq girds to revive long-abandoned nuclear energy program

The Iraqi government has declared its intention to revive the country's long-abandoned nuclear energy program.

The announcement by Prime Minister Muhammad Shia' Al-Sudani comes amid a broader regional push to develop nuclear capabilities, following in the footsteps of Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

While Iraq is a long way from completing such an endeavor, Sudani's announcement is a diplomatic win for the prime minister-underscoring his engagement with international organizations.

The full article can be viewed here (registration required).

By John Lee.

Tetra Pak, Saudi Arabia's Al Rabie, and Iraqi-based Alssad company for Food have joined forces at Gulfood 2024 to create a strategic partnership that will produce 50 million packaged beverages annually, that aims to address food security concerns in Iraq.

According to a LinkedIn post from Tetra Pak, to meet the growing demand for food and beverages, Al Rabie's products will be co-packed at Alssad's facilities in Baghdad underpinned by Tetra Pak's end-to-end solutions, that will enable swift access to JNSD [juice, nectar and still drinks] and dairy products across the country.

(Source: Tetra Pak)

In a recent move by the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Interior, citizens from 53 countries have been granted the ability to enter the Kurdistan Region without a pre-arranged visa.

Under this new policy, eligible travellers simply need to present their passports at any border entry point, where they will be issued an electronic visa, allowing them immediate access to the region.

The countries included in this visa exemption are: Albania, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Vatican City, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

Applicants must ensure their passports are valid for at least 6 months to be eligible for entry.

(Source: KRG)

By John Lee.

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have renewed their call for Iraq to respect the agreement between the Iraq and Kuwait on the regulation of maritime navigation in the Khor Abdullah waterway.

In September, the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court declared the agreement to be unconstitutional.

A joint statement issued on Wednesday at the conclusion of the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's, visit to Saudi Arabia, said:

"... They underscored the importance of the Republic of Iraq's respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the State of Kuwait, as per the bilateral and international commitments, and all pertinent UN resolutions, particularly Security Council Resolution 833 of 1993, which set the land and sea border between the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Iraq.

"They emphasized the need to complete the demarcation of the Kuwait-Iraq marine border, including reaching the marine mark Number 162.

"The two sides also urged Iraq to adhere to the agreement regulating navigation through the Khor Abdullah waterway, which was signed by Kuwait and Iraq on April 29, 2012, and came into effect on December 5, 2013, following ratification by both countries. It was jointly deposited with the UN on December 18, 2013.

"The parties expressed strong opposition to Iraq's unilateral annulment of the security swap protocol signed in 2008, along with the map approved in the joint plan, aimed at maintaining the security and safety of navigation in Khor Abdullah. The agreement and plan included a clear and specific procedure for amendment and cancellation.

"The two sides also reiterated their support for Security Council Resolution 2107 of 2013, which requests the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) to facilitate and assist in the repatriation or return of all Kuwaiti and third-country nationals, or their remains, and the return of Kuwaiti property, including the national archives. The resolution further calls upon the UN secretary-general to report to the Security Council on the progress made in fulfilling UNAMI's responsibilities, as stated in paragraph 4 of the resolution. Both parties urged Iraq and the UN to exert every effort to reach a final solution to all unresolved issues and files.  ..."

More analysis here.

(Source: Saudi Press Agency)

By John Lee.

Canada's Three Sixty Solar has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the sourcing, fabrication, implementation, and distribution of vertical solar tower systems within the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey.

The company signed the MOU with a consortium of partners including Infraforward Strategies (US), Tareeq Al-Ahmadi Company (Iraq), Fibercom Company (Turkey), and Zamil Group Trade & Services Company (KSA).

The MOU focuses on collectively rolling out Three Sixty Solar's vertical solar tower technology in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey, with opportunities for future geographic expansion upon success in the defined region.

According to a press release from Three Sixty Solar, the partners have already begun cooperative efforts on material and fabrication sourcing in the region as well as begun exploring commercial opportunities in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Turkey with further work kicking off the week of January 15 now that the MOU is signed.

It describes the Tareeq Al-Ahmadi Company as, "an experienced engineering, construction and development company providing turnkey systems in Iraq to support next generation technologies."

(Source: Three Sixty Solar)

By Dana Taib Menmy for The New Arab. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Iraq grants investment rights to PMF-linked company for one million palm trees in Samawah Desert

Iraqi and US scholars have raised questions about the project's feasibility, accusing the Iranian-backed groups of having military aims behind the project.

Click here to read the full story.

By John Lee.

The Iraqi Health Ministry has announced new initiatives with Saudi Arabia, focusing on establishing health centers and pharmaceutical factories.

Speaking to the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA), Minister of Health Saleh Al-Hasnawi emphasized the significant development in Iraqi-Saudi relations, spanning political, economic, and service sectors.

He said the two ministries are jointly working on health centers across Iraqi provinces, backed by a Saudi grant, and fostering collaboration between the private sectors of both countries to establish pharmaceutical factories.

Al-Hasnawi underscored the Health Ministry's support for local pharmaceutical industry development, citing advancements and lessons learned from Saudi Arabia. The minister highlighted the importance of exchanging experiences, particularly in public health, infectious diseases, and treatment, given the shared context of pilgrimage visits between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

(Source: INA)

By John Lee.

Saudi Arabia's Gulf Elevators and Escalators Co. (GEEC), a subsidiary of Mayar Holding, has signed an exclusive agency agreement with Midpoint Trading and Agencies Ltd. in Iraq.

According to a statement from Mayar, under the three-year agreement, Midpoint Trading and Agencies will exclusively market, sell, install, and maintain Gulf Elevators' elevator and escalator products in Iraq.

The CEO of Mayar Holdings, Engineer Abdulmajeed bin Abdulmohsen Al Alsheikh, expressed his satisfaction with the agreement, emphasizing its significance in the company's expansion strategy and regional market presence.

Mr. Amir Amer Abdulameer, the Managing Director of Midpoint Trading and Agencies Ltd., also expressed his delight with the agreement, highlighting the significant opportunity it represents for the company to enhance its presence in the Iraqi market and deliver high-quality products and services to customers in the Republic of Iraq.

(Source: Mayar)