Japan to Fund Nassiriya Power Station
By John Lee. The Ministry of Electricity announced that it has obtained long term funding from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the Nassiriya power station. According to the Kuwaiti News Agency (KUNA), JICA has approved a $2-billion loan for the project, which would be enough to cover the full cost. AIN, on the […]
US Wasted $206m on Iraqi Police Development Program
By John Lee. A report by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) has found that $206 million was wasted on a program to train Iraqi police that Baghdad says is neither needed nor wanted. The Police Development Program (PDP) was to be a five-year multibillion-dollar program to train Iraq’s police forces, and was […]
ICP Recommends Compromises to Resolve Iraqi Crisis
To overcome Iraq’s current political crisis and prevent the breakdown of the entire post-2003 order, Prime Minister Maliki (pictured) and his opponents both will have to agree to painful compromises, according to this report from the International Crisis Group: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS At first glance, the current Iraqi political crisis looks like just one […]
MEA Iraqi Kurdistan Trade Mission 14-18 October
The UK's Middle East Association (MEA), in partnership with UKTI and the Kurdistan Regional Government, will be leading a Trade Delegation to Iraqi Kurdistan this October to coincide with the eighth Erbil International Trade Fair, Iraq’s largest general trade exhibition. Mission Participants will have the opportunity to exhibit at the Fair’s British Pavilion, as well […]
Diyala Concerns about Joint Iranian Oil Fields
The exploitation of oilfields jointly held with Iran is again causing tension in Iraq's Diyala province. AKnews reports that Diyala's energy committee chairman, Ismail al-Jabbouri, said: "The Iranian side is extracting large amounts of oil from the common fields within Diyala province. The Oil Ministry was informed about this issue but it did not take […]
Hundreds Convicted of Fraud in 1st Half 2012
By John Lee. In the first half of this year, Iraq's courts have issued 754 judgments in cases dealing with corruption and fraud involving public money, claims the Commission on Integrity. The cases, referred to the courts by the Commission, resulted in 816 convictions. In some cases, those convicted will remain in jail following completion […]
Former Istanbul Mayor Wins $600m Contract in Baghdad
By John Lee. Vehbi Orakçı (pictured), a former mayor of Istanbul’s Beylikdüzü district, has reportedly signed a $600-million deal for a construction project in Baghdad. “The project includes nearly 6,500 buildings, 325 offices, 325 residential apartments and a 60,000 square-meter shopping center. The total cost is $600 million, but the sales volume is expected to […]
Karbala Printing & Marketing Service Center Opens
By John Lee. The large format banner printer was the last piece of equipment to arrive, completing the first round of printer purchases for the Karbala Printing and Marketing Service Center, culminating many months of planning and hard work by the staff of the Karbala Business Development Center (KBDC). Thanks to funding from the KBDC […]
Iraq Accuses Kurdistan of "Secret Arms Deal"
By John Lee. An un-named Iraqi security official has reportedly accused the president of the Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani (pictured), of secretly buying a large supply of heavy munitions from a foreign country. Iran's PressTV says the arms included anti-tank missiles and large quantities of heavy weapons. The official said that Iraqi authorities have "all […]
Halliburton Opens Internal Probe on Iraq Payments
By John Lee. Halliburton has begun internal investigations into alleged payments made to third-party agents related to customs matters in Angola and Iraq. Bloomberg reports that the world’s second- largest oilfield services provider alerted U.S. Justice Department and Securities and Exchange officials that it had begun the inquiry after meeting with them about another internal […]
Kurdistan Region Invests in Tourism
By John Lee. The Kurdistan Region's Tourism Board has announced plans to develop 53 tourist sites in the region, including the Bekhal Resort. Designs for some of the sites have already been completed, according to a report from AKnews. Mawlawi Jabar, Head of the board, said that companies from Lebanon and Austria are undertaking the […]
New $60m 5-Star Hotel for Baghdad
By John Lee. The Baghdad Investment Commission has granted investment licenses for a five-star hotel, complete with shopping mall, in the Karrada area of central Baghdad. The Head of the Commission, Shaker al-Zamili [Shaker al-Zamili, Shaker A Shabib] (pictured), said the hotel will be sited in Masbeh Street, and will also include an information center, […]