IHEC issues Finalised Kurdistan Election Results
By John Lee. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has come first in the parliamentary elections in the semiautonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq, winning 39 of the 100 seats. Turnout was approximately 72 percent. Commentary here from Al Jazeera. Raw data from the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC): Erbil Sulaymaniyah Duhok Halabja (Sources: Al Jazeera, IHEC)
CNOOC Confirms Contract to Develop Iraq's Block 7
By John Lee. The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, CNOOC Africa Holding Ltd., has entered into the Exploration, Development & Production Contract (EDPC) with Iraq's state-owned Midland Oil Company for Block 7. It says the block is mainly located in Diwaniyah governorate, and covers an area of […]
ILO to support Youth Start-Ups in Iraq
By John Lee. The International Labour Organization (ILO) and Iraq's Higher Council for Youth launched a national program to equip Iraqi youth with skills in the green economy, career guidance, and decent work practices. The program includes ILO's "Start and Improve Your Business" (SIYB) initiative to help youth start and scale sustainable businesses. Trainer performance […]
Iraq applies additional Customs Duty on imported Thermstone
By John Lee. In efforts to bolster national product protection, Iraq's Cabinet has approved recommendations from the Ministry of Industry and Minerals to apply additional customs duty on imported Thermstone (also known as Thermostone, or autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC)). An additional 50-percent customs duty will be imposed on each unit of imported thermstone from all […]
Crisis Hits Hospitals in Iraq
By Susan Schulman for the Pulitzer Center. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Crisis Hits Hospitals in Iraq In Iraq, where the confluence of war, economic turmoil and political instability has ravaged the health sector for decades, climate change is the newest […]
QatarEnergy to take a 50% of TotalEnergies Iraq Solar Project
By John Lee. QatarEnergy is to take a 50-percent stake in the TotalEnergies solar energy project in Iraq: Partnership Agreement: QatarEnergy has signed an agreement with TotalEnergies for a solar power project in Iraq as part of the Gas Growth Integrated Project (GGIP). Stake Distribution: QatarEnergy will acquire a 50% stake in the project, with […]
Investigation into Recording Alleging Iraq Corruption
By John Lee. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani has instructed the Commission of Integrity to initiate an urgent investigation into the leaked audio recording attributed to the Head of the General Commission of Taxes and to present the findings promptly. According to a statement from the PM's office, this directive underscores his commitment to […]
TotalEnergies' Gas Investment Project in Basra "On-Track"
By John Lee. Iraq's Oil Ministry reported steady progress on the gas investment project led by French company TotalEnergies in Basra, confirming it aligns with the government's strategic timelines. Deputy Oil Minister for Extraction, Mr. Basem Mohammed Khudair, chaired the seventh Joint Management Committee meeting, attended by officials including Deputy Minister for Gas Mr. Ezzat […]
Iraq Finalises Contracts for latest Energy Licensing Rounds
By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Oil has finalised contracts for the "fifth-plus" and sixth oil licensing rounds with the successful companies. Minister Abdul Ghani highlighted that these agreements, which cover the development of oil and gas fields and exploration blocks across several provinces, are poised to boost Iraq's production capacity by 800-850 million standard […]
Iraq Explores for Limestone and Gypsum
By John Lee. The Iraq Geological Survey, part of the Ministry of Industry and Minerals, has started new exploration projects for limestone and gypsum reserves in Anbar and Nineveh provinces, respectively. In Abu Safia, Anbar, teams are searching for limestone deposits essential for cement production, while in Al-Salamiyah, Nineveh, efforts are focused on uncovering borcelanite […]
Iraq to Grow by 4.1 percent in 2025
By John Lee. According to the recently-published World Economic Outlook from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Iraq's economy is forecast to grow by 4.1 percent in 2025, up from 0.1 percent this year. A rate of 4.2 percent is projected for 2029. This would give it one of the fastest real GDP growths of all […]
Iraq Attracts $100bn in Investments; $5bn Deal with Elsewedy Electric
By John Lee. Iraq's government has successfully attracted $100 billion in investments over the past two years, according to Mohammed Al-Najjar, advisor to the Prime Minister for Investment and head of the Iraq Development Fund. He told the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) that a $5 billion agreement was signed recently with Egypt's Elsewedy Electric […]