Tag Archives | Qatar

Mansour Bank Opts for ICSFS Software

By John Lee. ICS Financial Systems Limited (ICSFS), the global software and services provider for banks and financial institutions, announces that Mansour Bank for Investment, an Iraq-based bank and its partner, Qatar National Bank (QNB) (owns 51%), has selected its global awards winning flagship ICS BANKS to replace its core banking and IT systems. The […]

Qatar Announce Historic Iraq Embassy Opening

By Simon Kent.  Qatar's ruler, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, has announced the appointment of an Ambassador and the forthcoming opening of a Qatari embassy in Baghdad. It is a sign of thawing relations between the GCC nation and Iraq, which deteriorated after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. Relations did not significantly improve after 2003, […]

Qatari FM arrives in Iraq

By John Lee. The Qatari Foreign Minister, Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, arrived in Baghdad on Thursday on an official visit. He is scheduled to meet a number of Iraqi government officials to discuss relations between the two countries, and the latest developments in the region. He was met on arrival at Baghdad International […]

Kurds Struggle to Avoid Regional Conflicts

By Mohammed A. Salih for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. As a coalition of Sunni Arab states led by Saudi Arabia targets Shiite Houthi forces and their allies in Yemen, Iraqi Kurds are watching with concern and caution, wondering how […]

Qatar Airways Increases Flights to Iraq

Qatar Airways has has announced that it will double the frequency of flights to Basra and Najaf. There will be eight flights per week to Basra from 16th May, and 8 per week to Najaf from 2nd June. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways is committed to […]

Asiacell: Customers Up, Profits Down

By John Lee. Qatar-based Ooredoo has reported that its Iraqi subsidiary, Asiacell, substantially grew its customers during the year, increasing by 15% to 12.3 million compared to 10.7 million at FY 2013. In its 2014 Full Year Results, it said Asiacell faced the challenge of the growing security issue in the country during the year, […]

Shell Signs $11bn Petrochemical Deal

By John Lee. Shell has reportedly signed a deal with Iraq worth $11 billion (12.8 trillion Iraqi dinars) to build a petrochemicals plant in Basra. On Wednesday, Industry Minister Nasser al-Esawi [Nasser al-Issawi] told a press conference that the Nibras complex would make Iraq the largest petrochemical producer in the Middle East. The news comes […]

Asiacell Revenues Down 10%

By John Lee. In its results for the first nine months of 2014, Qatari telecom provider Ooredoo has reported that revenues at its Iraqi unit Asiacell are down 10 percent. The company gave the following update on operations in Iraq: "Asiacell continued to face the challenge of political and social instability during the period, allied […]

PM calls to end Boycott of Saudi Products

By John Lee. Newly-appointed prime minister Haidar al-Abadi has called for an end to the boycott by a number of governorates of products from neighbouring countries, including Saudi Arabia. He urged those provinces to instead develop their economies through regional cooperation, particularly with neighbouring states. A number of provincial councils, including Baghdad, Basra and Najaf, […]

Asiacell Sales Decline

By John Lee. Mobile operator Asiacell has posted an 8 percent drop in sales in the first half of 2014, due to the security situation and increased competition. In its first half results its parent company, the Qatar-based Ooredoo, made the following statement: "Asiacell faced a growing wave of political and social instability during the […]

Asiacell Profits Fall

By John Lee. Mobile operator Asiacell has posted a 12.2 percent drop in annual net profit. Reuters reports that the company, part of Qatar-based Ooredoo, made a net profit of 581 billion dinars ($498.62 million) in 2013, down from 662 billion dinars a year earlier. Profit was impacted "non-recurring items - mainly related to tax […]

Video: Saudi, Qatar "at War Against Iraq"

From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Iraqi prime minister has accused Qatar and Saudi Arabia of effectively declaring war on his country. He says they're funding Sunni fighters in Anbar province, an area the Iraqi government is struggling […]