Kurdish Refinery to Start Selling Petrol
The first of three new refineries in Iraq’s northern Kurdistan is expected to start selling petrol for the first time next week. The 98-octane gasoline will be sold to petrol stations in the semi-autonomous region, Ali Hussein Ballo, a consultant at the natural resources ministry said in a telephone interview with Bloomberg. The Khabat refinery, […]
The Reformation of Iraq’s Foreign Relations: New Elites and Enduring Legacies
Iraq has not enjoyed regular foreign relations since 2003, and arguably for several years before, argues Gareth Stansfield in a report for Chatham House. Looking ahead, Iraq is now in a position to develop its foreign relations fully, yet how these relations will be constructed remains unclear. As with all states, Iraq's foreign policy remains […]
Permission for 792 New Apartments in Muthanna
An Iraqi company has won an investment license to build a residential compound in Muthanna, an official of the Muthanna Investment Commission said on Wednesday. “The MIC has granted an investment license to an Iraqi company to build a compound, consisting of 792 apartments, in Muthanna on an area of 65 donums [16 hectares]”, Ali […]
Weekly Security Update for 8th Dec 2010
North Last week saw violence concentrated in Mosul, although attacks were also recorded in Tal ‘Afar, Kirkuk, Hawijah and Riyadh. Civilians and the Iraqi security forces bore the brunt, but with eight recorded fatalities the week was less bloody than normal for what is otherwise one of the most hostile parts of the country. In […]
Allawi to Pull Out of Power-Sharing Govt?
Ayad Allawi has reportedly threatened to quit the power-sharing government according to an interview with Britain's Times newspaper on Tuesday. "Power-sharing is not happening," Allawi said. "It is not set to work in a meaningful way... If it does not change, I will not participate." Despite his Iraqiya block narrowly winning elections in March, Allawi […]
Kurdistan Oil Dispute Appears Resolved
The dispute between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) over the legitimacy of international oil contracts signed by the Kurds appears to be over. Baghdad’s dispute with Kurdistan froze oil exports from the region last year. Asked if the dispute between the two Iraqi powers had been resolved, Iraqi Oil Minister, Hussain al-Shahristani, told […]
GE Wins Erbil Power Plant Contract
GE (NYSE: GE) today announced that it will provide gas turbine technology to Mass Global Investment Company, an independent power producer, to help meet northern Iraq’s growing demand for electricity. Under the agreement, GE will supply three Frame 9E gas turbines and generators for the 375-megawatt expansion of the Arbil Power Plant, located in Iraq’s […]
Iraq's Asiacell May Float on Stock Market
Qatar Telecom QSC, the country’s largest company by revenue, is mulling plans to sell shares to the public in its Iraqi unit in two years, according to its chief strategy officer. “We are beginning to think now about doing an IPO in Baghdad,” Jeremy Sell said at a presentation in the Qatari capital Doha today. […]
Korea's Hyundai May Build Power Stations in Anbar
An investment delegation from the Korean company Hyundai, specialized in establishing and equipping oil-fired power plants, visited Anbar province on Tuesday to discuss proposals for investment in the province, according to a report from AKnews. Wissam al-Rawi, the head of the Energy Committee of Anbar Council, said that the council discussed investment with the Hyundai […]
Iraq And Syria Agree New Oil Pipeline
An economic adviser to the Iraqi government, Salam al-Qoraishi, said Iraq and Syria had agreed in principle to extend a pipeline with a capacity of 1.7 million barrels through Syrian territories to export Iraqi oil to the Syrian ports on the Mediterranean Sea, according to AKnews. Iraq is currently linked to the Turkish port of […]
History’s lesson for the dinar
I used to think that rapid increases in Iraqi oil production would practically guarantee a significant strengthening of the dinar over the next ten years. Surprisingly, however, history suggests that this is far from a foregone conclusion. While the Oil Ministry claims that Iraqi capacity will rise by 10 million barrels per day (mn bbl/d) […]
US Missing Out On Business Opportunities in Iraqi Kurdistan
In a letter to the Editor of the Washington Times, Harry Schute Jr., a retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel with extensive experience in Iraq, and currently a consulting adviser to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), says American firms are missing out on opportunities in Iraqi Kurdistan. Of the 850 international firms taking part in the […]