From the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Kurdistan Region advances police reform to strengthen public trust and improve services The Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Interior, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is advancing […]
By John Lee. Erbil-based Fly Erbil airline has been granted an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) by the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA), formally recognising it as an Iraqi national carrier. Captain Amjad Kazim, Deputy Head of the ICAA, received Fly Erbil's Chief Executive Lawand Mamundi to mark the certification. Mamundi expressed thanks to the ICAA […]
By John Lee. Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP) and ShaMaran Petroleum have agreed to merge in a transaction valuing ShaMaran's entire issued share capital at approximately $601 million. The deal will create a combined company with a pro-forma market capitalisation of more than $1 billion, focused on oil production in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and […]
By John Lee. A joint delegation from the US-Kurdistan Business Council (USKBC) and US-Syria Business Council (USSYBC), representing more than 30 US companies active in sectors including defence and security, energy, logistics, transportation and industry, has visited the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. According to the Kurdistan Regional Government, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani received the delegation […]
By John Lee. A Russian business mission has signed its first commercial agreements with Iraqi counterparts in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), following meetings with the Kurdistan Importers and Exporters Union in Erbil. Branch heads from five provinces - Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Dohuk, Kirkuk, and Halabja - took part in the expanded session. According to […]
By John Lee. A new automotive facility for the OMODA and JAECOO brands has opened in Erbil, bringing sales, after-sales, spare parts and customer support under one roof. The site is operated by Jameel Motors Iraq, the official distributor of both Chinese brands in the country. The facility occupies approximately 9,000 square metres and includes: […]
By John Lee. Iraq's President Nizar Amedi and Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani attended the Slemani Economic Summit for Investment and Development in Sulaymaniyah on Thursday. Kurdistan Regional Government Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani also participated, along with officials, experts and business figures. President Amedi addressed the summit, stressing the importance of public-private partnerships in […]
By John Lee. Construction is under way on the Bawanur Dam project in the Garmian District of the Kurdistan Region. The project is designed to strengthen water security, support agriculture and environmental protection, and generate electricity. Overseen by the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, the dam is an embankment structure […]
By John Lee. SalamAir is to begin flights between Muscat and Copenhagen via Baghdad, from 14th November. The Omani low-cost carrier says passengers in Iraq can book flights directly between Baghdad and the Danish capital. (Source: SalamAir)
By John Lee. Five One Labs (51 Labs) has published its annual report for 2025, its final full year of operations in Iraq. The report outlines a final year of pilot programmes before the closure, with initiatives spanning Kurdish-language incubation, climate resilience, digital skills and social entrepreneurship. In 2025, the organisation identified several trends shaping […]
By John Lee. Iraqi customs revenues are expected to reach 4 trillion dinars ($3.05 billion) by the end of 2025, up from around 800 billion dinars ($610 million) before the introduction of the ASYCUDA (Automated System for Customs Data) system in 2022. The director-general of the General Customs Authority, Thamer Qasim (pictured), attributed the rise […]
By John Lee. A permanent tripartite Social Dialogue Forum has been established in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, bringing together the Kurdistan Regional Government, workers' organisations and employers' organisations to jointly address labour market challenges and shape policies affecting employment and workers' rights. The Forum was officially launched in Erbil on 1 September, with the […]
