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UN emergency fund allocates $15 million to support people fleeing Fallujah

The top United Nations relief official chief today released $15 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to provide urgent life-saving assistance for people affected by the recent fighting and military operations in Fallujah.

“People escaping Fallujah are in desperate need of assistance now, this minute. We must act fast before this situation becomes a humanitarian catastrophe. These funds are time critical; however they only offer a small portion of what is urgently needed,” said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, in a statement issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

“I call on donors to immediately support our humanitarian response and leverage this CERF allocation with additional resources so that together we can effectively address the growing humanitarian needs throughout Iraq,” he added.

Since this past month, more than 85,000 people have been forced to flee the city, displacing families from their homes, communities and livelihoods. Those remaining in the city face dire shortages of food, medicine, electricity and safe drinking water, OCHA said.

“The families who have managed to flee Fallujah have escaped with nothing: they need everything,” warned Lise Grande, Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq.

“Humanitarian partners are working around the clock to provide shelter, water, health care, household kits and specialized support for the victims of gender and sexual-based violence. This CERF grant will allow us to rapidly scale up our efforts, so it could not be more timely,” she added.

By Omar al-Jaffal, for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.v

The anti-government movement led by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr (pictured) along with secular young people seems to be headed for violence and clashes with the Iraqi security forces, especially if Haider al-Abadi’s government fails to meet the protesters’ demands that include appointing a technocrat government and eradicating corruption.

The protesters have started preparing for a potential confrontation with riot police by buying gas masks, especially after security forces used tear gas to disperse protests May 21.

A number of young people posted photos on social media (the pages of which have been taken offline now) showing protesters wearing gas masks in a defiant message to the government after Iraqi riot police used tear gas to disperse a crowd May 27 as protesters tried to break into the Green Zone for the third time. They had already been successful on May 20 and in larger numbers on April 30 when they stormed the parliament building.

Protesters said that the security forces resorted to rubber and live bullets during the protests on May 21, claiming that four people were killed as a result of the security forces' brutality.

Al-Monitor interviewed a young man in his early 20s from Sadr City who had acquired a gas mask. Revealing only his first name, which he said was Haider, he said that he regularly participates in the demonstrations held in Baghdad every Friday.

By John Lee.

Iraq has reportedly approved measures requested by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to unlock loans of $5.4 billion over the coming three years.

An adviser to Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told Reuters that the agreement is "on track".

Among the measures approved is the settling of all arrears owed to foreign oil companies by the end of this year.

The funds are understood to be conditional on cuttng spending, increasing non-oil revenue, tax increases, higher charges for electricity, and better banking supervision to fight corruption and money laundering.

Baghdad expects IMF approval by the end of June or early July for the first tranche of about $600 million.

(Source: Reuters)

(IMF image via Shutterstock)

By John Lee.

India's BGR Energy Systems has said it has decided to cancel a carryover contract value of $246 million relating to its contract to build a power plant in Nasiriya.

The company won the contract for the 500-megawatt (MW) gas turbine plant in 2013.

Iraq's Ministry of Electricity provided a letter of credit for 50 percent of the contract value in favour of the company and the latter issued a performance bond.

The company said, since terrorists have taken over various parts of Iraq and continued terror attacks across the country, the company could not proceed with execution of the contract.

BGR Energy Systems Limited is listed at the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange. The Company was originally incorporated in 1985, as a joint venture between GEA Energietechnik GmbH, Germany and B. G. Raghupathy (pictured).

(Source: Business Standard)

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.

Samira Ayyash and her family are refusing to return to Ramadi in Anbar province after having fled to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Ayyash fears that she and her two sons and daughter could fall victim to a landmine or bomb in the Ramadi streets or inside their house, which they deserted June 8, 2015, to escape the oppression of the Islamic State (IS).

Ayyash told Al-Monitor, "Returning to Ramadi right now is impossible as long as the city is not clear of landmines. Our neighbors and friends who are currently in Ramadi tell us that there is a major threat to civilians from landmines, and this is worrying. We fled death when IS controlled Ramadi; we cannot risk our lives again. We will stay in Baghdad so as not to fall victim to a landmine or bomb."

According to the estimates of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, Ramadi is the city with the most landmines in the world, and most of the city neighborhoods are unsafe because of these explosives.

Lisa Grande, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, said in a statement after visiting Ramadi March 24 that civilians risk their lives in the city because of landmines and booby-traps everywhere.

She said that the Iraqi government should make clearing landmines its top priority to ensure the security of the civilians living in the city, because Ramadi is unsafe for the displaced to return and it is difficult to ensure their safety there.

By John Lee.

Iran has reportedly resumed electricity exports to Iraq following a hiatus over unpaid fees.

Power was restored following the visit of an Iraqi delegation to Tehran to settle the issue.

(Source: PressTV)

(Electricity image via Shutterstock)

By John Lee.

Dimitris Tsitsiragos, the Vice President of the World Bank's private sector investment arm, told Reuters on Thursday that the bank had arranged $375 million in financing for an Iraqi power company.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) will provide a debt and equity package of $250 million, with another $125 million from Lebanon's Bank Audi.

Mass Global Energy Sulimaniya will use the financing to add 500 megawatts of capacity to a 1,000-megawatt power plant (pictured) in Kurdistan, providing power to 3 million people.

It will also help complete a new power plant near Baghdad that will supply about half of the Iraqi capital's electricity requirements.

(Source: Reuters)

By John Lee.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, received a copy of the credentials of the new Chinese Ambassador to Iraq, Mr Chen Weiqing, at the ministry Headquarters..

"Last year, trade [between Iraq and China] reached $20 billion, and today Iraq represents the third largest partner in the Arab world," Mr Chen Weiqing revealed, affirming that China is continuing to provide assistance to Baghdad in various sectors, especially, the humanitarian and service sectors that include electricity and telecommunications.

He also asserted the keenness of the Chinese government on increasing the level of assistance this year to ¥160 million, with the first tranche to be delivered this month.

(Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

By John Lee.

Iran has cut electricity to the Penjwen district east of Sulaimani, as well as to neighboring villages in Iraqi Kurdistan, since Monday.

According to a report from eKurd, the supply was cut off after the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) failed to repay loans of $27 million to Iran.

Iran has provided the Penjwen district and nearby villages with electricity for nine years after the KRG and Iran signed an electricity agreement.

Negotiations are underway to return electricity to the area.

(Source: eKurd)

(Electricity image via Shutterstock)

By Rami Khrais for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Do gas condensate exports represent new beginning for Iraq's hydrocarbon industry?

Iraq exported its first shipment of gas condensate on March 20, from the port at Khor al-Zubair to Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Hamed Zubai, undersecretary at the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, reported that the Iraqi Oil Marketing Co. had arranged for the 10,000-cubic-meter consignment, and the Basrah Gas Co. had successfully exported the shipment.

“Due to surplus exceeding local consumption, gas condensate exports will continue. In addition, the ministry seeks to export other types of associated gas-processing products,” Zubai said during a March 20 news conference. He did not mention potential export destinations.

“Exporting condensate opens the door for the state to secure added financial returns, driven by the fact that the global price per ton is around $350.” What does this development mean, and does it represent a new beginning for the gas industry in Iraq?

Whereas natural gas refers to gaseous hydrocarbons that accumulate in porous sedimentary rocks and consist mainly of methane, gas condensate refers to a natural gas liquid recovered from gas wells that consists mainly of pentane. Iraq is one of the world’s richest countries when it comes to natural gas.

Citing the Oil & Gas Journal, the US Energy Information Agency (EIA) reported that as of January 2015, Iraq had proven gas reserves of about 112 trillion cubic feet, ranking it 12th globally in total volume of reserves. The EIA estimates that about three-quarters of Iraq's natural gas resources are of the associated type, meaning that they are located deep underground and mixed with oil. In contrast, neighboring Iran and Qatar have nonassociated gas, which is not mixed with petroleum.