Najaf Grants $56m Investment Licences
Najaf Investment Commission announced on Tuesday that it has granted two investment licenses worth a total of $56 million. According to AKnews, one is to build a residential complex in Manathira district, and the other is to build a tourist hotel in Najaf city. Wafi al-Bahhash, the head of the commission, told AKnews that the […]
Jordanian Company Wins Bid to Import Iraqi Fuel Oil
An Amman-based freight company has won a tender to transport 30,000 metric tons of fuel oil per month from Iraq to Jordan, the nation’s official news agency Petra said. Bloomberg reports that the company is called 'Mahmoud Al Zoubi for Transport', and that it will charge 37.3 Jordanian dinars ($52.65) per ton, which was the […]
Iraq's Grain Board Issues Wheat Tender
The Grain Board of Iraq (Ministry of Trade) has announced a tender for the supply of 50,000 tonnes of wheat. The deadline for bids is 10:00 am Baghdad time on 6th September. Please click here to download the tender details.
Listing of Firms Qualified for 4th Oil Licensing Round
Iraq's oil ministry has issued a list of the 41 companies qualified to participate in its fourth energy bidding round in January: ATPECO - Japan Bashneft - Russia BP - UK Chevron Corp - United States CNOOC - China CNPC - China Edison - Italy Egyptian General Petroleum Corp - Egypt Eni Iraq - Italy […]
US to Provide Iraq with Phone and Text Monitoring
The U.S. is planning to provide Iraqi authorities with technology to monitor and record telephone calls and text messages, according to a report from Mobiledia. Spokesman for the U.S. forces in Iraq, Geoffrey Buchanan, told Radio Free Iraq that a deal was signed with Iraq's Interior Ministry to provide it with the new technology as […]
German Consul Discusses Investment in Kurdistan
The President of Northern Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, Massoud Barzani, has encouraged leading German companies to invest in Kurdistan, according to Aswat al-Iraq. The President of Kurdistan Region, Massoud Barzani, met with the new German Consul-General in Iraq, Rolf Ulrich, on Tuesday to discuss strengthening relations between the two countries. The German Consul-General said that “he […]
4th Iraqi Mobile Licensing Round This Week
The Iraqi Communications Ministry have announced they will be launching the fourth round of license granting for mobile phone companies this week, licenses will be granted and agreements will be confirmed by the cabinet. Communications Minister H.E. Mohammed Tawfik Allawi stated “the ministry will only grant licenses to companies that will actually offer better services for […]
Integrity Commission Demands Sacking of Haj Chairman
The Deputy Chairman of Iraq’s Integrity Commission had demanded Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki sack the Chairman of the Haj (Pilgrimage) Commission, Mohammed Taqi al-Moula, following charges of corruption. “There are documents and dossiers, being studied since over one month by the Integrity Commission, that had agreed that the said official was involved in corruption,” Ahmed […]
Warka Fat Lady Begins Warm Ups
Last weekend two stories, one in Al Hayat the other in the Abu Dhabi paper The National, confirmed that Standard Chartered is in talks to take over Warka Bank (BWAI). (There's more on the story here.) While there have been rumors to this effect for over a year, this is the first time anything has […]
Iraq July Oil Exports: Quantity Dips But Revenues Rise
Iraq's oil exports for July fell compared to the previous month in volume terms, but revenues rose as average crude prices increased, the oil ministry said on Monday. AFP reports that Iraq exported 67.2 million barrels in July, down from 68.2 million barrels in June Revenues were up, at $7.311 billion, compared to $7.173 billion […]
Shell/Mitsubishi Gas Deal Delayed Again
Iraq's Energy Commission announced on Monday that it has decided to postpone its meeting to discuss the Shell gas contract until next week, further delaying the long-overdue signing. AKnews reports that the commission, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Hussein al-Shahristani, announced last Wednesday that it would discuss the contract to develop and exploit the gas […]
Standard Chartered in Talks to Buy Warka Bank
London-based Standard Chartered Bank has been in talks for the past 3-4 months to buy a stake in Warka Bank, one of Iraq's biggest private banks, a central bank official said on Monday. Hassan al-Haidari, a central bank advisor, told Reuters: "They (Standard Chartered) wanted more than 50 percent but they (Warka) wanted (to give) […]