UK to Upgrade Erbil Office to Full Consulate
President Masoud Barzani met Britain’s Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt and his delegation, which included British Ambassador to Iraq John Jenkins and British Consul General to Erbil Chris Bowers. Mr Burt informed the President that his government will upgrade the current UK Embassy Office in Erbil to a full consulate general, […]
Trade Bank of Iraq has Big Expansion Plans
The Trade Bank of Iraq plans to expand abroad and almost double of the number of its branches in Iraq next year to benefit from an anticipated oil boom, the bank's chairman, Hussein al-Uzri, told Reuters. The state-run bank is also eyeing financing deals in the energy sector as OPEC member Iraq moves ahead with […]
2,300 Prosecutions for Corruption in Iraq This Year
The Chairman of the Iraqi Commission on Integrity, Rahim al-Ugeily, has announced on Thursday that 2,300 defendants have been prosecuted this year on charges of corruption, totalling in excess of 600 billion (b) Iraqi Dinars (US$535 million approx.). 600 people have been sentenced to various jail sentences. Judge Ugeily was speaking in a workshop taking […]
2 Dead in 20-Tanker Oil Blaze
"A tanker truck that unloaded the oil it was carrying from Iraq in the special zone located in 'no-man's land' on the border between Iraq and Jordan caught fire due to an explosion, causing a fire that affected 19 other trucks," a Jordanian security official told AFP. Police report that two people were killed, between […]
Iraq’s October Oil Export 'Highest This Year'
Volumes down, but revenues up Revenue from Iraq’s crude oil exports rose to $4.53 billion in October, the highest level this year, the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) has revealed. The average price for exports in October was $77.10 per barrel, up from $73.07 in September and $71.43 in August. The country exported 46.2 million […]
France Telecom Targets Iraq's Korek
According to the Financial Times, the European telecom giant France Telecom is engaged in talks to buy a minority stake in the Iraqi mobile phone operator Korek, as part of a bid to expand its operations in the Middle East. Although no deal has yet been struck, financial observers say that a potential agreement could […]
Iraq Issues Tender for 100,000 Tonnes of Wheat
The Grain Board of Iraq has issued a tender for the supply of 100,000 tonnes of wheat. Offers must be received by 10:00 am (Baghdad local time) on 5th of December, and remain valid until 12th December. (Source: Grain Board of Iraq)
Direct Flights from Doha to Sulaimaniya
AKnews reports that the first direct flight between Sulaimaniya and the Qatari capital, Doha, commenced on Wednesday. Dana Mohammed, media secretary for Sulaimaniya International Airport, told AKnews on Thursday that the route is being operated by FlyDubai, the UAE-based budget carrier, in conjunction with the local Zozg and Azmar airlines, and will offer two flight […]
Oil and the Question of Federalism in Iraq
According to a report from Chatham House, the 'oil question' in Iraq has traditionally been viewed almost exclusively through the prism of ethno-sectarianism. Disputes over the management and licensing of the hydrocarbon sector and over revenue distribution have been seen as a battle for power between Iraq's ethnic and sectarian communities, as if these were […]
Al-Maliki (Finally) Offered New Term as Prime Minister
We have just received news that Iraq's newly-appointed President, Jalal Talabani, has formally asked Nouri al-Maliki to accept the position of Prime Minister and form the next government. Following his appointment today (Thursday), al-Maliki will have 30 days in which to choose a cabinet. Maliki has reportedly asked Iraqi's to “turn over a new page, […]
Which Sectors are Most Targeted in Iraq?
AKE has analysed all of the attacks reported in Iraq over the past three months. Commercial sectors such as retail and banking were actually targeted in only a small proportion of cases. Findings The overwhelming majority of victims were civilians targeted on an indiscriminate basis. The police were the second most targeted group while the […]
Weekly Security Update for 25th Nov 2010
Overview Last week was one of the quietest reported in Iraq since the 2003 invasion. Many people were observing the festival of ‘Eid ul-Adha and in all likelihood, militants and terrorists were also participating. As mentioned in last week’s update, religious events such as this are generally less inflammatory in Iraq, mainly because they are […]