The latest news from Kurdistan – security updates, reconstruction and more – brought to you by Iraq Business News.
The fallout from the agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and ExxonMobil to explore six blocks in Kurdistan continues to be felt. According to a report on Friday by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the U.S. government-funded news outlet, Iraq’s central government said it had settled the oil dispute with the KRG with an agreement […]
Gulf Keystone CEO Todd Kozel (pictured) has told Reuters that the Kurdistan-focused oil explorer has interest for its 20 percent stake in the Arki-Bijeel block in the semi-autonomous region, but any sale was still in the preliminary stages: "We've got a lot of interested parties, but we have not identified a purchaser. "We haven't gone […]
An adviser to the Resources Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) confirmed on Friday that ExxonMobil has signed agreements to explore for oil and gas in six blocks in Iraqi Kurdistan, according to Dow Jones. This is big news, as the Baghdad government has previously excluded companies operating in the Kurdish region from oil contracts […]
With the debate about the U.S. troop presence in Iraq seemingly out of the way, the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Barham Salih urged the Vice President of the United States Joseph P. Biden to deploy the broad array of diplomatic and economic tools necessary to ensure that the stability and prosperity […]
President Masoud Barzani this week in Brussels met Belgium’s Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere. He also met European Union officials to discuss expanding relations with its member states. President Barzani encouraged Foreign Minister Vanackere to move Belgium’s Embassy from Amman to Baghdad and to consider opening a consulate in Erbil. Mr Vanackere commended the political and […]
Despite the occurrence of several high-profile attacks around the country, the overall number of violent incidents actually fell in Iraq last week. At least 58 people were killed and 168 injured in nationwide attacks, which is a high figure but still a decrease from the previous week’s total. Attacks were concentrated in Baghdad and Mosul, […]
The Claremont Group has expanded its international development operations into the rapidly growing commercial and residential real estate market in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq. The New York-based real estate firm has launched construction on a major modern residential community in the region's capital of Erbil, Iraq's most secure and fastest-growing city. The Atlantic, […]
In the ongoing conflict between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government in Baghdad over the proposed new oil and gas law, both sides agreed to adopt the draft law that had been presented in February, reports AKnews, citing Ghadhban Fadel, head of the advisers committee in the federal government. The announcement is […]
Levels of violence rose in Iraq over the past week, with the highest number of weekly attacks recorded since mid-August. At least 80 people were killed and 197 injured nationwide, with incidents concentrated in Baghdad, Mosul and Babil province. There was also sporadic violence in towns such as Kut, Fallujah and Ba’qubah. North Turkish […]
Karim Sinjari, the Kurdistan Regional Government's Interior Minister, yesterday met Alex Salmond, Scotland's First Minister, who offered Scotland's cooperation in a wide range of fields and discussed ways to strengthen relations among the peoples of both nations. Minister Sinjari separately met Kenny MacAskill, Scotland's Justice Secretary, and visited the Scottish Police College. The meetings were […]
President Barzani today received Mrs Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland’s Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment to discuss opportunities for business and trade cooperation between the Kurdistan Region and Northern Ireland. Minister Foster who is heading a business delegation from Northern Ireland said she and her business delegation are very pleased with their visit to Erbil, […]
A trade delegation from Austria, headed by former chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer (pictured), voiced their willingness to open Austria's trade representation in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. According to the report from AKnews, the delegation met with Parliament Speaker Kemal Kirkuki and promised to cooperate in reconstruction and development of Kurdistan through the new consular office. There […]
