Time to Keep your Head Down in Iraq
By Gavin Jones, Director of Iraq Business News, and Partner at consultancy firm Upper Quartile. This article was originally published on the Emerging Economics blog. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Last week hundreds of people were arrested all over Iraq in […]
Iraq Stock Market Report
Rabee Securities Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX) market report (week ending: 3rd November 2011). Please click here to download a table of listed companies and their associated ticker codes. The RSISX index ended the week at ID1,326 / $1,471, -6.7%. The number of weekly traded shares was 2.7bn and the weekly trading volume was ID161.0bn ($137.6mn). […]
"SME and Microfinance in Iraq not well developed"
By T. Keyzom Ngodup, co-founder and Executive Director at Ideas sYnergy www.ideas-sYnergy.net, a local multiple bottom line advisory enterprise, driving innovation for social impact. According to the recently released World Bank Report The Republic of Iraq: Financial Sector Review, “SME and microfinance is not well developed in Iraq”. Over 85% of lending to Iraq SMEs […]
Iraq Courts Chinese Interest in Major Road Project
Construction Week Online reports that Iraq’s Minister for Construction and Housing, Mohammad Sahib Al Darraji [Muhammad Sahib al-Daraji], is in discussions with Chinese companies regarding the construction of the road linking Baghdad with Zakho on the Turkish border, known as Highway No. 2. Al Darraji spoke with specialist firms during a visit to Beijing and […]
Industry Minister Discusses Cooperation with Japanese Ambassador
Iraqi minister of Industry and Minerals, Ahmed Nasir al-Karbouli [Ahmad Nassir Al-Karbooli], pictured, met the Japanese ambassador to Baghdad, Susumu Hasegawa, this week to discuss industrial cooperation. Aswat al-Iraq reports that both sides discussed how to encourage Japanese companies to enter Iraq markets. Karbouli confirmed the desire of the ministry to benefit from Japanese expertise […]
Iraq Allocates $250m for Joint Projects with UN
Iraq has allocated $250 million to fund joint development projects with international partners in 2012, according to reports from AFP. Peter Batchelor, country director for the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq said, "for next year, 2012, the government has put aside in the federal budget $250 million ... The aim... is to use it […]
Erbil Agro Trade Fair Opens Next Week
The fourth agro-food trade fair will open in Erbil next week with 350 companies from 21 countries coming to put their products on show. Aziz Ibrahim, director of trade in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)'s Ministry of Trade and Industry, told a news conference in Erbil on Thursday that there were new companies among the […]
In Erbil? Why Not!
By Chris Bowers, British Consul General in Erbil. This article was originally published by Rudaw, and is re-published with permission by Iraq Business News. Like all the best ideas, the concept for a British Film Festival in Kurdistan Region came from a chat between two friends over a few drinks a few months ago. Those […]
Iraq in $1bn Power Deals with Chinese, Korean Firms
Reuters reports that Iraq has finalised a $1.08 billion contract with the China National Machinery & Equipment Import & Export Corp (CMEC) to build a 1,260-megawatt thermal power plant. "The signing will take place next week or the week after," Laith al-Mamury, the head of investments and contracts at the ministry, said at a ceremony […]
Upper Quartile Runs Seminar on Opportunities in Iraq
In a bid to encourage firms to develop a presence in the Middle Eastern state of Iraq, Upper Quartile, in partnership with Aberdeen City Council’s International Trade and Investment team, held a seminar yesterday in Aberdeen, attracting representatives from around 20 oil and gas service companies interested in the investment opportunities available in Iraq. Over […]
UNDP Boosts Support for Iraqi People
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has announced that it is boosting its partnership with the Government of Iraq and the Iraqi people. "We have tripled the number of our staff based in Iraq to 44 with further increases planned in the next year. Each and every one of them is committed to improving the […]
Giant Oil Rig Heads to Hamrin
A large oil rig has arrived in the northern oil fields around Kirkuk to start work on reclaiming old oil wells and drilling new ones, according to AKnews. The wells of the Hamrin mountains were left unused until June this year. The Iraqi Drilling Company announced the arrival of the rig on Thursday, and its […]