Major Int'l Horticultural Expo planned for Baghdad
By John Lee. The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) has formally approved Expo 2029 Garden in Baghdad, marking Iraq's first AIPH-approved International Green Expo. The approval followed an application process, site inspection, and a letter of endorsement from Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, who confirmed the project as a national strategic priority. Expo 2029 […]
DNO Appoints New Chief Financial Officer
DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, has announced that Birgitte Wendelbo Johansen has been appointed Chief Financial Officer effective 1 November 2025, replacing Haakon Sandborg who is stepping down following 24 years in the role. Ms. Johansen joins DNO from Reach Subsea ASA, an Oslo Børs listed oil services company, where she served […]
NIC Authorised to Contract for Najaf-Karbala Metro Project
By John Lee. The Iraqi Cabinet has amended Resolution 24306 of 2024 to authorise the National Investment Commission (NIC) to contract with the advisory consortium comprising Malaysia's HSS [HSS Engineering Berhad (HEB)] and the UAE's CHSS (as partner) for the Najaf-Karbala metro project. The decision allows the NIC to grant the investment licence and sign […]
Ali Al-Wardi Residential City: PM Chairs Progress Mtg
By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani chaired a special meeting on Monday to review progress on the Ali Al-Wardi New Residential City (Madinat al-Ward), planned for southeast Baghdad. The project, spanning 61 million square metres, will provide 120,000 housing units of various types. It is positioned as a key solution to Iraq's housing […]
Iraq Reaches Settlement with Dutch Companies in $800m Claims
By John Lee. The Iraqi Ministry of Justice has announced a major legal settlement with three Dutch companies. It said that the companies had filed international lawsuits against Iraq with claims amounting to about $800 million [IQD 1.04 trillion]; following "sustained legal and technical negotiations," the amount was reduced to $80 million [IQD 104 billion], […]
Pakistan's Citi Pharma to build Manufacturing Plant in Iraq
By John Lee. [Update: On 16th October 2025, Citi Pharma clarified to the Pakistan Stock Exchange that no decision had been made to open a factory in Iraq. Our article below was based on a post that Citi Pharma published on its own Facebook page, in which it clearly states, "We are excited to announce […]
Genel Energy, DNO clarify position on Oil Exports via Turkiye
By John Lee. Genel Energy and DNO have issued statements relating to recent media reports of an agreement on the export of oil from Iraqi Kurdistan via the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline to the port of Ceyhan. DNO, the largest operator in the Kurdistan Region, said it is eager to resume exports but "pursuant to agreements that […]
China, Iraq sign $2.5bn Seawater Pipeline Contract
By John Lee. Basra Oil Company (BOC) and China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering (CPPE) have signed a contract for a 950-kilometre seawater distribution pipeline network to supply multiple oilfields in southern Iraq, with project supervision by Austria's ILF Consulting Engineers. The contract forms part of Iraq's strategic Common Seawater Supply Project (CSSP), which includes a central […]
Iraq Declares Babylon as "Industrial Capital", Opens New Factories
By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani has officially declared Babylon as the "Industrial Capital of Iraq," marking a significant milestone in the country's industrial development. During a ceremony at Al-Mutahida Packaging in Babylon, Al-Sudani inaugurated a plastic ampoules and caps factory with a capacity of 120,000 tonnes annually, a flexographic printing plant with […]
Dinar Forex Fraud: Court Recovers Funds
By John Lee. The Second Karkh Investigation Court in Baghdad has recovered 2 billion Iraqi dinars [$1.5 million] in connection with a financial fraud case. According to the Supreme Judicial Council, the funds were retrieved from two companies that had illegally profited from discrepancies in the dollar exchange rate through fraudulent foreign transfer operations. The […]
Work Starts on Iraq's First Plastic Granules Plant
By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani has laid the foundation stone for Iraq's first factory to make plastic granules. The facility, in Babylon province, will have a capacity of 300 tonnes per day. Developed by Al-Mutahida Packaging, the project is expected to support local industry, reduce import dependency, and create new job opportunities […]
New Alliance to Combat Corruption in Iraq
By John Lee. Iraq's Commission of Integrity and the Iraqi National Security Service have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening joint efforts to combat corruption and crimes that threaten national security and Iraq's economic interests. The agreement covers the exchange of information on corruption suspects and the recovery of stolen assets, as well as investigations […]