A US$1.2 billion loan will support Iraq in strengthening fiscal stabilization and improving efficiency in the energy sector to help counter the effects of the drop in oil prices and rising security costs. The World Bank Group’s Board of Directors acknowledged the Government of Iraq’s engagement in a rigorous reform program and approved the Emergency […]
The Chairman of Iraq’s National Investment Commission (NIC), Dr. Sami Al-Araji, has signed the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (the ICSID Convention). Iraq has become the 160th country to sign the Convention and the 152nd country to become a member of the International Centre Settlement of […]
By John Lee. Iraq has been ranked 161th out of 189 countries in the World Bank‘s recent Doing Business 2016 report, down from 156th place the previous year. Top of the list were Singapore, New Zealand and Denmark, with last place going to Eritrea, just behind Libya and South Sudan. The pace of business regulatory […]
The Basrah Gas Company (BGC) has been awarded the World Bank’s prestigious Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership (GGFR) Excellence Award for 2015. The GGFR Excellence Award recognises governments, oil companies and other organisations that have made a significant contribution to gas flaring reduction in the upstream sector of the industry through associated gas utilisation projects, […]
By John Lee. On the sidelines of UN General Assembly meetings, foreign affairs minister Dr. Ibrahim Al-Jaafari met Vice President of World Bank for Middle East and North Africa, Mr. Hafez Ghanem. They discussed the World Bank work mechanism and the support that the bank can contribute to reduce the crisis of decline in oil […]
By John Lee. The Governor of Basra, Majid Al-Nasrawi [Alnasrawi] (pictured), has called on Filipino companies to invest in the province. During a meeting with the country's Chargé d’Affaires, Elmer Cato, he stressed that Basra and the rest of southern Iraq remain safe for investors. Citing the example of the Manila-based International Container Terminal Services Inc. […]
A new World Bank project in Iraq will support the reconstruction of the country’s conflict-wrecked infrastructure and restore public services in municipal areas under Government control. The US$350 million financial assistance package, approved by the World Bank Board of Directors, will contribute to Iraq’s efforts to rebuild state institutions and put the economy on the […]
By John Lee. The World Bank had reportedly agreed to lend Iraq $1.7 billion (2.0 trillion Iraqi dinars) to help meet its budget deficit. $1 billion of the amount will be a Development Policy Loan (DPL), with a further $350 million allocated to reconstruction and restoring stability to areas liberated from the Islamic State (IS, […]
Iraq: Developing More Capacity to Manage Public Funds Even amid conflict and fluctuations in oil prices, as home to the world’s third-largest oil reserves, Iraq has the sort of wealth from natural resources that makes it possible for its government to invest in the country’s infrastructure. Iraq spent more than US$51 billion on public procurement […]
By John Lee. The World Bank is seeking to finance development projects in areas recaptured from Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL) militants, according to a report from Reuters. Regional vice president Hafez Ghanem (pictured) told the news agency he would also meet with Iraqi officials to discuss ways to help the government tackle its budget […]
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is investing up to $18 million in Saudi dairy company Al Safi Danone’s Iraq-based subsidiary, to expand its operations in order to improve domestic food security, boost Iraq’s non-oil sector, and reduce its reliance on imported dairy products. IFC’s long-term investment, which is […]
The World Bank Group and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)-Iraq, have launched a social protection program of support to promote equity in living standards and reduce vulnerability. The program is aligned with the government’s efforts to develop a comprehensive social protection system and contributes to the goals of KRGs Vision 2020 of “freedom, health, welfare, […]
