From Amwaj Media. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraqi electoral process in question as second Shiite bloc withdraws from polls Amid mounting fears over the future of democracy in Iraq, the Nasr (Victory) bloc led by former premier Haidar Al-Abadi (2014-18) […]
A new Iraqi think-tank has been set up with the aim of finding realistic and practical solutions to rebuilding the Iraqi state, enhancing safety and security, a.......nd rooting out corruption and sectarianism. The Iraq Forum for Dialogue says it supports "a strong and just national government stemming from the will of the people, and the […]
By John Lee. Prime Minister Dr. Haider Al-Abadi has chaired a meeting to review the draft general budget for 2018. At the meeting, which was attended by a number of senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, he stressed the importance of reducing operating expenses to ensure that salaries, pensions and social protection benefits can […]
By Simon Kent. Kurdish and Iraqi officials are still thrashing out details of a more sustainable and far reaching oil revenue and exports deal, following the resumption of federal oil exports into the Kurdish pipeline from Kirkuk. Last week, 100,000 bpd of Kirkuk crude from Baba Gorgor, Jambour and Khabbaz, three fields in the giant Kirkuk […]
By Simon Kent. Prime Minister Haidar al Abadi (pictured) has remarked that the resumption of pumping oil into the Kurdish export pipeline from Kirkuk--from 70,000 bpd to an expected 150,000 bpd, is due to preserving the reservoir in one of the world's oldest oilfields. Previously oil was being re-injected by the federal North Oil Company […]
By Simon Kent. Heightening speculation that a new, comprehensive deal may be reached between the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) and Baghdad over oil exports and revenues, news has emerged that the federal North Oil Company (NOC) is allowing exports of Kirkuk crude via the Kurdish pipeline through Turkey. This could add up to 150,000 bpd […]
By Simon Kent. Prime Minister Haidar al Abadi has received a huge boost to his embattled reform campaign as parliament approved his initial choice for new Minister of Oil, Jabar Ali al Luaibi. Luaibi was formerly the head of the South Oil Company, and his appointment comes after difficult negotiations with the IMF, that included […]
By Omar Sattar for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. BAGHDAD — US Ambassador to Iraq Stuart Jones announced July 21 that the Iraqi government has started withdrawing the $2.7 billion loan secured on June 29. However, the Iraqi parliament had not been briefed on the deal, making […]
By Simon Kent. Hard-line cleric Moqtada al Sadr has given PM Haider al Abadi (pictured) until this afternoon to announce new nominees for a new "technocratic cabinet," a reform idea first touted in February, although the composition of the cabinet will depend on parliament. Abadi has called on parliament "to convene immediately in order to overcome the […]
By John Lee. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has sacked the Minister for Trade, Mlas Mohammed Al-Kasanzan [Abdulkarim Malas al-Kasnazani] (pictured), for failing to show up for work. A statement from the Prime Minister's office said al-Kasnazani was dismissed because of his "absence ... from his duties as Minister of Commerce [i.e. Trade] for more than […]
By Simon Kent. Nine senior officials at Iraq's Grain Board have been relieved of their jobs, although no details of the dismissals have been reported. The Grain Board has a critical responsibility for procuring grain imports, strategically vital for feeding a country with a growing population and an agricultural sector threatened by acute drought. The […]
By Simon Kent. Iraqi army forces, supported by pro-government Sunni tribes and US air strikes, have advanced into central Ramadi according to officials quoted in UPI. The reported capture of the train station in the centre of the town would mark the culmination of a series of "shaping operations" to cut off ISIS from their […]
