Video: Olive Oil Industry in Iraq Begins to Ripen

By John Lee. A new video produced by USAID showcases the Al-Zatoon Olive Association's new processing plant in Ninawa province, home of the first mechanized olive oil presser in Iraq and a model for similar demonstration projects in Kurdistan, Salah al Din and the Tallafar district of Ninawa province. A new olive oil industry in […]

Kurdistan and Northern Ireland sign MoU to Strengthen Relations

By John Lee. Northern Ireland's Enterprise Minister, Arlene Foster (pictured), has today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Kurdistan Regional Government, which will strengthen trade links and define areas of co-operation between the two regions. The MOU is the result of the Minister’s visit to Kurdistan in October 2011 when she met with […]

Samawa BDC Goes to University

By John Lee. The Samawa Business Development Center (SBDC) continues to expand the range of services it provides in Muthanna Province to meet the needs of government and businesses alike. Initially benefitting from grants and support provided by the Dhi Qar and Muthana Provincial Reconstruction Team and the USAID-Tijara program, the SBDC has grown from […]

Iraq to Begin Gas Imports from Iran by March 2014

By John Lee. Iran's Oil Minister, Rostam Qasemi (pictured), says his country is expected to start exporting natural gas to Iraq by the end of the next Iranian year (to start March 21, 2013), reports the Iranian news agency PressTV. Last year, the oil ministers of Iran, Iraq and Syria agreed to construct a pipeline […]

Shahristani tells Japex, Petronas to Speed up Development at Gharraf

By John Lee. The Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs, Hussein al-Shahristani, has reportedly urged the consortium developing the Gharraf oilfield in Maysan province to speed up progress on the project. He also offered to help "eliminate the obstacles facing the work of the company",  which is a venture between the Japanese JAPEX and […]

Iran Cuts Flow of al-Wind River

By John Lee. Iran has again has blocked the flow of water from the al-Wind [Wand, Alwand, Hulwan] river, in a move which has angered Iraqi farmers and citizens, according to PUKmedia. Protesters are demanding that Iran release water into the river, saying their fertile land turning barren because of the repeated cuts and shortages […]

Maliki Calls for US to Speed up Arms Transfers

By John Lee. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called on Sunday for the US to speed up the transfer of weapons to Iraq, which lacks the ability to defend its airspace or borders. UPI reports that during a meeting with General James Mattis, the visiting head of US Central Command, the Iraqi premier also pointedly […]

Chevron to Pay $200m for Kurdistan Oil Exploration Rights

By John Lee. America's second-largest energy company, Chevron Corporation, may buy the rights to two oil exploration zones in Iraqi Kurdistan. According to a report from region from the Sunday Times in London, it would acquire the rights from Reliance Industries, India's largest private sector enterprise. The deal, which may be announced this week, is […]

Premier Oil to join Bashneft in Oil Block 12

By John Lee. Britain's Premier Oil is teaming up with Russia's Bashneft to develop Iraq's oil exploration block 12. In an update to the markets on Thursday, Premier said: "Subject to ongoing discussions with the authorities in Iraq, Premier has agreed to join Bashneft on Block 12, an 8,000 km2 block in the underexplored Salman […]

Iraq Signs Energy Exploration Contracts

By John Lee. Iraq signed the gas exploration contract with Pakistan Petroleum Ltd. (PPL) on Sunday for gas Block 8, which lies in the Diyala and Wassit provinces in the East of the country. Meanwhile on Monday, a consortium led by Kuwait Energy signed the contract for oil Block 9, having bid fee of $6.24 […]

Iraq Stock Market Report

Advertising Feature Rabee Securities Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX) market report (week ending: 12th July 2012). Please click here to download a table of listed companies and their associated ticker codes. ID1,363 / $1.487,  (+4.1%) (weekly change). The number of week traded shares was 6.7bn and the weekly trading volume was ID11.5bn ($9.6mn).   ISX Company […]