Akri Bijeel Oil Block Declared 'Commercial'
By John Lee. MOL Plc has informed the market that Kalegran Ltd. (a 100% subsidiary of MOL), as has officially declared the Akri Bijeel Block to be 'commercial', based on the discoveries made at the Bijell-1 well (pictured) in Jurassic horizons and Bakrman-1 well in Triassic horizon. Kalegran is the Operator of the Block on […]
Downtown Erbil "a Milestone" for Kurdistan
Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani kicked off the nearly-$3-billion “Downtown Erbil” project on Sunday, calling the venture that is estimated to create 35,000 jobs and transform the face of the Kurdish capital, “a milestone for the Kurdistan Region.” “This project will be a source of pride and a source of income for thousands of families,” Barzani […]
UNESCO, EU Launch Groundwater Project
In the framework of their significant efforts towards supporting the Iraqi government in overcoming the devastating impact of water shortage, UNESCO and the European Union (EU) launched the phase II of the "Advanced Survey of Hydrogeological Resources in Iraq" (ASHRI-2), a pioneering initiative that aims to improve national capacities in the exploration and integrated management […]
Opportunities for Study, Travel in US
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has announced that it are now accepting applications for the U.S. Government-sponsored Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Programs (IYLEP). This program will provide 250 Iraqi high school and undergraduate students a unique educational exchange experience in the United States during the summer of 2014. Since their creation in 2007, the IYLEP […]
Bosnia & Herzegovina Looking for Business
KRG Foreign Minister Falah Mustafa welcomed the Bosnia and Herzegovina Minister of Energy, Mining and Industry, Erdal Trhulj, and his accompanying delegation to Erbil. The meeting was also attended by Siham Jabali, the Assistant Head of the DFR. Minister Mustafa welcomed Minister Trhulj and expressed his pleasure at the interest shown by Bosnia and Herzegovina […]
Weekly Security Update 24 - 30 October 2013
By Tom Walker, Director, Assaye Risk COUNTRY OVERVIEW It has been a bloody week for many Iraqis as insurgents and militia groups have pressed home a number of coordinated high impact attacks resulting in large numbers killed and wounded. Transnational influences have also dominated reporting as regional leaders seek to find ways to control and […]
Iraqi Entrepreneurs: Making Anwar’s Workshop Global
By Yasmine Khaled Aly, UNIDO. Before learning about UNIDO’s Investment Promotion in Iraq (IPI) Project, Anwar Hussein – a young, ambitious and hardworking Iraqi – had a small business but few business opportunities. With IPI's help, Anwar’s business, and life, have changed. Like many young entrepreneurs in Thi-Qar, Anwar wanted to start a business where […]
Afren Updates on Iraqi Operations
By John Lee. Shares in Afren were trading up more than 3 percent on Thursday afternoon following the release of the company's Interim Management Statement, which included the following update on its Iraqi operations: Barda Rash On 8 July 2013 Afren commenced preliminary crude oil sales from the Barda Rash PSC to the local market. […]
F-16 Delivery "on Track"
By John Lee. Reuters reports that the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Iraq is "on track" for next autumn. An American official told the news agency, on condition of anonymity, that Iraqi pilots are in training, and Iraq recently paid an instalment of roughly $650 million for the jets. Iraq signed a new contract […]
Zebari Receives Belarusian Delegation
By John Lee. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hoshyar Zebari, recently received the Undersecretary of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Valentine Rybakov, and the Head of the of Africa and Middle East Department at the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Igor Alexandrevich. The meeting discussed relations between the two countries and strengthening political, economic, trade, […]
Next Iraq Club Event
The Iraq Club is a business-focussed forum run by people who understand the nature of doing business in Iraq. This exclusive network brings together senior professionals to share experiences of working in Iraq’s energy and construction sectors. Our guests make connections that will help them solve the particular challenges they are facing in country. Please note […]
New UK Boost for Arab Businesses
Businesses across the Middle East and North Africa will get a £4.5 million boost from the UK, Prime Minister David Cameron announced at the World Islamic Economic Forum on Tuesday. The UK’s funding to the Nomou business fund will be matched by the Shell Foundation to support ‘missing middle’ businesses - those too large for […]