Thread: Archive Latest News - Think Tank - 01/01/08 - 14/04/08

Constructing Electricity Station in Duhok

Duhok Governor Mr. Tamur Ramadan has received yesterday a delegation from KRG Ministry of Electricity headed by its undersecretary Mr. Dilshad Mohammed and a representative of the International Company for Construction Engineering.

They discussed in the meeting the activities of the international company to construct a 400 MW electricity power station in Duhok Province. Duhok Governor emphasized full support for the company to build this station.

It’s worth mentioning that the company has signed a contract with KRG Ministry of Electricity to construct a power station with a capacity of 400 MW. 200 MW is going to be produced this year and the remaining amount will be done by next year.

PUKmedia :: English - Constructing Electricity Station in Duhok

Barham Salih reveals content of Kurdistan Alliance Bloc Letter to Nuri al-Maliki

Concerning the Kurdistan Alliance Bloc’s letter directed to the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi deputy prime minister, Barham Salih, said that “the Kurdistan Alliance Bloc did not refer to the concerns between Kurdistan region and the Iraqi federal ministries, but rather the letter reflects the general assessment of Iraq which was replied by the Iraqi prime minister. But I have not seen the reply as I participated in World Economic Forum in Davos.”

“I would like to assure everyone that the Kurdistan Alliance Bloc exerts serious efforts to bring the process of reform forward.”

“There is a national consensus, calling for correcting the situation; it is not possible the administration process of a country takes the path as Iraq does. Kurdistan Alliance Bloc’s priority is reformation within Nuri al-Maliki’s government not changing it, the deputy added in an interview with Sharq Alawsat newspaper.”

PUKmedia :: English - Barham Salih reveals content of Kurdistan Alliance Bloc Letter to Nuri al-Maliki

Nuri al-Maliki: Concerns between KRG and Baghdad overestimated

In an interview with al-Sumariyha satellite channel, the Iraqi prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki said that the concerns between Baghdad and KRG are not political but rather legal, hoping for solving them within a week.

“We spoke with the Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, regarding the oil contracts. There are different views, they should be settled through talks, he added concerning KRG oil contracts.”

“There was no political reason behind delaying article 140, the reasons were legal. Now it’s extended for six months. It may be sufficient or not to implement the article, but there is another alternative to implement it which is the administration body of the city.”

“Some sides are not aware that the Kurdish forces in Mosel are parts of Iraqi army, executing a sacred national duty. Unfortunately there are attempts and rumors to make ethnical sensitivities in the city, the premier added.”

PUKmedia :: English - Nuri al-Maliki: Concerns between KRG and Baghdad overestimated

Diwaniya local government signs contracts with local companies

The local government of Diwaniya signed contracts worth over 35 billion dinars ($28.7 million) with local governments to implement reconstruction projects under the provinces development plan, the governor of Diwaniya said on Wednesday.

"The local development of Diwaniya started in early 2008 signing 35 billion dinars worth of contracts to implement reconstruction projects under the provinces development plan and speeding up the reconstruction projects," Hamed al-Khudari told Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq - (VOI).

"All local, Arab and foreign companies were invited to implement the scheduled projects in the current year in Diwaniya," he added.

Iraq's finance ministry allocated 160 billion dinars (around $ 130 million) within provinces development budget for Diwaniya.
Diwaniya is 180 km southwest of Baghdad.

Aswat Aliraq

Slight drop in demand for dollar in daily auction

Demand for the dollar slightly dropped in the Iraqi Central Bank's auction on Wednesday, registering at $122.630 million compared to $129.025 million on Tuesday.

"The demand hit $5.270 million in cash and $117.360 million in money transfers outside the country, all covered by the bank at a stable exchange rate of 1,212 Iraqi dinars per dollar, same as yesterday," according to the central bank's daily bulletin which was received by Aswat al-Iraq- Voices of Iraq- (VOI).

The 13 banks participating in the auction did not offer to sell dollars.

The Iraqi Central Bank runs a daily auction from Sunday to Thursday.

Aswat Aliraq

Planning ministry launches local development project

The planning ministry announced the beginning of the local development project in a number of Iraqi provinces, a media source said on Wednesday.

"The program, announced on Tuesday, financed by the European Union through the U.N Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) with a total cost of about USD 30.295.396 million and will be implemented by a number of U.N organizations," the source told Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq - (VOI) by phone.

"The project will include Sulaimaniya, Babel as well as the southern provinces of Basra, Thi Qar and Missan," he added.

"The project aims at supporting these provinces through the strategic planning of the development, coordinating with the federal government and implementing essential services projects," he explained.

"These provinces will witness a quantum leap in reconstruction and services field," the source highlighted.

Aswat Aliraq

Iraqi president pays surprise Kirkuk visit

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani arrived in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Wednesday morning on a surprise visit and held a meeting upon his arrival with the governor and a number of officials, an official source said.

"Talabani held a closed-door meeting with Kirkuk Governor Abdul Rahman Mustafa and several officials on some important issues in Kirkuk," the source told Aswat al-Iraq - Voices of Iraq - (VOI) on the condition of anonymity.

Kirkuk lies 250 km northeast of Baghdad.

Aswat Aliraq

Iraq data intact in Central Bank blaze

Major General Abdul-Karim Khalaf, Director of the National Command Centre in Interior Ministry, said during a press conference held today that governmental data and documents in Central Bank weren’t damaged by the fire that blazed in the Central Bank premises lately. Khalaf said that Central Bank will resume its works in the upcoming days. He clarified as well that the fact that the building wasn’t equipped with monitoring cameras and fire extinction equipments were the essential factors that led to the aggravation of the fire.

Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network | Iraq News | Iraq data intact in Central Bank blaze

Iraq government to earn exceptional income due to record oil prices

A US governmental observer said that Iraqi government might earn exceptional income this year because of record high oil prices, while it acts in order to grip security more firmly and to boost its economy. Stuart W. Bowen Jr., the US special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, oil income constitutes more than 80% of Iraq 2008 budget the value of which is of 48 billion US dollars.

Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network | Economics News | Iraq government to earn exceptional income due to record oil prices

ISX index lower by 1.105%

The Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX) index decreased by 1.105% on Tuesday compared to the previous session, closing at 34.880 points, with a notable presence of non-Iraqi investors trading.

Traded shares in Tuesday's session exceeded 577 million at a total value of 841 billion Iraqi dinars (1 U.S. dollar=1,213 Iraqi dinars) by implementing 227 contracts.

Non-Iraqi investors participated with over 151 million shares, totaling more than 173 million Iraqi dinars by implementing 14 contracts in the banking, industrial and hotels sectors.

According to the daily analysis of the capital market, the banking sector's index, in which 14 companies traded, closed at 36.185 points, 0.099% lower than the previous session, while the industrial index, in which six companies traded, ended at 11.142 points, the same as the previous session.

ISX index lower by 1.105% | Iraq Updates