By Nadim Kawach, for Arabian Gulf Business Insight (AGBI). Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Path Set for Iraqi Banks to Rejoin Global Finance System The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has announced it has secured an agreement under which seven […]
By John Lee. An agreement has been reached to open a branch of JP Morgan in Iraq to finance projects implemented by American companies. The deal was agreed during a meeting in Washington between Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and representatives of the bank. Earlier this month, we reported that KAR Electrical Power Plant Production Trading […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has met with World Bank Group President Ajay Banga in Washington. The delegation accompanying Banga included Makhtar Diop, President of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and senior World Bank officials. According to the Prime Minister's Office, al-Zaidi highlighted the government's focus on banking sector reform and programme […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has confirmed that all requests for US dollars from banks and exchange companies have been fully met, covering pilgrims, travellers, and external transfers. The bank stated that authorised exchange companies permitted to sell dollars to travellers and pilgrims are listed on its official website, ensuring regulated […]
By John Lee. Iraq's state-owned Rasheed Bank is preparing to facilitate the sale of US dollars to pilgrims ahead of the upcoming Hajj season. The bank has instructed its branches to implement logistical arrangements, including increasing staffing levels, to ensure efficient processing of expected demand. According to the bank, the measures form part of a […]
By John Lee. The Arab Energy Fund has led and closed a $346 million reserve-based lending (RBL) facility for Kuwait Energy Basra Limited (KEBL), operator of Block 9 (Faihaa Field) in Basra and a wholly owned subsidiary of China's United Energy Group Limited (UEG). The financing will support the next phase of expansion and development […]
By John Lee. State-owned Rafidain Bank has announced the launch of the 50th tranche of its Riyada wa Tamayuz (Entrepreneurship and Excellence) initiative to support small and medium-sized enterprises. The tranche totals IQD 1 billion (approximately USD 0.77 million) and will benefit 82 recipients. According to a statement from the bank's media office, the funding is […]
By John Lee. On Monday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani chaired a Board meeting of the Iraq Development Fund to review progress on key strategic and investment projects overseen by the fund. The meeting discussed the "Eduba" schools construction project, for which the first phase has been launched, and reviewed a Ministry of Finance report […]
By John Lee. The Iraqi Council of Representatives has voted to authorise the Minister of Finance, or her delegate, to negotiate and sign - either definitively or at initial stage - the draft law ratifying the Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Tax Evasion with respect to taxes on income […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has re-issued General Tender No. (2025/1) for the second time, inviting bids for the supply, installation, and operation of 68 currency counting and sorting machines for its branches in Basra (35 machines) and Mosul (33 machines). The tender covers both Iraqi and foreign currencies (USD and […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has announced General Tender No. (1/2025) for the supply, installation, and operation of 65 currency counting and sorting machines for its branches in Basra (35 units) and Mosul (30 units). The contract, with an estimated value of IQD 1.134 billion (approx. $865,000), will be financed from […]
By Robert Tollast Recently, a friend at Fikra Space, the pioneering Iraqi hackerspace group, emailed me some news that could have far reaching effects in Iraq. On the face of it, it probably seems like a fairly mundane development. Ideal Payments, the electronic payment providers, have partnered with Belgium based Monniz and Iraq's Taif Money […]
