The latest news from Kurdistan – security updates, reconstruction and more – brought to you by Iraq Business News.
Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) has issued a statement suggesting it will take legal action against companies exporting crude oil without dealing with the central government, including the confiscation of cargoes and the filing of lawsuits against sellers, buyers and transporters. The statement reads as follows: "In accordance with the provisions of Laws No. […]
By John Lee. Iraq has approved the deal under which Kuwait Energy would replace Turkey's state-owned Turkiye Petrolleri AO (TPAO) on the Block-9 exploration contract. Abdul-Mahdy al-Ameedi, director of the ministry's contracts directorate, told Reuters: "Kuwait Energy has acquired the stake of the Turkish company TPAO, and now it's holding 70 percent of the contract, […]
By John Lee. Genel Energy has started shipping crude oil directly into Turkey from its Taq Taq oil field (pictured) in Iraqi Kurdistan, two weeks after exports from the region were halted, reports Bloomberg. According to the report, the KRG won’t resume exports through the central government pipeline network until the federal authorities pay the […]
Tuz Khurmatu, a town of low-rise buildings, palm trees and some 110,000 residents, is in a swathe of territory Kurdistan wants to incorporate in its autonomous region over Baghdad's strong objections. For the people of Tuz Khurmatu, simmering tensions between Baghdad and Kurdistan cause fear and are also bad for business: (Source: AFP)
Minister Falah Mustafa, the KRG's Head of Foreign Relations, met with Mr Tae-In Chung, the Deputy Director General for the African and Middle Eastern Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of South Korea to discuss bilateral ties. Both sides discussed areas of cooperation in political, economic, and cultural fields between Kurdistan […]
By John Lee. WesternZagros Resources has announced the appointment of Mr. William (Bill) Jack to the position of General Manager Kurdistan, to be resident in Iraqi Kurdistan, effective February 1, 2013. This appointment follows the decision by Mr. Ian McIntosh, Vice President, Kurdistan Business Unit, to retire in January 2013 after three years of valuable […]
The UK's Middle East Association (MEA), in partnership with the Kurdistan Regional Government, will be leading a Trade Delegation to Iraqi Kurdistan from 24th February to 1st March 2013, visiting Erbil and Duhok. The Kurdistan region remains one of the MEA’s major success stories. In October we took another large UK trade delegation to the […]
By Padraig O'Hannelly. A year after the withdrawal of US troops, the terrorist attacks in Iraq continue, and the tensions between central government and the Kurdistan Regional Government continue to rise. In the year ahead, we can expect to see further developments in the ongoing battle between Erbil and Baghdad over control of oil contracts […]
Austrian companies in Vienna heard about the investment and trade opportunities in the Kurdistan Region, at the first business lunch to be jointly hosted by the Kurdistan Regional Government Austrian Representation and the Austrian Federal Chamber of Commerce. The guest of honour was Chairman of the Kurdistan Investment Board Minister Herish Muharam, who on the […]
Anbar Investment Commission (AIC) announced today that it is postponing its third annual international conference which was scheduled for December 15-17, 2012 in the city of Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq. The Commission's Board of Directors met yesterday and decided it would be best to postpone the conference to allow for greater participation and sponsorship. Many companies […]
By John Lee. Reuters reports that top oil trader Vitol has apologised to the Iraqi government for buying Kurdish oil that was exported via Turkey without Baghdad's permission. Iraqi Oil Minister Abdul-Kareem Luaibi [Elaibi] said on in Vienna: "In terms of Vitol, they have cancelled the Kurdish amount and they apologised officially ... As for […]
Speech by KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani to the CWC Kurdistan-Iraq Oil and Gas Conference Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentleman, welcome to Erbil. Welcome to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. I am happy to participate with you all today, to listen, to learn about, to discuss and debate the vital issues surrounding the oil […]
