Thread: Archive - Latest News Think Tank - 15/01/09 - 04/05/09

Maliki: Prosperity of economy depends on development of the performance of the Ministry of Oil

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the achievements of the Ministry of Oil and the efforts of the staff working, indicating that the government will provide all support the work of this important and vital sector in the country.

A statement by the prime minister received a copy of the Tigris Radio that came during a meeting with Maliki, oil minister Hussain al-Shahristani and a number of officials in the ministry.

Maliki said during the meeting that the development of the Iraqi economy and the administration of construction projects and reconstruction, subject to the efforts of workers in the oil ministry, saying that oil wealth is the heart of the Iraqi economy.

Maliki said that international companies are racing to work, investment and contribute to the construction and reconstruction projects that were to refrain from working in Iraq as a result of the previous security conditions.

For his part, al-Shahristani made public and managers in the ministry, explained to the owners of the reality of the work of the ministry and the challenges and obstacles facing them, projects and future plans they prepared for the development of the work and the advancement of the oil sector in order to develop the Iraqi economy.

http://74.125.79.101/translate_c?hl=...P3sQT5o8ZRQsaQ

Iraq signs gas contract with foreign firms

Iraq is close to sign a natural gas contract of billions of dollars with Royal Dutch Shell and the Japan’s Mitsubishi, the CNBC TV station reported on Thursday.

“Iraqi Minister of Oil Hussein al-Shahrestani on Wednesday (Feb. 11) met high-ranking officials from the two companies,” Asim Jihad, the ministry’s official spokesperson, told the station.

The preliminary contract that was signed in last September gives 51% of the deal to Iraq while Shell was supposed to get %49.

“The contract now includes Mitsubishi,” Jihad added.

According to a 2007 report by the U.S. government energy statistics unit, Iraq is the third largest country with oil reserves worldwide. Its confirmed natural gas reserves are estimated at 112 trillion cubic feet.

The Iraqi parliament has opposed the contract, claiming that it would allow foreign companies to monopolize Iraq’s natural gas wealth.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=107998

Maliki calls for developing oil sector

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Friday called for developing the oil sector, according to a statement of the council of ministers.

“The premier chaired a meeting of the committee assigned to study the oil reality in Iraq, during which he asserted the importance of developing the oil production in the country,” said the statement received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Hussein al-Shahrestani and former oil ministers Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloum and Thamer al-Ghadban as well as a number of oil experts.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=108025

Russia’s LUKOIL eyes two Iraq oilfields - sources

Russian oil firm LUKOIL is interested in bidding for at least two of the fields Iraq is offering in an oil and gas bidding round, two company sources said on Friday.

“We are interested in both the West Qurna and the Rumaila oilfields,” one source told Reuters, when asked for which fields LUKOIL might bid.

LUKOIL may join forces with U.S. major ConocoPhillips to bid for the fields, he added, speaking on condition of anonymity on the sidelines of a workshop between Iraqi officials and oil firms on the bidding round.

Rumaila is the largest field on offer and alone accounts for nearly 15 percent of Iraq’s oil reserves, the world’s third largest.

LUKOIL has lobbied with Iraqi officials to revive a deal for West Qurna that it signed while Saddam Hussein was in power in Iraq. The sources declined to comment on whether LUKOIL was continuing those efforts.

The company had hoped that Russia’s forgiving most of Iraq’s $12.9 billion debt last year might help. Iraq has said LUKOIL would have to compete with other firms for the contract. But Baghdad has renegotiated and signed another Saddam-era deal with the Chinese National Petroleum Company.

LUKOIL said last year that it wanted to join forces with Conoco for bidding in Iraq. Conoco owns a 20 percent stake in LUKOIL.

Iraq is offering service contracts for six of its largest producing oil fields in the first bidding round since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, as it looks to attract billions of dollars of investment to overhaul its dilapidated oil infrastructure and boost output.

Iraq has also offered two undeveloped gas fields in the round.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=108045

Want to Save Iraq? Invest - Newsweek

The best way to stabilize Iraq is by helping its economy. And if America doesn't, others will.

America faces a hidden enemy in Iraq—one often overlooked but arguably just as dangerous as the insurgency. This enemy fosters violence, inspires hate and undermines security; U.S. commanders estimate it may account for half of U.S. casualties suffered since the fall of Saddam Hussein. What is this lurking menace? Iraq's deep economic problems.

Talking about the Iraqi economy may seem superfluous today, as the United States and the world gr***** with their own fiscal turmoil. But fixing Iraq's economy is critical to success there. It will affect the safety of U.S. troops and the long-term security of every American.

The irony of Iraq's present crisis is that the country enjoys great advantages: nearly 80 percent literacy and a large professional class. Though the country was once a rising economic power, the Iran-Iraq War, the first gulf war and 12 years of U.N. sanctions have had a devastating impact. After the fall of Saddam, average Iraqis had high hopes things would improve. But standing down the Iraqi Army, removing the majority of government officials and bureaucrats and effectively shutting down the state-supported industrial economy put thousands of Iraqis out of work. Economic activity ground to a halt.

By May 2006, these dire circumstances were helping fuel the insurgency. Captured fighters consistently told U.S. commanders they'd been driven to their deeds by their desperate need for money, which insurgent leaders were paying in return for acts of violence. With unemployment over 50 percent in parts of the country, many idle young men saw no other opportunities.

Over the past two years, however, as part of the counterinsurgency strategy applied by Gen. David Petraeus, the Coalition and the Iraqi government have begun addressing Iraq's economic problems. More than 50 major industrial operations have reopened, and thousands of small- to medium-size private companies have been awarded government contracts, stimulating private-sector growth. Almost 200 private bank branches have been automated and linked to international financial systems, beginning the transition of Iraq from a cash-based economy and offering financial services critical to local development. Agricultural experts from top universities have embedded with U.S. troops, helping farmers and food producers.

As security has improved, multinational companies have begun establishing operations—and not just in Iraq's oil sector. U.S. efforts since the summer of 2006 have led to the restoration of 100,000 jobs, and it's estimated that hundreds of thousands more have been created as a secondary and tertiary result. This is a good start. But in a country of 29 million people with 6 million potential workers, much remains to be done.

The value of Western investment in Iraq is hard to overstate. Commercial ties break down cultural barriers and knit societies together, benefiting both the Middle East and the West. As Iraq's security improves, these ties should grow. So will the fact that Iraq's leaders are performing more basic tasks of government.

The next U.S. administration will face fiscal pressures at home and may be tempted to reduce nonmilitary activities in Iraq. But economic disengagement would leave a void other nations, like Iran and Russia, would fill. It would be tragically shortsighted to have spent billions of dollars and the blood of U.S. troops to liberate Iraq only to leave its economic interests in the hands of nations that don't share Western values and ideals.

Now is the time to encourage America's business community to engage in a long-term partnership with Iraq, to invest and develop Iraq's resources and create cultural and educational ties. These will directly benefit the U.S. economy: Iraqis are eager to gain access to U.S. goods and services, as recent contracts for Boeing aircraft, GE turbines and Case farm tractors show.

It's time to open the economic doors for the Iraqi people through approaches such as tax incentives or favored trade status. Iraqis have seen U.S. troops help protect them and restore security, but now more nonmilitary help should be extended as well. The future of America's relationship with a young and vital Iraq hangs in the balance. Despite the domestic turmoil at home, Americans must rise to this challenge. U.S. security, now and in the future, depends on it.

Brinkley is deputy undersecretary of defense for business transformation. Since the spring of 2006, he has led a team of business people and engineers embedded with U.S. military forces working to restore economic opportunities to the people of Iraq.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/177417/page/1

Investment Authority of Babylon: investment laws in force in Iraq had prevented many opportunities for global investment

Announced the investment in the province of Babel, it is in talks with a number of international companies for the implementation of residential and tourist projects and the establishment of factories and oil refinery, in attempting to find investment opportunities in the province.

The director said the Investment Authority in the governorate of Babel Alaa spear in an interview with "Uzmatik", on Friday, said that "the recently held consultations with C Krupp group of companies which includes the Austrian and German companies and Turkish, to discuss investment opportunities in the areas of tourism and the construction of housing in the province of Babylon."

The spear that "C. Krupp companies will build a residential complex of the pillars of each 22-storey building in the area Albouchstaoi in the city of Hilla, as well as building the tower and a hotel in the district of Algiers major regions of Hilla, and a hotel on the mountain in the ancient city of Hilla."

He added that the spear "of the investment licenses granted for the establishment of a local dairy plant with modern equipment of international companies in the Albu-Jassim, (25 km north of Hilla), and the homes of the factory plastic on the denominator, (17 km south of Hilla) and license to build a residential complex of 116 houses worth 189 million dollars, and the city of games in hand, my father drowned ", 7 km west of Hillah.

The Director of Investment of Babylon that "other investment licenses to launch a Chinese company to build a residential complex and a vertical city in the Albu Games Khostaoi, (3 km west of the city of Hilla), and laboratory medicine for a local investor."

The spear that "talks are underway with a giant group of fifty Albu Gulf Company for the construction of waste recycling plant in the south of Hilla, the construction of a large industrial city has been established, in addition to the factory for the manufacture of bricks, plaster and Althermiston."

He added that the spear "of the memorandum of understanding was signed with a Chinese company to build oil refinery, and an area of 10 million meters, valued at two billion U.S. dollars as well as the building of the plant iron and steel, sewing plant, purification plant and drinking water."

The manager of an investment that "the body to suffer from some laws that have initiated during the former regime, which does not fit the current reality of Iraq," noting that "one of those laws, 35 of 1983 in respect of agricultural land owned by the state and distributed form of contracts to farmers and farmers ".

The Ala spear that "large numbers of global investors Trkoa sections of the body, but they have not been able to invest the majority of agricultural lands due to the scarcity of such land and its ownership of the farmers did not link the specific contract with a ceiling of production, making the farmer is free to non-cultivation of land or exploitation," Iraq's parliament called for "the need for legislation of new laws in line with the current stage."

http://translate.google.co.uk/transl...hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Oilfields in south readied for installation of drilling towers

The Missan Oil Company in southern Iraq is reading three producing oil fields for the installations of new drilling towers, a company source said.

The source, refusing to be named due to security reasons, said the project was part of the Oil Ministry’s bid to increase production in 2009.

Iraq hopes to lift exports to 2 million barrels a day in 2009 from their current average of 1.5-1.8 million barrels daily.

The official did not say how drilling towers would be installed, but added new drilling equipment has been arriving in the country for sometime.

He said the company was keen to dig new wells at the fields of Bazerkan, Abu Ghareb and Halfaya.

The three fields currently produce more than 100,000 barrels a day but the digging of new wells is certainly set to boost their output.

Despite decades of production, the fields are still prolific, holding reserves of billions of barrels.

The Province of Missan of which Amara is the capital has some of the richest undeveloped oilfields in the country.

http://www.azzaman.com/english/index...2-12\kurd1.htm

Russia's LUKOIL eyes two Iraq oilfields - sources

Russian oil firm LUKOILis interested in bidding for at least two of the fields Iraq is offering in an oil and gas bidding round, two company sources said on Friday.

"We are interested in both the West Qurna and the Rumaila oilfields," one source told Reuters, when asked for which fields LUKOIL might bid.

LUKOIL may join forces with U.S. major ConocoPhillips to bid for the fields, he added, speaking on condition of anonymity on the sidelines of a workshop between Iraqi officials and oil firms on the bidding round.

Rumaila is the largest field on offer and alone accounts for nearly 15 percent of Iraq's oil reserves, the world's third largest.

LUKOIL has lobbied with Iraqi officials to revive a deal for West Qurna that it signed while Saddam Hussein was in power in Iraq. The sources declined to comment on whether LUKOIL was continuing those efforts.

The company had hoped that Russia's forgiving most of Iraq's $12.9 billion debt last year might help. Iraq has said LUKOIL would have to compete with other firms for the contract. But Baghdad has renegotiated and signed another Saddam-era deal with the Chinese National Petroleum Company.

LUKOIL said last year that it wanted to join forces with Conoco for bidding in Iraq. Conoco owns a 20 percent stake in LUKOIL.

Iraq is offering service contracts for six of its largest producing oil fields in the first bidding round since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, as it looks to attract billions of dollars of investment to overhaul its dilapidated oil infrastructure and boost output.

Iraq has also offered two undeveloped gas fields in the round.

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZA...aq%20Oilfields

The recovery of one billion and 750 million dinars of the total network of social protection

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the recovery of the amount of its one billion and 750 million dinars of the total program of social protection network of 80 thousand employees and retired after the detection of the inability of these amounts The ministry said in a press release quoting Chancellor Abdullah al-Lami commissions set up by voluntary Minister Mahmoud Al-Sheikh Radi in Baghdad and other governorates, in cooperation with the Office of the Inspector General in the Ministry "was able to recover the amount of the" one billion and 750 million dinars from the non-eligible in the program of social protection network ".

The Social Welfare Department of the Ministry of Labor launched a program of social protection network and the end of 2005, which included more than a million Iraqi families. The media advisor, according to the statement that the Social Welfare Department, "revealed the 80 thousand people from abusers to the program of social protection network, most of the staff or retirees." He pointed out that these numbers were distributed as "about 40 thousand families in Baghdad and 40 thousand families in Diyala," The number of households covered by the program of social protection network has reached "800 A Family in Baghdad and other provinces except the province of Kurdistan." That the Ministry is seeking to "expand the number of covered in this program for up to one million and (250) A family in the provinces across the country, as well as to study the possibility of increasing the amount of subsidies for the disabled and the elderly segment, similar to the salaries of divorcees and widows as soon as the financial allocations for this.

The statement noted that the Social Welfare Department, "currently implementing a joint project with the financing of retirement and the World Bank includes the training of staff through a foreign company in order to link the specialized departments of the Trial Chamber in Baghdad and other governorates, the status of the ministry, according to an electronic network of modern programs, as well as data archiving, where were detected Emergency.

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to maximize the financial resources and the rationalization of expenditures

The contemporary world is a severe financial crisis was to declare bankruptcy, the largest global companies to speed up rescue requests, especially the giant companies specialized in the field of cars. For the purpose of fortifying our national economy from the consequences of such crises must take a series of measures which are considered as means to prevent the backup of those affected by crises. In the introduction of effective measures in this area is the need to activate the national economy, through improving the financial resources and the rationalization of spending, there are practical measures can be taken and can be summarized as follows: --

1 a national campaign for comprehensive education and awareness and to create legal awareness among all workers in state institutions and immunized against temptation and deviation.

2 to activate the movement of national institutions to meet the debt it owed to others and the collection of such debt as the outstanding debt and the lack of courtesy or favoritism as in the updating of public funds, taking into account the work the way the transparent and secured installment in large amounts and to ensure that they meet.

3 the need for all state institutions to carry out the restoration and rehabilitation of the buildings and the announcement of the lease according to the law of the sale and lease state funds No. 32 of 1986 be amended and that the rent in accordance with the prices currently prevailing in the local market with the knowledge that this step contributes to an increase in revenues of these institutions and raise State the value of real estate

4 lack of full compliance with the instructions of purchase orders for the promotion of the issues before the luxury of state institutions and secure the postponement of the time present and only needs a very necessary and urgent need, and work-related, production, and improve services. And the abolition of exchange to cover the financial costs of the shipment of ****** ****** and disbursements of fuel and vehicle maintenance for state institutions and reducing them to a minimum because it has become astronomical sums weigh the state's treasury.

5 Download for negligence and damage cost of public funds and the lack of courtesy in this aspect with the need to be bound to repair the damage incurred due to default and it is through the receipt of a special committee constituted for this purpose.

6 to eliminate waste in all forms, especially in the production departments urged to recycle their waste and take advantage of as much as possible.

7 Amendment of fees and tax rates and the addition of new professions and in accordance with the prevailing prices to ensure that those fees and taxes within the scheduled time.

8 to urge all state institutions to look for other outlets to maximize the financial resources and to ensure that these institutions away from the fiscal deficit and the survival of these institutions strong

9 Reduction of the expenses of Deputations and the intensification of control and auditing of disbursements, particularly in the implementation of projects and the elimination of waste caused by the retrenchment
That the issue of maximizing the financial resources and expenditure of the pressure of important issues that must be given special attention by the state institutions during the year (2009) and thinking hard to diversify the sources of income to the State Treasury, and not only on imports of oil wealth, because any change in the price of this article shall affect sharply our financial resources, the best example of this is the sharp drop in oil prices of the year 2008, called on the government to reconsider its national annual budget amounts for 2009 in addition to the concerns of the reduction of staff salaries, which have been approved within the new salary scale which was considered a red line and the State's obligation to meet the persistence To achieve trust among a section of staff, confirms the correctness of the contents of this article which would have strengthened the foundations of the State Treasury, and to enable it to continue paying salaries of assessment and cover the expenses of reconstruction and construction.

We are very confident that good planning and to maximize the resources and the pressure of government spending and clearing institutions from all forms of administrative corruption and financial institutions with sustained academic cadres, fair and efficient is the only true guarantee for the construction of the Iraqi national economy based on strong and solid foundation and strong and long term repercussions on the vulnerability of all the global financial crisis.

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