Iraq-China Flights to Resume in January
Direct flights between Iraq and China will commence in January, according to a report from AKnews. Ziya Qurayshi, an advisor to Nouri al-Maliki, told the agency that the two countries have agreed to re-open the route after completing all the official and technical procedures. The economic embargo imposed on Iraq in 1990s due to the […]
'Major Progress' in Anbar Gas Stand-Off
"Major progress" is reported in negotiations between Iraq's Oil Ministry and the local government in Anbar Province in western Iraq regarding the contracts to develop the gas fields in the province. Aswat al-Iraq quotes Assem Jihad, a leading Oil Ministry spokesman, as saying on Sunday that “the Oil Ministry has discussed with Anbar Province and […]
150,000 Jobs at Iraq's Grand Faw Port
Southern Iraq’s Grand Faw Port project, recently approved by the Council of Ministers, will provide employment opportunities for 150,000, according to the National Coalition on Sunday. “The Grand Faw Terminal, approved by the Council of Ministers in 2004, is considered one of the most important projects that can achieve revenues in billions of dollars for […]
ENI to Pump Cash into Basra
Italian oil company ENI plans to invest in Basra province in the fields of economy, science, and sport. Basra's Governor says the company dedicated about $ 5 Million to implement several projects to enhance relations with Basra and its citizens, he added that the company is ready for real investments in agriculture and cattle projects, […]
Update on Iraqi Oil Production
The following update on output at Iraq's oilfields comes from Early Warning, citing a report from UPI: Rumaila: Iraq's biggest field with the equivalent of 17.8 billion barrels of oil. That makes it the fourth largest oil field in the world. It contains around 15 percent of Iraq's oil. It is operated by BP and […]
Private Kurdish TV/Radio News Service Soon
A new satellite TV channel and a radio station will soon be launched, airing news in Kurdish. According to AKnews, the general director for the new outlets said most of the preliminaries are completed and the new service will air programs from early 2011. There are a number of governmental and party affiliated media outlets, […]
WEBO 2010 fair in Basra
An International Fair was opened in the new Basra International Exhibition Centre in Maaqal in southern Iraq’s Basra Province, with the participation of 70 Iraqi and foreign companies, the Exhibition’s media source said on Sunday. Aswat al-Iraq reports that the Fair, called “WEBO 2010,” was opened with the attendance of Basra’s Governor, Ahmed al-Hassani and […]
Turkey to Develop Education in Kurdistan
Turkey's education minister, Niemat Jobokjo, expressed the desire to help develop Kurdistan's educational sector, he said during a visit to the province. The Turkish minister visited many schools in Erbil, praising educational levels there, and said she wants to develop exchange visits and joint workshops. She was accompanied by Turkish lawmakers and educational officials. (Source: […]
33 Companies Compete for Iraqi Power Plants
As we predicted in our report last week, Iraq's acting Electricity Minister, Hussain al-Shahristani, asked investors on Saturday to compete to build four new power plants to help the country meet it increasing electricity demands. According to Bloomberg, the Minister promised a healthy profit for the winners. At a meeting of 33 local and international […]
Maliki on Track towards Forming the Next Government
The following article was published on Saturday by Reidar Visser, an historian of Iraq educated at the University of Oxford and currently based at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. It is reproduced here in full with the author's permission. The opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views […]
Another Turkish Bank to Open in Iraq
AKnews reportedon Saturday, that "Eash Bank" from Turkey claims to open two branches in Erbil and Baghdad in the coming three months. Iraq Business News believes it sthe bank to be İş Bankasi. According to Jihan News Agency, the Bank Director Arsean Awzanja said there is a possibility to open four branches in Iraq. Awzanja […]
Maliki to 'Unveil New Iraqi Cabinet on Monday'
Reuters, quoting 'senior officials', reports that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will unveil his new cabinet on Monday, retaining the oil minister who forged ambitious plans to turn the war-ravaged country into a top global oil producer. Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani, a Shi'ite and former nuclear scientist, will be a key member of the new […]