The latest news from Kurdistan – security updates, reconstruction and more – brought to you by Iraq Business News.
Overview Conditions continue to worsen in Iraq, with civil unrest gripping cities from Arbil in the north to Basrah in the south over the past week. As well as demonstrations in Kurdistan there has also been a lesser reported rise in ethnic tensions around the city of Kirkuk. The past week has also seen a […]
The budget of Iraq's Kurdistan Region for the current year is 13.94 trillion Iraqi dinars ($11.9 billion), Kurdistan's Premier, Barham Saleh, told a news conference in Erbil. This includes 9.687 trillion dinars for 'expenditures and commissioning', 4.15 billion for investment projects, 54 billion dinars for the Kurdistan Parliament's expenditures, 48 billion dinars for the Region's […]
A delegation of 13 businessmen, traders and investors from the United Kingdom has reportedly arrived in Erbil today, on a trip to study economic conditions in the region. Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman (pictured) told AKnews that, "the British delegation aims to invest and participate in the reconstruction campaign in the region". (Source: AKnews)
A unique event is about to unfold in Iraq, where for the first time ever a cinema multiplex will open in the recently constructed Family Mall in Erbil, the region’s newest shopping and leisure destination. “This is a one of a kind project,” says Gino Haddad, CFO and Business Development Director for Empire Cinemas. The […]
Shares in WesternZagros Resources fell more than 7% in early trading on Tuesday, following the release of audit results for its Block K44 in Iraqi Kurdistan. Simon Hatfield, WesternZagros’ Chief Executive Officer, said, “we’re very encouraged by the rising resource estimates for our Block. As well as giving us a clearer picture of the opportunity […]
UAE-based Starlight Airlines, the largest cargo operator to and out of Iraq, has entered into an agreement with Emirates SkyCargo to launch cargo operations between its Sharjah hub and Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Khaleej Times reports that under the agreement, the service commenced last week with a Boeing 777 freighter flight to […]
Gulf Keystone Petroleum (LSE: GKP) has announced an update on its Shaikan-3 Shallow Appraisal Well. Following completion as a Sargelu/Alan formation producer and as a result of an acid treatment, Shaikan-3 has achieved a rate of 9,800 bopd. The stabilized flow rate was recorded on a 128/64th inch choke with a flowing tubing pressure of […]
Potential energy routes and energy security were discussed in a syposium in Brussels, according to a report from AKnews. The participants highlighted what it calls "the Turkish attempts to monopolize energy supply to the EU", as well as the significance of Kurdish energy for the West. The event was organised by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation […]
Iraqi Kurdistan's President, Masoud Barzani, and Prime Minister, Barham Salih, have met Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Dirk Niebel. Mr Niebel was accompanied by two members of Germany’s federal parliament and several business representatives. At their meeting, President Barzani told the delegation that he hopes the Kurdistan Region’s already excellent diplomatic and […]
Masoud Barzani, President of Iraqi Kurdistan, held a meeting on Wednesday with the prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the speaker of Kurdistan Parliament, and leaders and representatives of political parties in the region to exchange views on how to fight corruption and make the KRG's institutions more efficient. President Barzani said it […]
Overview Levels of violence rose slightly in Iraq last week, although conditions have generally been quiet so far in 2011 and the number of weekly security incidents has not yet exceeded 40. The majority of violence is currently taking place in Baghdad and Mosul, although last week saw several attacks in the provinces of Anbar […]
Iraq's Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has said in an interview with news agency AFP that Iraq will honour production-sharing contracts that the Kurdish regional authorities have signed with foreign companies. Shares in Norway's DNO, which has production in the region, rose 7% on the news. The report was not confirmed by the Oil Ministry and […]
