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The Iraqi businessman, Sheikh Mohammed Al'Khouzai [Alkhouzai], has announced that he is putting his name forward as a candidate for the position of Prime Minister.

Mohammed, a long-time friend of Iraq Business News, claims support from across the political spectrum, and from a range of tribal leaders. Amongst those endorsing his candidacy are Dr. Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani, MP and former head of Iraqi Parliament; Dr Sayyid Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloom, former Minister of Oil; Irfan al Hiyali, former Minister of Defence; Sheikh Saad Nayef Mashhan Al-Hardan, Head of the Dulaim Tribe; Sheikh Ghassan Aboud Ilhaymous, Head of Tribe Albu Saltan; Sheikh Abdulillah Fahim al Farhud; and Judge Mouayid Riyah.

We took this opportunity to ask Mohammed about his vision for the future of Iraq.

IBN: For those who don't know you, can you give a brief outline of your family history and your current role in Iraqi society?

MAK: My father was from the Khuzaa tribe and my mother the Shammar tribe and my family have been involved in the history of the Middle East and Iraq for thousands of years. First as the custodians of Mecca 500 years prior to the birth of the Prophet (Peace be upon him), to the creation of the Abbasid empire and the city of Baghdad, and more recently as Emirs of the Khuzaa Emirate of the Middle Euphrates, fighting the occupation of the country by the Ottoman Empire for 250 years.

I left the country under political persecution and have lived in the United Kingdom ever since. After the fall of Saddam Hussain, I returned to Iraq and split my time between Iraq and the UK.

I spend a lot of time in dialogue with social, security and political leaders across the world, trying to find a better way forward for Iraq.

Most recently I set up the Iraqi Forum for Dialogue that has senior politicians (past and present), tribal leaders, religious leaders and a number of Generals and Security leaders for the country. The goal of the group is to build a unified solution to the problems our country faces.

I am truly honoured that so many other people share my vision and desire for a better future for our nation.

IBN: What do you see as the biggest challenges to Iraq at the moment?

MAK: The transition from the Saddam regime to a democratic nation has not been easy. Those who have been given the honour of driving our country forward have often acted not to unify the country but to furthering their own success. This is not what leadership is about.

And of course, it is unfair to say that our leaders were given a perfect field to grow our nation's future from; but it is my belief that Iraq is strongest when together, not being pulled apart.

Of course, when faced with external threats or influence it is man's nature to retreat to what he knows is safe; tribe, religion, family.

But when our nature says to retreat from wider social groups in the search of stability, I believe it is in that moment that we should have been uniting at a national level.

The cracks between our people created vacuums of influence filled by foreign actors. It is not to say that we should not look to have a future Iraq working closely with foreign nations; but the future of Iraq should be determined by its people.

And finally, we had to face and are still dealing with issues around Daesh and ISIS. We must eradicate these fake Muslim pretenders. They have no desire to better people's lives; they simply want to force others to extremes to benefit themselves. It's barbaric and they need to be driven not just from Iraq but from the world.

And this division led to three major failings:

• Corruption that has leached the nation's finances into the bank accounts of the few. You can't change a country's fortunes without having the finances to implement change. If we want to push forward, we need the people's money to be spent wisely on building the infrastructure necessary to establish a proud future for our children.
• A failed economy. Our rentier economy is predominantly state-led with the other 90% of GDP being a result of oil. This leaves our economy exposed to global economic change.
• A lack of future. I want to apologise now to the young people of Iraq who face such a hard battle to secure employment and find their path forward. We haven't gifted you the platform from which to build your future and that is something we must do quickly.

IBN: What do you mean when you say that unity needs to be central to the future of Iraq?

MAK: I am the product of two tribes. My family are both Shia and Sunni. I have friends from all regions of Iraq, from all religions and all across the world. We are all trying to make our little bit of the world better for the next generation. On a personal level there really is little difference between us.

If we retreat into what we feel comfortable, we sacrifice the shared future of the country. When people ask me if I am Shia or Sunni, I tell them I am Iraqi. Because that is what I am first and foremost, albeit a devoted Muslim.

We shouldn't only act for one religion or one tribe. For one region or for one industry. We need to build a one Iraq. Because a unified Iraq where the state and the people work together, for a better tomorrow is the foundation from which a new brighter future of Iraq is born.

I am not a poet or orator, but I was always fond of the words of Rudyard Kipling:

"For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack."

By working together three things happen. First, we can stop corruption. Second we can bring our nation together with new economic projects that promote integration and cohesion and third, we foster national strength through unity.

Imagine what we could do with all that energy we waste trying to divide our nation if we used it instead to work towards a bright future? That's a lot of energy.

IBN: You mention corruption. Do you believe that this can be eradicated?

MAK: We have to believe! If we can't see a future without corruption, then how can we expect to foster civic pride or hope?

How can we expect our people to accept a new way if we don't face the number one problem that has ripped their and the nation's future from them?

We need to target those who are committing corruption and strengthen our judicial system to ensure that we have the teeth to deliver justice.

IBN: When discussing the economy, you said that we need to diversify the economy. What do you mean by that?

MAK: The world is transitioning from fossil fuels to electrification. While Iraq is blessed with natural resources of oil, we cannot base our future on this one commodity alone, as the rest of the world moves away from it.

So, I propose that we establish a national investment fund from the profits of oil to invest in projects that diversify our economy.

This transition cannot be done over-night but we should be future-scoping global and regional economic trends and acting now to ensure Iraq is an active player in the global market in 10, 20, 30 years; not a recipient of welfare from others.

We need to focus on the other areas of the economy that we are able to utilise: agriculture and renewable energy systems. We have the potential to deliver agricultural fertiliser on a truly massive scale to both domestic projects and international customers such as India.

We haven't explored the mineral wealth of Iraq but as a unified nation we have potential minerology that is of great interest to international companies. The only thing keeping them out of Iraq is the security and corruption.

Iraq is a State led economy but we need to transition this to a free market economy. To do this we need to foster and support entrepreneurs. We need to attract foreign companies to come to Iraq and invest; not only creating jobs and paying taxes but passing on vital skills.

IBN: Do you think there can be a positive role for other countries in Iraq?

MAK: I do. We can't allow foreigners to dictate our future either directly or indirectly. But we also must not shun foreign support. Iraq cannot rebuild by itself so it is important that we work with our foreign allies for the benefit of all, yet primarily for our people.

When I was young, my father told me that Iraq is the bridge between Iran and Saudi Arabia. As the bridge, it is important to keep both regional powers in dialogue but also be strong enough to hold them to account.

A strong unified Iraq is better for the region and therefore better for the world.

IBN: Tell us about your decision to run for office?

I have never been aligned to a political party. I can't be someone promoting unity in Iraq if I am aligned to a single Party.

I would be honoured to serve my country one day but I will not forgo my principles for a position in Parliament. If I can serve my country I will; but I will do so for everyone, not a single Party or group.

In the past month or so, I have been approached by many people throughout Iraq, of all creeds and groups, asking me to put my name forward to become the non-partisan Prime Ministerial candidate. These people range from all areas of society, from tribal leaders, politicians, army generals, prominent religious figures and academics, to youth activists and journalists.

Watching the current situation manifest, with political deadlock disabling the progress of our nation, I have decided to accept their proposal. I pledge that if this honour is given to me, I will use it for the sole purpose of benefiting the people.

It is therefore my intention, to run as the independent, non-partisan candidate to become Prime Minister of Iraq, with the view of bringing our once great nation, out of the grips of corruption, sectarianism and lawlessness, to create a place of peace, security and prosperity for all.

From The Brookings Institution. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Saudi Arabia and Iraq: An evolving relationship

Saudi Arabia and Iraq have long had a complex relationship, at times vying for positions of leadership in the Arab World and often closely influenced by each country's stance toward other powers, notably Iran.

After tense relations following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the relationship became closely tied to Iranian influence in Iraqi affairs after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Today, both countries have taken steps to improve bilateral relations, which remains crucial for the regional order and for Iraqi domestic politics.

On February 9, the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings hosted an event to discuss this important relationship and its implications for American interests.

The session was chaired by Bruce Riedel, with Katherine Harvey, Ken Pollack and Ranj Alaaldin.

Near East and North Africa countries focus on nutrition, climate, resilience, water and gender

The 36^th FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (NERC36) started today with a focus on improving nutrition, building resilient rural communities, optimizing water management, addressing the impacts of the climate crisis and fostering green recovery initiatives, as well as gender-sensitive development strategies.

Agrifood sectors are among those struggling to recover from the shocks created by the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years, and highlight the importance of sustainable and resilient societies, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said in opening remarks conveyed virtually to the meeting hosted by the Government of Iraq.

"In the Near East and North Africa region, the pre-pandemic food security situation was already critical" with rising hunger and increasing inequalities jeopardizing the welfare of rural populations, women and youth, and worsening water scarcity, he said.

The Director-General outlined four priority areas for innovation and best practice to support the region's recovery: Reducing the urban and rural socio-economic divide by creating better rural employment opportunities; ensuring food security and healthy diets for all; restoring environmental balances; and building resilience against multiple shocks.

"Action at country level is the core of the 2030 Agenda," Qu said, emphasizing the importance of partnerships and cooperation in achieving the 2030 Agenda.

"Dialogue, joint thinking, cooperation , partnership and the development of new strategies to deal with challenges, especially climate change, are among the priorities to achieve common goals," said Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Khadimi of Iraq in opening remarks. "No society can grow at the expense of another."

The inaugural session was also addressed by Muhammad Karim Al-Khafaji, Iraq's Minister for Agriculture, the Chairperson of NERC36, and Hans Hoogeveen, Independent Chairperson of the FAO Council. The Director-General of FAO expressed his gratitude to the government and people of Iraq for hosting NERC36 during challenging times, and for delegations who joined the meeting in Baghdad.

"With the world experiencing the worst food crisis in 100 years, the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East will provide an opportunity to share expertise and review the capabilities of the countries of the region with a view to helping achieve food security," the Iraqi Agriculture Minister, Mohammad Karim Al-Khafaji, highlighted during his opening speech.

"The conference's output is expected to reflect positively on the future of agriculture in Iraq and to help achieve integration among the countries of the region," he added.

NERC36

The regional conference's agenda includes several high-level segments with ministerial roundtables on core themes to be held today. Tomorrow's agenda will include a side event on water, energy and food in the context of the upcoming COP27, followed by the adoption of a ministerial declaration and the report on NERC36.

The Director-General emphasized he has initiated institutional reforms at FAO to give regional offices more strategic power to ensure local action, and that flagship initiatives to support the Organization's Strategic Framework are already at work in the region.

Three countries in the region are already participating in the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, which aims at increasing agricultural production in areas with the highest rates of poverty and hunger. Seven countries are participating in the 1000 Digital Villages Initiative, which seeks to reduce the digital gap faced by smallholders and rural dwellers, while the new One Country One Priority Product initiative, which focuses on products with unique qualities, holds important opportunities for implementation around the region, Qu said.

More actions are forthcoming, he added, as FAO develops a regional strategy on digital innovation and completes the Regional Technical Platform on Water Scarcity, which will become a knowledge hub on the subject allowing countries around the world to benefit from the vast experiences acquired in the Near East and North Africa.

FAO is also hosting a Coordination Hub to shepherd follow-up actions on the ground after the UN Food Systems Summit 2021.

In preparation for the Ministerial meeting, a Senior Officers' meeting (SOM) was organized in virtual format in January. It was attended by 409 participants from 27 Members as well as representatives from the private sector, civil society and academia. The SOM was coordinated by FAO Assistant Director-General Abdul Hakim Rajab Elwaer, Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, along with senior officials from Iraq.

The documents submitted to the meeting are available here.

Members of the NERC: Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Yemen.

(Source: FAO)

By John Lee.

Iraq's Minister of Agriculture, Muhammad Karim Al-Khafaji, and the Saudi Minister of Agriculture, Water and Environment, Abdul Rahman Al-Fadhli, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) promoting cooperation in the areas of agriculture and fisheries.

The agreement includes cooperation in a number of fields, including: plant production and plant pest control, support for ways to combat desertification and preserve forests, pastures and biodiversity, methods for developing agricultural marketing and trade exchange for agricultural products, wastewater management, treatment and reuse in the agricultural sector, in addition to security food and agriculture, animal and vegetable quarantine, veterinary laboratories, and investment support in the areas of animal production, animal health, fisheries and feed production.

According to the agreement, joint seminars and workshops will be held, a number of trade and investment exhibitions will be held, and the establishment and operation of agricultural projects will be encouraged.

A joint working team will also be formed within the work of the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council to consult about the necessary measures and measures to be taken to enhance and develop cooperation in accordance with the provisions of the memorandum signed between the two sides.

(Source: Saudi Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Environment)

By John Lee.

Iraq and Saudi Arabia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to link their power grids.

It was signed by Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, and Iraq's Minister of Electricity, Adel Karim.

The Secretary-General of Iraq's Council of Ministers, Dr. Hamid Naim Al-Ghazi [Hamed Al Gazi], called on the Saudi Ministry of Energy to send a technical delegation to Baghdad next week to finalise the details of the interconnector, and to hold workshops with the Iraqi side.

(Sources: Iraqi Cabinet, INA, Gulf News)

By John Lee.

The Saudi Export-Import Bank (SaudiExIm) has reportedly signed an agreement with the National Bank of Iraq (NBI) to assist exporters of Saudi-sourced services and products supplying Iraq.

According to AsumeTech, the deal is valued at $25 million.

More here.

(Source: AsumeTech)

By Salam Zidane for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Iraq expands border crossings with Saudi Arabia to boost trade

In the context of strengthening economic relations, Iraq and Saudi Arabia are diversifying their trade outlets, intending to increase trade exchange to more than $3 billion annually.

Click here to read the full article.

As a measure of confidence in the global and Iraqi economy, the Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) is seeing a marked upswing in quality and quantity of speakers at the Autumn Conference at the Address hotel, Dubai 22nd November.

The topic, in line with COP26 and the new energy horizon, is one of sustainability. Not only is this a key question for the oil and gas sector in Iraq, but also for the diversification of the economy and sustainable finances and industrial sectors within the country. With the hope of formation of a new government and stronger oil prices and government revenues, this could be described as a critical juncture in the evolution of Iraq.

Will the Government make the bold reform steps its people require? Can the economy diversify and enable the private sector to flourish? How will Iraq reform its energy sector and inflect towards renewable power, and develop its agricultural intentions at a time of water scarcity? How best to train and employ the many young people in the short term and how can the digital transformation of Iraq be delivered.

The Oil Minister H.E Ihsan Abdul Jabbar Ismaael intends to attend, along with Dr Salem Chalabi President of TBI, the Iraqi Ambassador to UAE, the British Ambassador to Iraq, and HM Consul General to Middle East. There is a very strong showing among IBBC members, leading IOC's including BP, TotalEnergies, and Basra Gas Company, and major suppliers to the Energy Sector such as Hydro-C and Oilserv and the ability to meet their CEO's at the event.

Professor Frank Gunter will give his insightful analysis of the economic outlook for Iraq and the steps to reform it must take to create a sustainable economy.

Finance too is fielding heavyweight speakers from IFC, Standard Chartered, Sardar Group (Principal Sponsors), Emirates credit insurance and a representative Director General of the Finance Ministry. Of particular interest are companies dedicated to supporting reform in Iraq, notably City and Guilds via GEMs and Stirling Education who are setting up international level qualifications for Iraqi companies for the first time, to raise standards and opportunities for Iraqi companies and youth, and SAP who are dedicated to the digital transformation of Iraq and will be outlining their vision and practical steps to achieve this. Both skills and digital applications are key drivers of a sustainable economy and take centre stage in this respect.

On the Industry Panel we see Dahlia Energy, Sardar Group, Al Busttan and Khudairi discussing the diversification of the economy and how they can help sustain momentum into the future, with their forward-looking businesses.

In parallel the online Tech conference is addressing data and its benefit to Government, business and the citizen. Sponsored by SAP, who will lead on the benefits of data in digital transformation, complimented by UK's GDS, Mastercard on smart cities, UK's Agri-epicentre and British Water and Serco; all leaders in their fields and passionate about the benefits of technology and data in delivering sustainable future economies.

For companies looking to meet the main business leaders in Iraq, this really is a conference to attend. Not only to meet Government officials and ministers, but also the leading supply chain organisations and IOC's and to learn about the future opportunities and likely evolution of Iraq's economy. To this end there is a pre-conference reception the night before at the Iraqi pavilion Dubai Expo 2020, and many opportunities to interact with delegates during lunch and coffee breaks, as well as the ability to sign up to view the conference online.

For more information and the latest speaker line up- please go to: IBBC Autumn Conference - IBBC (iraqbritainbusiness.org)

About the sponsors:

Saradar Group: Principal sponsors

With more than 30 years of rich experience in the automotive sector, Sardar Group became the leading group in the Automotive Sector in Iraq. Their intimate knowledge of the Iraqi market helped import, stock and sell the right brands, types, and models, while their excellent reputation, track record and credibility have helped grow the business times many over since 2003.

Since 2005 with a desire to move from Automobile Trading to providing its customers with all-round Automotive Solutions, Sardar Group started utilizing the synergies of its existing operations to diversify its automotive business activities to include Trading, Leasing of Vehicles, Equipment & Machinery and most importantly Aftersales Service Support.

Today, Sardar Group represents world-renowned automotive brands and heavy construction equipment & machinery exemplified in the following brands:

• Toyota & Hino (in partnership with Sumitomo Corporation)
• Jaguar
• Land Rover
• Polaris
• Doosan
• TOTO

Hydro-C : Gold Sponsors

Hydro-C is catalysing the transition of fossil fuel-based energy to renewables by means of introducing sustainable green solutions into the industry to decarbonise operations and projects, and maintain profitable output. The company plan to focus on Solar, Wind and Hydro powers as a source of energy to achieve net Zero with energy providers and IOCs by 2050 in Iraq. By trading the UK innovative solutions and replicating successful projects which can cut on emissions and support sustainable growth. The company focus is on investing in the young generation, education, new technologies and innovations to support this transition.

SAP: Gold Sponsors

SAP is one of the world's leading producers of software for the management of business processes, developing solutions that facilitate effective data processing and information flow across organizations. SAP helps companies and organizations of all sizes and industries run their businesses profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, SAP helps the world run better and improves people's lives. SAP is the market leader in enterprise application software, helping companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 77% of the world's transaction revenue touches an SAP system. SAP's machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers' businesses into intelligent enterprises. Their end-to-end suite of applications and services enables its customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a different

City&Guilds/ GEMS: Gold Sponsors

City and Guilds was Founded in 1878 and Granted a Royal Charter by Queen Victoria in 1900.

Global leader in skills development. 4 million people each year use City and Guilds to develop skills that help them into a job, develop on that job and prepare for their next job. Global Benchmark operating in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and UAE

Vocational Education / City and Guilds Models in Iraq:

• To Partner with Training Institutions for delivery of City and Guilds qualifications - pathway to work programmes with curricula developed by employers.
• Accredit employers' own training so employees can obtain internationally recognised qualifications.
• Partner with Iraqi investors to set up Private Technical and Vocational Institutions that deliver City and Guild qualifications.

Operational in Baghdad, Basra, Erbil and exploring a project in Najaf.

Serco: Silver Sponsors

Serco is managing Air Traffic control systems in Iraq and internationally. In the Middle East, Serco employs more than 4,500 people across four countries including the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iraq

Basra Gateway Terminal: Bronze Sponsors

Basra Gateway Terminal (BGT) is Iraq's premier container and multi-purpose cargo handling facility. It is situated in Umm Qasr, 50 km from Basra and 500 km from Baghdad.

Operated by International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), BGT's team of high-performing Iraqi and International port professionals deliver customer-focused, high productivity and congestion-free port services to Iraq's economy.

Bell Finance LLC: Bronze Sponsors

Bell Finance Limited Liability Company was created in the US State of Delaware in July 2019 to build upon the Iraq Middle Market Development Foundation's lending and educational activities in Iraq since 2005 (www.immdf.org). Bell will continue IMMDF's lending activities by co-financing with Iraqi banks qualifying private sector projects that generate employment and economic growth in Iraq, incorporating Iraqi private sector companies as equity partners. Bell will also continue and expand IMMDF's educational activities in Iraq.

(Source: IBBC)

Writing in Oil Price, Simon Watkins says that without a new nuclear deal with the United States, Iran's ability to influence Iraq is severely limited by its lack of dollars.

With a new nuclear deal though, Iran would resume its ability to influence Iraq.

Click here to read the full article.

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

Iran-Saudi dialogue in Iraq paused 'until new Iraqi government formed'

The dialogue between Iran and Saudi Arabia in Baghdad has been temporarily paused pending a resolution to the domestic political stalemate in Iraq, Amwaj.media has learned.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, informed sources have emphasized that the stalling of an anticipated fifth round of talks in the Iraqi capital this year is extraneous to the Iranian-Saudi engagement itself, hinting that the negotiations will resume once a new Iraqi government has been formed.

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