Video: Iraq Seals Border Crossings with Syria
By John Lee. Syrian rebels have taken control of one of the country's key border crossings with Iraq, but Syria's neighbour has sealed off its end of the crossing and is not allowing refugees to pass through. Iraq has sent an army division to guard the border post, as the war-weary country grows increasingly concerned […]
US court: Iraq Not Liable for End of Saddam-Era Oil Contracts
By John Lee. Reuters reports that a California court has ruled Iraq not liable for the end of two oil-for-food contracts dating from the Saddam Hussein regime. In a divided ruling, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California said Iraq's current government deserves protection under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976 because […]
Video: Widows Use New Skills for New Life
By John Lee. Many Iraqi widows face incredible hardships, lacking the education and job skills needed to make a new life. To provide new skills and sustainable incomes to the widowed members of Zanapiq Al-Hakal Association in Ninawa, the USAID-Inma Agribusiness Program provided breeding sheep along with training in how to breed and raise them. […]
Iraq Stock Market Report
Advertising Feature Rabee Securities Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX) market report (week ending: 19th July 2012). Please click here to download a table of listed companies and their associated ticker codes. ID1,413 / $1,514 (+3.6%) (weekly change). The number of week traded shares was 22.5bn and the weekly trading volume was ID27.0bn ($22.6mn). ISX Company […]
Weekly Security Update for 19th July 2012
By Gary Sandiford, Olive Group's Dubai-based assessments manager. Olive Group is a leading provider of security and technology solutions and has operated continuously in Iraq since 2003. Overview Olive Groups Iraq statistics are drawn from multiple sources, including media reporting and direct liaison with in country assets. Included within the statistics are a minority sub-set […]
وزير الاتصالات يوجه بالأسرع في تنفيذ مشروع الشبكة الاسلكية في كربلاء
وجه وزير الاتصالات بالأسراع في تنفيذ مشروع الشبكة اللاسلكية في محافظة كربلاء والبدء بوضع الكلف التخمينية لتنفيذ أنشاء الشبكة وتشغيل مركز بيانات المحافظة . وقال المتحدث الرسمي لوزارة الاتصالات سمير علي الحسون ان ذلك جاء خلال زيارة وفد الوزارة الى المحافظة الذي ترأسه معالي الوزير وعضوية السيد وكيل الوزارة للشؤون الادارية والمالية والسادة مدراء الشركتيين […]
Gulf Keystone Rallies on Shaikan Oil-in-Place Upgrade
By John Lee. Prior to today's AGM, Gulf Keystone Petroleum has announced another major upgrade of the gross oil-in-place volumes for the Shaikan field in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Shares in GKP were up 6% in early trading in London. The revised gross oil-in-place volumes for the Shaikan field, as calculated by Dynamic Global […]
Afren Jumps 8% on Simrit-2 Oil Discovery
By John Lee. Shares in Afren plc were up 8% on Thursday morning following the announcement that the Simrit-2 exploration well in the Kurdistan region of Iraq has been drilled to a depth of 3,800 metres and the total net oil pay has increased to 460 metres. In addition, a cumulative flow rate of 13,584 […]
US Firm Wins $60m Affordable Housing Project in Thi Qar
By John Lee. The Thi Qar Investment Commission has approved an Investment License for a $60 million (USD) affordable housing project being developed by Iraq Dream Homes, LLC, a U.S. affordable housing development firm. The housing project “An Nasiriyah Dream Homes-Phase I” consists of 400 units of single-family affordable homes in a master-planned, sustainable community […]
Heritage Oil Reserve Update
By John Lee. Heritage Oil, an independent upstream exploration and production company, has announced the publication of an independent Competent Person's Report ("CPR") compiled by industry specialists RPS Energy Consultants Limited ("RPS"). Trading in the company's shares remain suspended pending an acquisition. On 29June 2012, Heritage announced the proposed acquisition of a major interest in […]
Video: Cross Breeding Helps Revive Iraq's Fish Industry
By John Lee. After years of decline, the Euphrates and Middle East Fish Farms, Iraq's largest and best designed hatcheries, were operating at less than 40% capacity due to conflict, sanctions, and production problems. In 2008, USAID's Inma Agribusiness Program began a partnership with Euphrates Fish Farm to help improve the carp fingerling production in […]
The IBBC Opens New Office in Iraq
As part a major effort to boost its presence in Iraq, the Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) has opened its first office in Basrah. Later this year the Council will open another in Erbil, then Baghdad. Speaking at the opening ceremony in Basrah the IBBC's Executive Chairman Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne said: "I am delighted […]