UK Gives Arms to KRG
By John Lee. At the request of the government of Iraq to provide urgent military support, the UK will supply heavy machine guns and nearly half-a-million rounds of ammunition. China's Xinhua news agency values the assistance at $2.6 million (3 billion Iraqi dinars). According to the statement from the British Ministry for Defence, this will […]
Parliament Approves the Abbadi Cabinet
The following article was published by Reidar Visser, an historian of Iraq educated at the University of Oxford. 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. The new Iraqi cabinet headed by Haydar al-Abbadi [Abadi] has been approved by the […]
Video: Kurdish Ties to Iraq Continue to Thin Out
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Kurdish officials have said that they will support the Iraqi central government and Prime Minister Haider al-Abaddi's cabinet for a three month trial period. But the union remains on shaky ground, with the […]
Video: Interview with Hoshyar Zebari
From CNN. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. CNN's Christiane Amanpour speaks with Iraq's new Deputy Prime Minister Hoshyar Zebari.
Video: Iraq's Govt - United and Inclusive?
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. New prime minister Haider al-Abadi wins parliamentary approval for a power-sharing cabinet. Adrian Finighan speaks to Tariq al Hashimi - a former vice president of Iraq; Ahmed Rushdi - Director of the House […]
Currency Auction Results, 10th Sept
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has reported that 15 banks took part in its currency auction on Wednesday. A total of $181,154,000 was sold at a price of 1166 Iraqi Dinars (IQD) per dollar. (Source: Central Bank of Iraq)
Weekly Security Update, 02 – 08 September 2014
On 08 September, the Iraqi Parliament voted to form a new government around Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. The vote did not include the key positions of Defense and Interior Ministers however, which were previously occupied by Nouri al-Maliki and are considered crucial to the Sunni participation in the new cabinet and political process. While the […]
Dhi Qar to Invest $430m in Power Projects
By John Lee. The Dhi Qar governorate intends to invest 500 billion Iraqi dinars ($430 million) in power projects in the next three years, according to a report from Emirates 24/7. Shanan Al Zamli, chairman of the electricity committee in the governing council, told al-Sumaria that the investment will add 2,000 MW to its generating capacity, […]
Iran-Iraq Gas Pipeline Completed
By John Lee. The Iranian Fars News Agency has reported that construction of Iran-Iraq gas pipeline, which runs to the Al-Mansoureh power plant in Iraq, is now complete. A source told the news agency that supply of Iranian gas along the 48-inches-diameter pipeline should have started already but has been delayed due to the unrest […]
Audi Halts Exports to Iraq
By John Lee. German car maker Audi has said that supply of its cars to Iraq is "on hold". Jan-Hendrik Schmitt, Audi Middle East’s Sales Director, added that "Audi Middle East is working to support its dealer-partner during this difficult time and until the situation improves” . GulfNews reports that shipments meant for Iraq are […]
Saudi Announces 900km Fence on Iraq Border
By John Lee. Al Jazeera reports that Saudi Arabia has unveiled a 900-km multi-layered fence along its border with Iraq. The project, which includes five layers of fencing equipped with watch towers, night-vision cameras and 50 radars is aimed at cutting the "number of infiltrators, drug, arms and cattle smugglers to zero". In 2009, Riyadh […]
First-Ever Survey of FGM in Northern Iraq
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) High Council of Women’s Affairs (HCWA) together with UNICEF, Heartland Alliance International, and Wadi, and in collaboration with UN Women and UNFPA, released this week results of a first-ever ‘knowledge, attitudes and practices’ (KAP) survey on the root causes of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq […]