The battle for Iraq’s oil goes on. Iraqi Kurdistan is intent on controlling its own oil, Baghdad is intent on wresting that control from them. Will the impasse ever be solved? Only if both sides see reason, one commentator argues in this article from NIQASH. Ever since oil was found in Iraq nearly a century […]
President Masoud Barzani this week paid an official visit to the United Arab Emirates to strengthen political, economic, cultural and investment ties between the Emirates and the Kurdistan Region. The President had meetings with the Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE and constitutional monarch of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al-Maktoum, and the […]
Britain’s Ambassador to Iraq on Friday concluded a one-week visit to the Kurdistan Region by meetingwith President Masoud Barzani and Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani. He visited all three of the Region's governorates, meeting students, officials and civil society representatives. Ambassador Michael Aron met with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials and visited all three provinces of […]
Iraq's the deputy head of the parliamentary security and defence committee, Iskander Witwit, has told Reuters that Iraq will take delivery of the first 24 of 36 F-16 fighter jets it has ordered from the United States at the beginning of 2014. He said the first 24 planes would make up two air force squadron, […]
Iraqi Kurds say they have struck a new oil find at the disputed district of Shaikhan, north of the city of Mosul. According to the report from Azzaman, the discovery of reserves of up to 917 million barrels in an area close to Mosul, the capital Nineveh, is certain to fuel tension between Iraqi Kurds […]
AKnews reports that Sweden is planning to open trade offices in Erbil, as well as an institute to help Iraqis address unemployment, in an attempt to broaden trade relations with both the region and Iraq. The announcement came in a press conference for the Swedish Trade Minister Eva Björling who is in Erbil on a visit. […]
Inaugural speech by KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, at the swearing in of the seventh KRG cabinet, Kurdistan Parliament, Erbil, 5 April 2012. Your Excellency the Speaker of the Kurdistan parliament, your Excellency Vice President of the Kurdistan Region, Excellencies Members of the Kurdistan Parliament, dear audience, We are glad that we are present today […]
Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani, during a three day visit to Budapest this week, met Hungary's President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Economic Minister on an official visit to promote bilateral relations and cooperation. President Barzani and the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban discussed ways to develop cooperation and investment opportunities in a number of […]
Last week we reported that Ian Hannam, a top advisor at JPMorgan Chase, has stepped down to appeal a £450,000 ($720,000) fine from the UK’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) for disclosing inside information about a potential offer for Heritage Oil, as well as news of an oil find. Reuters' sources claim that the email recipient […]
The Kurdistan Parliament approved the new Kurdistan Regional Government cabinet on Thursday. Incoming Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani (pictured) and his ministers were sworn in to begin their two-year term. While many of the ministers remain in their previous positions, nine new ministers were sworn into the 7th cabinet. Announcing the agenda of the new cabinet, […]
The President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Masoud Barzani was officially received by President Obama and Vice President Biden at the White House on Thursday. During their talks, both sides emphasized the necessity of a prolonged and deepened relationship between the United States and the Kurdistan Region within the framework of a democratic, pluralistic […]
Further to the rumours that Exxon Mobil plans to abandon it's contract at West Qurna-1 in favour of pursuing exploration deals in Iraqi Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has issued the following statement: "In a meeting with President Masoud Barzani in Washington DC this week, the CEO of Exxon Mobil, Rex Tillerson [pictured] stated […]
