The Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) gave loans to almost 1,500 individual projects in 2011, reports AKnews. Nuri Ismael, The Ministry's loans and marketing director, told the news agency that the agricultural banks in Sulaimaniya, Erbil, and Duhok provinces as well as Garmiyan area have given a total of […]
AKnews reports that an Italian company is planning to set up an olive processing factory in the region. The KRG's Agriculture Minister, Jamil Suleiman, told the agency that the Ministry allocated 600 acres of land for growing olives, following a request from the company to facilitate the project. In the second phase, the Ministry will […]
In an effort to enhance cooperation and trade relations with the Kurdistan Region, the Swedish Minister of Health and Social Affairs, Mr Göran Hägglund, visited the region with a business delegation this week. During his visit, Sweden announced that it will upgrade its diplomatic presence from an honorary consulate to an Embassy Office. The visit […]
Nouri al-Maliki has said that the iraqi Government has no intention to cancel the contract with ExxonMobil to develop the West Qurna 1 oil field. "We haven't cancelled its contract in the south," said Mr. Maliki in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. "We are looking for a way for [ExxonMobil's] other contracts in […]
The following article was published by Reidar Visser, an historian of Iraq educated at the University of Oxford and currently based at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. It is reproduced here with the author’s permission. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. […]
Iraq is reported to be in talks with the United States about the exploration deals signed by ExxonMobil in Iraqi Kurdistan without Baghdad's approval, according to a report from Reuters. Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs Hussain Al Shahristani (pictured) said that Iraq was considering several options, not sanctions, over the deal and there was […]
Speech by KRG Minister Herish Muharam, Chairman of the Kurdistan Investment Board, to “Iraq – Untapped Opportunities” Conference in London. Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m very pleased to participate in this important conference on the untapped opportunities in Iraq. As the Chairman of the Kurdistan Board of Investment, it’s my pleasure to be speaking to you, […]
Washington supports Baghdad's position regarding ExxonMobil's oil contracts with the Kurdistan Regional Government, according to reports from AKnews. Mahmoud Othman, a Representative from the Kurdish Blocs Coalition in the Iraqi Council of Representatives, told AKnews the measures the Iraqi government has taken towards Exxon are political and not economic. He said Baghdad believes this company […]
Russian news agency RBC Daily reports that Lukoil, Russia’s second-largest oil producer, is looking to expand its business in Iraq through buying part of ExxonMobil's 60% stake in the West Qurna 1 field. If the deal goes ahead Lukoil would hold 37.5% of the business. It is already in partnership with Norway's Statoil in the […]
This week the Palestinian Authority became the 22nd country to establish a diplomatic representation in the Kurdistan Region. The Consulate General will be headed by Ambassador Nazmi Hazouri, and will join the other countries that have already established a strong presence in the region with Consulate Generals. Ambassador Hazouri, who arrived in the region in […]
The President of Iraqi Kurdistan said on Wednesday that the region will go ahead with its exploration deal with U.S. oil major Exxon Mobil despite objections from Baghdad. According to Reuters, Masoud Barzani (pictured) said Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was told of the deal prior to its signing and had no objection, and called […]
Representatives of Poland’s Malopolska Region on Monday in Erbil signed a Declaration of Cooperation with the Kurdistan Region. The agreement marks a significant step in relations between Poland and Kurdistan. The declaration was signed by Mr Marek Sowa, the Marshal of Poland’s Malopolska Region, and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Trade and Industry […]
