By Simon Kent. Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al Abadi (pictured) has announced plans to dismiss 123 senior officials in government ministries, and appoint temporary replacements before deciding on the fate of the roles. The move follows the dismissal of a third of his cabinet, the merging of some ministries and the abolishment of the deputy PM […]
By Simon Kent. This article was originally published by Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Around a fortnight ago, in the southern Iraqi province of Dhi Qar, the Iraqi government ceremonially handed over many of its powers to the local authorities. It's […]
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraqis say little has changed since the Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced a set of sweeping changes last month. It came after massive protests over government corruption and a lack of infrastructure. Now […]
By John Lee. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (pictured) has ordered security forces to prepare to open Baghdad's Green Zone to the public. The heavily fortified area, a virtual 'city within a city', is home to many embassies, including that of the United States. Al-Abadi has also ordered officials to re-open streets in other cities that […]
By John Lee. In the latest move to curb corruption and streamline the government, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Thursday ordered a reduction of up to 90 percent in the number of security personnel allocated to protecting top government officials. More than 20,000 guards, costing an estimated 250 billion Iraqi dinars ($215 million) annually, will […]
By Mustafa al-Kadhimi for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Iraqi parliament voted Aug. 11 to approve Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri’s economic, political and administrative reform measures in response to the demands of the Iraqi street. These measures […]
By John Lee. During a visit to the West Qurna II oilfield in Basra, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi reiterated his government's commitment to ensuring the security of the southern oilfields and their workers. He met with senior management of the Russian operator Lukoil, following protests by locals demanding jobs. A Lukoil official told Reuters that […]
By John Lee. As part of his recently-announced reform programme, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has ordered the immediate reduction in the number of ministers from 33 to 22: In a statement on Sunday, the Prime Minister said that he has: Abolished the posts of Deputy Prime Minister. Abolished the following ministerial positions: Ministry of Human […]
By Padraig O'Hannelly. Dramatic moves this week by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to tackle corruption and bureaucracy have been widely welcomed, both within Iraq and internationally. Abolishing senior positions such as those of Deputy President and Deputy Prime Minister -- there were three of each -- scrapping sectarian and party quotas for state positions, and […]
By John Lee. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (pictured) has reportedly dismissed his cabinet secretary and his aides on Wednesday. Mohammed Khalaf Ahmed was said to be a close associate of Abadi’s predecessor, Nouri al-Maliki. Reuters cites an official in his media office as saying that the move was as part al-Abadi's push to cut "unnecessary government […]
By John Lee. The Acting Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq (DSRSG), Gyorgy Busztin, today welcomed Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi’s proposed reforms aimed at improving the lives of the Iraqi people, rationalizing state institutions and rooting out corruption. “I welcome the […]
By John Lee. The Iraqi parliament has unanimously approved Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's programme of reforms aimed at stamping out corruption, reducing government waste and easing sectarian tensions, reports BBC News. The bill, which includes the elimination of senior posts, was reportedly pushed through without debate. On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Baha al-Araji resigned amid […]
