Thread: Archive News - Iraqi Dinar Think Tank - 06/10/2010 - 24/01/2011

Nujaifi: State will not only the existence of a free economy and the private sector is the guarantee of the state

The head of the House of Representatives Osama Nujaifi that the state will not only the existence of a free economy and the private sector is the guarantee of the state.

A statement of the Information Office of the President of the Chamber of Deputies, told the independent press (Iba) for Nujaifi and during a meeting with the President and members of the Iraqi Business Council stressing the need for special legislation to capital and investors, and change the current legislation with the importance of consulting the private sector in the new legislation to be able to keep up with the developed world.

Acharalngeevi and the need to support private banks to state banks can not provide everything, and that the House of Representatives is heading in the open and make Iraq a magnet for investment and not a repellent. Appraising at the same time the role of the private sector in the country's progress.

For their part, stressed the President and members of the Business Council on the need to support the private sector and the heads of the business to ensure a real investment in Iraq. Stressing the role of the President of the Parliament in this area and their confidence in the ability of Parliament to pass new laws to protect capital and investors.

http://www.ipairaq.com/index.php?nam...onomy&id=32864

Oil and the Question of Federalism in Iraq

According to a report from Chatham House, the ‘oil question’ in Iraq has traditionally been viewed almost exclusively through the prism of ethno-sectarianism.

Disputes over the management and licensing of the hydrocarbon sector and over revenue distribution have been seen as a battle for power between Iraq’s ethnic and sectarian communities, as if these were monolithic entities.

In reality, disputes are driven far more by the as-yet-unresolved issue of whether ultimate sovereign authority in Iraq lies with the central government or should be decentralized to regional and provincial governments.

As the main source of revenue in Iraq, control over the oil and gas sector is critical to the success of these rival agendas. Consequently, compromise has been impossible to achieve, and neither side is willing to make concessions for fear of threatening their long-term ambitions.

http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/201...alism-in-iraq/

The opening of an international exhibition of oil and gas in the Basra

Opened this morning in the province of Basra, the International Exhibition of oil and gas.

The spokesman, Assem Jihad, Oil Ministry in a statement to a health exhibition includes modern technologies in the areas of production, transport and refining of oil, as the company brought in about 60 private investment projects in Basra.

And held in parallel with the work of the exhibition in Basra practical scientific conference with the participation of companies and universities present at the exhibition.

The conference will examine the technical issues related to the production, transport and oil refining as well as wider issues than that, including the development of the oil industry in Iraq and prospects for development, and the place of Iraq in ensuring global energy balance, and issues of supply and demand for energy materials in the world in the next two decades. Participants will discuss at the conference also issues outside the framework of the oil sector, particularly the prospects for the overall development of Iraq in the next decade.

The exhibition runs until the twenty-eighth of November.

http://www.ipairaq.com/index.php?nam...onomy&id=32871

Which Sectors are Most Targeted in Iraq?

AKE has analysed all of the attacks reported in Iraq over the past three months. Commercial sectors such as retail and banking were actually targeted in only a small proportion of cases.

Findings
The overwhelming majority of victims were civilians targeted on an indiscriminate basis. The police were the second most targeted group while the security forces combined sustained around 40 per cent of all attacks. Conversely the energy sector was targeted in less than one per cent of all incidents. However, while this may be a small proportion in comparison to other sectors, the handful of attacks which did occur caused several fatalities. The low proportion should therefore not be taken as grounds for any complacency.

Targeting Energy
The main trend facing the energy sector is that Iraqi national employees are being monitored, targeted and murdered, usually with firearms. Infrastructure on the other hand, including pipelines, rigs and other assets have been attacked only on rare occasions over the past two years. Property protective measures are still hugely important, but energy firms, including state-owned entities, should emphasise personnel-orientated risk mitigating measures. Employee training and even close protection should be considered where suitable.

Tactics
The majority of energy employees targeted in recent attacks have been singled out when driving to or from work. However, in some cases employees were also targeted and shot dead in criminal raids while they were delivering salaries to refinery employees. The nature of the attacks would suggest that they have been planned and that the attackers had prior knowledge of the victims’ movements.

Recommendations
A significant risk mitigating procedure would therefore be to reduce the number of people who are aware of the planned movements of staff members – particularly those delivering wages, who are a highly attractive target for criminal attack. Similarly employees, even those travelling to work on a day-to-day basis, are advised to vary their routes and routines. This makes it harder for potential threat groups to spot them and track their movements, thus making it very difficult to plan an attack.

AKE would also recommend that Iraqi national staff are discreet about their employment. There was a time in the country when knowledge of your involvement in a certain sector or with a foreign company could result in your kidnap or murder. With the security situation improving Iraqis appear gradually more willing to disclose their employment, but this should not be encouraged. The use of logos and corporate branding on vehicles and uniforms is also highly unwise, because it will instantly identify affiliation with a company, sector or foreign interest. These could all raise the likelihood of an attack, either opportunistic or planned. Indeed this guideline should be adopted by all sectors, certainly not just the energy sector.

http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/201...geted-in-iraq/

The Washington Post calls for Maliki's "stubborn" to accelerate the formation of the government

The newspaper "Washington Post" American Prime Minister-designate Nuri al-Maliki to "accelerate the formation of the government," to avoid wasting time, as happened during the "talks bitter" that followed the general elections in March last year.

The "Washington Post" that "al-Maliki to settle down to work to form a government, especially after the battle, which affected about eight months, and he fought to stay in power."

And adopted the "Washington Post" that "Maliki's task will not be easy," especially since it was "the work of the removal of all political allies almost, during the first period of his reign," which "had angered Iran" because "crack Shiite control," and "raised the ire of Americans "because of" misuse of power. "

The American newspaper that al-Maliki to do so, despite efforts to "obtain the support of the sources in his office, and to support the forces in the region," exploiting the "no realistic alternative to take over his place, initial support from Tehran and Washington."

Called the "Washington Post" al-Maliki as a "stubborn" and one "often reduce the appreciation," urging him to "meet the challenge of commitment to covenants which was launched when he was trying to keep his job."

It concluded, "Washington Post" quoted the words of the independent Shiite lawmaker Sami al-Askari, a close associate of al-Maliki that the latter "has a strong character, a seasoned politician, which is lucky because his rivals are weak."

http://www.aknews.com/ar/aknews/7/197758/

Council of Ministers will discuss next Tuesday decades the third oil licensing round

An adviser in the Iraqi government, on Thursday, that the Council will discuss the prime minister, on Tuesday, the next round of licensing contracts for the third oil that will reach to the Council next Sunday.

Salam al-Quraishi, a Kurdish news agency (Rn), "The cabinet will discuss on its agenda, on Tuesday, the next round of licensing contracts for the third Sepah and Mansuriyah and vote on it to begin with the Oil Ministry signed contracts with companies winning the final investment fields."

The Quraishi that the "file initial contracts will be sent to the Council of Ministers by the Ministry of Oil and next Sunday and will discuss more extensively through specialized committees on Sunday and Monday."

Qureshi added that "after the completion of the discussion phase will display the file cabinet for a vote and the granting of a license for oil signed a definitive agreement with the winning companies both contracts."

And that "the Council of Ministers will deal with the oil contracts with high professionalism and Ciec_khas bugs being found," indicating "see the oil contracts on the legal committee to ensure the integrity of the legal."

The licensing round, the third oil, which was launched on 20 October last resulted in the winning consortium of Kuwait broad social mission, Kuwait T-NBA or Turkish investment field Saybah invasive south of Basra, and the victory of a coalition Company Kaz Kazakhstan Inc. Kocaz Korean investment of the crutch in the province of Anbar, With a field Mansourieh gas in Diyala province, a coalition of business share of Petroleum International, which share 50%, and "Kuwait Energy," and has 30% of the project, and "Korea Gas Corp," and have 20% of it.

Iraq seeks to develop and reality of the oil through the establishment of licensing rounds and encourage foreign companies to invest oil and gas in the country, especially after the Oil Ministry announced that Iraq has the third largest reserves of crude oil in the world that its ministry, about 115 billion barrels after Saudi Arabia and Iran.

And exceeded exports of Iraqi oil earlier this year to cap two million barrels a day, the first time since the 1990 invasion of Kuwait, Iraq is trying to reach its production of oil within the next six years to the roof of production ranges between 10-12 million barrels per day in accordance with the licensing rounds, entered into with companies global oil.

http://www.aknews.com/ar/aknews/2/197626/

250 firms take part in oil, gas fair in Basra

A gas and oil fair was opened on Thursday in the city of Basra with the participation of 250 companies, according to one of the organizers.

“The fair was opened on Thursday morning in al-Maaqal region, northern Basra and will continue until Nov. 28,” Mohammad Sharief told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

“Around 250 international, regional and local firms from oil and gas sector are taking part in the fair,” he added.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=139182

Launch of the Basra International Exhibition of oil and gas with the participation of 25 countries

Fair opened Basra International Oil and Gas, on Thursday, with more than 300 international companies and regional and local represented 25 countries as well as companies from the province of Kurdistan, which will continue over the three-day sponsored by Beramides Group for International Exhibitions Turkish.

The Director of the relations in the sponsoring company, Anwar Al-Saad told the Kurdish news agency that "companies that were invited participated in the exhibition and launched its wings exhibiting their products and expertise with regard to drilling and exploration equipment and machinery used in the extraction of oil and gas."

Saad said that "the exhibition will continue for three days, which can be obtained from companies participating investment contracts with oil companies working to develop oil fields and contribute to raising production in the province."

For his part, Iraqi Transport Minister Amir Abdul-Jabbar's (Rn) that "the oil companies located in the province has contributed significantly through their work to make the Iraqi ports able to receive oil tankers." Indicating that "in the Iraqi ports need the presence of such companies and expertise present in the exhibition to develop their work. "

He said Basra's governor Cltag Aboud said "the international exhibition of Basra, which participated in oil and gas companies will contribute greatly in building the city in coming years as well as a large agreements with these companies by local and federal governments."

The President stressed the Basra Governorate Council Jabbar Amin Jaber that "Basra has great potential in the field of oil and need to be large companies such as those that existed in the exhibition, in order to raise oil production to eight million barrels per day and thereby increase revenues to maintain, which is reflected in the achievement of larger projects" .

And the Turkish Consul in Basra, Ali Reza Aozjo (AKnews) that "the Turkish diplomacy contributed greatly opened the fifth international exhibition in Basra since the opening of the consulate and this was of great importance to Turkish companies and international companies other, The opening of oil and gas exhibition by two Beramides Group Aksbutim the Turkish and one of the most important economic activities in the province. "

The head of the Southern Oil Company, Jafar al-Musawi said "the exhibition will contribute greatly to developing the industrial sector in general and oil in particular, by offering an opportunity for technicians and engineers working in the Iraqi Southern Oil Company to view the products of international companies."

The company Beramides Group was organized in Basra exposed former, I majored in the field of building materials and equipment, and the second gallery covers all areas of the Basra International Fair ground construction, which cost more than $ 550 million.

http://www.aknews.com/ar/aknews/2/197700/

Plan to increase Iraq’s palm trees from 10 to 20 million by 2020

Iraqi Agriculture Ministry’s Undersecretary, Mahdi al-Qaisy, revealed on Thursday that the number of palm trees in the country has decreased from 32 million in 1952 to the present number of 10 million, due to wars, salinazation, water scarecity, and the curtails in prices and exports.

“Our Ministry is determined to raise the number of palm trees in Iraq to 20 million by 2020, by increasing their planting, support for farms owners and peasants with free palm seedlings, development of agricultural projects, and importing labs for developing palm trees,” Qaisy told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

He pointed out that the his Ministry had “developed a project to plant the so-called ‘mother palm-trees’ in Najaf Province, to comprise 450 types of dates, on a 100-donum area. In addition, farmers will be supplied open credits, according to the size of their projects, as well as other credits for supplementary projects, such as cooling stores, vinegar and date trees and animal husbandry projects.

“The Ministry had granted an Iraqi lady 1.2 billion dinars (1.07 million dollars approx.) to build a plant for developing dates, according to a plan by the Agriculture College,” Qaisy said.

Qaisy also noted that his Ministry granted farm owners permissions to purchase their dates with supported prices, reaching 450,000 dinars for a ton of 1st class dates and 350,000 dinars for a ton of 2nd class dates.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=139197

2,300 defendants in corruption cases in 10 months

The Chairman of the Iraqi Integrity Commission, Rahim al-Ugeily, has announced on Thursday that 2,300 defendants have been sent to courts this year on charges of corruption, in excess of 600 billion (b) Iraqi Dinars (US$535 million approx.). 600 persons have been sentenced to different jail sentences.

Judge Ugeily was speaking in a workshop taking place in Arbil, the capital of north Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, allocated for carrying out a general survey for the activity and integrity of the public sector employees in Iraq, in which he called for the legislation of laws to protect informers and persons reporting from financial and administrative corruption, in order to liquidate this phenomena.

“Iraq is in need of defining the symptoms of corruption, their size and environment, as well as the reasons for its appearance, in order to put an end for such phenomena, reiterating the significance to carry out such surveys,” Ugeily said.

“Iraq must carry out a general survey for the public sector, in order to define the passive points and to carry out reform measures for those positions,” pointing out that the experimental survey carried out last year had “uncovered that the majority of the public sector employees, i.e. 72 percent of them, fear corruption reports,” he noted.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=139187