Iraq named a new electricity minister on Monday, after the previous minister Raad Shallal [Shalal, Shallal al-Ani] stepped down under government pressure in August following allegations of fraud in two electricity contracts. "Parliament voted by majority to nominate Abdulkarim Aftan [Abdul Karim Aftan al-Jumaili] as electricity minister," Faiza al-Obeidi, an MP with the Iraqiya list that […]
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. […]
Who controls the Iraqi oil fields that could make the nation one of the richest in the region? As political rivals squabble, that question could be one that topples the precariously balanced Iraqi government, according to this report from Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views […]
Italian energy company ENI, operator of Iraq's giant Zubair oil field, said it was interested in more operations in the country after talks with Baghdad leaders. ENI's Chief Executive Officer, Paolo Scaroni, accompanied by the company's E&P COO, Claudio Descalzi, met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad to discuss the redevelopment of Zubair […]
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. […]
The latest scandal at Iraq’s ministry of electricity involves multi-billion dollar “phantom deals” with a German and Canadian company. The minister of energy has been asked to resign. But according to a report from NIQASH, the real story is not as simple as it first appears. As a long, hot summer continues to overheat the […]
By By Mu Chunshan. Originally published in The Diplomat, and re-produced with permission by Iraq Business News. The visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to China didn’t just fail to grab much international media attention – there was also little coverage in the Chinese media, too. Most Chinese associate Iraq with Saddam Hussein and […]
By Gavin Jones, Director of Iraq Business News, and Partner at consultancy firm Upper Quartile. This article was originally published on the Emerging Economics blog. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. It has been long in the making but it looks like […]
The following article was published in the latest edition of Inside Iraqi Politics, and it is reproduced here with the publisher’s permission. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Full Text of Inside Iraqi Politics Issue No. 18 (PDF) Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s […]
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will visit South Korea next Wednesday for talks with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak over expanding bilateral cooperation, Lee' s office said Thursday. The two leaders are expected to hold substantive discussions on mutual economic cooperation at the summit talks on April 28, as South Korea has technology and experience […]
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has said he would give up half of his salary, and will not stand for re-election. According to Reuters, Maliki's media advisor, Ali al-Moussawi, said the premier would forego 50 percent of his $30,000 monthly paycheck to bring his salary closer to other government employees. "He feels there is a […]
Reuters, quoting 'senior officials', reports that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will unveil his new cabinet on Monday, retaining the oil minister who forged ambitious plans to turn the war-ravaged country into a top global oil producer. Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani, a Shi'ite and former nuclear scientist, will be a key member of the new […]
