Iraq Ranks Worst in Impunity Index
Iraq has ranked worst on the Committee to Protect Journalists' Impunity Index for the fifth consecutive year. The Impunity Index calculates unsolved journalist murders as a percentage of each country's population. With more than 90 unsolved murders, Iraq's impunity rating dwarfs that of every other nation. "Most of the murders occurred as Iraq was immersed […]
Dragon Oil Targets Iraq
Dubai-based Dragon Oil is considering expanding into Iraq. In its management statement on Monday, the company said that it was pre-qualified for Iraq’s fourth oil licensing round, which is currently scheduled to take place at the end of May. “We are looking at partnering opportunities ahead of this bidding round,” the company said in its […]
Iraq Develops East Baghdad Oilfield
Production at the East Baghdad oilfield has reached 10,000 barrels per day, according to Aswat al-Iraq. "The East Baghdad oilfield is the biggest in Iraq and Iraqi and Jordanian companies are drilling wells in it," Essam Jihad told the news agency. "The ministry has mapped out a plan to develop it and signed a contract […]
Iraq Extends Deadline for Crude Tanker Tender
The Iraqi Oil Tankers Company has extended the deadline for tenders for the purchase or construction of a crude oil tanker to Monday (April 23). The vessel should have a deadweight of at least 6,000 metric tons, and, bizarrely, the tender document states that the year of build should be 2011. According to Bloomberg, the […]
Kurdistan to Double Trade Volume with Sweden
Trade between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Sweden hit $154 million last year and the Swedish authorities are planning to double that figure by 2015, reports AKnews. Swedish Minister of Trade, Eva Bjorling (pictured), opened the Swedish Embassy’s trade office in Erbil, and an institute to help Iraqis address unemployment, on Tuesday. Fathi Mohammed, […]
Trade with Iran Reaches $9 billion
The under-secretary of the Iraqi Ministry of Industry met a delegation of Iranian companies to discuss industrial cooperation and possibilities of Iranian participation in work opportunities in Iraq. According to AKnews, the head of the Iranian delegation, Ameen Shari'ati, said that trade between the two countries reached $9 billion dollars. He hoped this figure would increase, […]
First Kuwaiti flight to Iraq in 22 Years
Najaf Airport saw the landing of the first Kuwaiti passenger plane in 22 years on Tuesday, according to AKnews The Jazeera Airways Airbus 320 landed at 6pm carrying the ambassadors of the two countries. The low-fare airline is expected to operate two flights per week between the countries. The flight comes after the Iraqi Prime […]
German Industry Expo Opens in Erbil
The third annual German Industry and Trade Chamber exhibition in Erbil opened on Tuesday and will run for the next two days, according to AKnews. The products of German companies, which operate across Iraq in fields of automobiles, cosmetics, transportation and communications, will be on show. (Source: AKnews)
The Resource Curse: Will Ordinary Iraqis Ever See Their Oil Money?
Iraq is on the way to becoming one of the biggest oil exporters in the world. As a nation it earns billions. But many ordinary Iraqis live in poverty. Now calls for a direct cash payout to each citizen are getting louder, according to this article from NIQASH. Any opinions expressed are those of the […]
Afren Jumps on Kurdistan Oil Find
Shares in Afren jumped more than 10% in early trading, before falling back slightly, following the company's announcement that the high impact Simrit-2 exploration well, located on the Ain Sifni PSC in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, has discovered a significant oil accumulation based on the results of drilling, wireline logs and sidewall core sampling. […]
Iraq On Target for Record Oil Exports in April
Reuters reports that Iraq's oil exports from its southern ports have jumped by 190,000 barrels per day (bpd) in April, indicating that shipments are heading for another post-war record. Exports from the al-Basra oil terminal (ABOT), Khor al-Amaya, and the new single-point mooring (SPM) on the Gulf have averaged a combined 2.11 million bpd in […]
Bell Helicopters Wins $15m Contract in Iraq
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company (NYSE: TXT), was awarded a contract by US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Alabama for the procurement of contractor logistics support for 30 Bell 407 helicopters in service with the Iraqi Army. The award valued at more than $15 million allows Bell Helicopter to provide logistics support of 24 Bell […]