Infrastructure & Finance news in South Kurdistan

[alan131210]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr-96qaD548&feature=plcp&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&hd=1   

[brendar]

ERBIL, August 9 (AKnews) – Import and export trade licenses are to be written in both Kurdish and Arabic from now on, said the Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Trade and Industry.

General director Aziz Ibrahim said: "The region's Ministry of Trade and Industry decided to implement the instruction of Iraq's Ministry of Trade regarding granting licenses."

The new licenses will be valid in the rest of Iraq's crossing points, according to Ibrahim.

Iraq’s Trade Minister Kheirullah Hassan said: “Unified instructions between the Kurdistan Region and rest of Iraq will benefit the movement of trade in the country."

[alan131210]

ERBIL, August 12 (AKnews) – Erbil Airport director Talar Fayaq said the first Emirates airline plane from Dubai arrived in Erbil this morning at 8:00am.

sFayaq added: "The plane departed from Dubai at 6:00am and arrived at 8:00am in Erbil International Airport. The airline provides three flights a week to Erbil."

The flights began today but will officially kick off on September 17, added Fayaq.

The director mentioned that similar flights would begin to Basrah and Baghdad.

The airline provides an airbus 300-340 for its flights to Erbil.

The flights will be on Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday and will leave Dubai at 4:30pm and arrive at 6:30pm in Erbil. The return flights will leave Erbil at 8:00pm and arrive at 9:40pm in Dubai.

[brendar]

Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Planning has initiated thorough discussions with the Ministries of the KRG to prepare Kurdistan Region’s 2013 budget plan.

In preparing the KRG’s budget plan for 2013, the Minister of Planning Ali Sindi held separate meetings with both the Minister of Electricity and the Minister of Municipality Affairs to discuss their financial requirements for the coming year.

The Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Planning prepares indicators for long, medium and short term plans with all its goals and policies in cooperation with other ministries, government entities and the private sector’s of the Kurdistan Region.

http://pukmedia.co/english/index.php/77 ... udget-plan

[brendar]

ERBIL, Aug.15 (AKnews)- Under an order by Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani, Ministry of Electricity has began exporting 10 megawatts of electricity to the disputed Tuz Khurmatu parish in Salahaddin province.

The power is being exported to the parish since Tuesday 12.00 p.m., said a statement published on Ministry's website.

This step is taken due to "feeling responsible for the residents of the disputes areas," the statement said.

A delegation from the disputed parish, which is home to Arabs, Kurds and Turkmans, visited Barzani in July and sought his assistance for resolving the issues over lack of basic services in the parish.

The statement by Ministry of Electricity said immediately after the meeting the Ministry was asked to sort out how 10mw can be exported to the parish.

Kurdistan is reaching self-sufficiency in electricity generation and has begun the first steps for exporting power.

Last year Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) agreed to sell 200mw to the disputed Kirkuk province before it reaches an agreement with Nineveh province for exporting 50mw daily.

http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/2/322015/

[alan131210]

i saw an article somewhere it was in sorani thou, KRG PM was addressing "by 2014 there wont be an issue in kurdistan called electricity issue"

according to the article kurdistan will have 6000 Megawatt of electricity and that is more than enuff and will also be sold to Mosul, Diyala and Salahadin and KRG will make good profit out of it, forget iraq all they good at is attack KRG and burn for their 12% of the budget they give us for stealing our oil in Kirkuk and Khanaqin, like the other $100 billion is spent on iraq

[brendar]

i saw an article somewhere it was in sorani thou, KRG PM was addressing "by 2014 there wont be an issue in kurdistan called electricity issue"

according to the article kurdistan will have 6000 Megawatt of electricity and that is more than enuff and will also be sold to Mosul, Diyala and Salahadin and KRG will make good profit out of it, forget iraq all they good at is attack KRG and burn for their 12% of the budget they give us for stealing our oil in Kirkuk and Khanaqin, like the other $100 billion is spent on iraq

Seriously, where does that $100 billion go to? I cannot think of anything!

[burnsss]

i saw an article somewhere it was in sorani thou, KRG PM was addressing "by 2014 there wont be an issue in kurdistan called electricity issue"

according to the article kurdistan will have 6000 Megawatt of electricity and that is more than enuff and will also be sold to Mosul, Diyala and Salahadin and KRG will make good profit out of it, forget iraq all they good at is attack KRG and burn for their 12% of the budget they give us for stealing our oil in Kirkuk and Khanaqin, like the other $100 billion is spent on iraq

Seriously, where does that $100 billion go to? I cannot think of anything!

They go to corrupt politician. How come Iraq doesnt have basic services after hundreds of billions spent? They all steal it and send it to bank accounts abroad.

[alan131210]

they dont get spent, milky is building up his milita the rest goes to EU banks and Iran.

[alan131210]

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani said that the policy of his government aims at self-sufficiency for Kurdistan in fuel and electricity generation.

The PM made the remark during a meeting in Kurdistan Parliament for discussing the creation of a Supreme Negotiations Council for settling disputes with Baghdad.

Barzani said it is a while Baghdad government is cutting Kurdistan's share from the fuel produced at the Iraqi refineries. It has cut Erbil's share completely.

He continued it is not feasible for Baghdad to cut Kurdistan's share of fuel or electricity under every pretext daily.

"Therefore, in these two fields we will have our independence and will provide the demand of the [Kurdistan] region," Barzani said.

A number of issues between KRG and Baghdad are yet to be settled. Among them are the status and salary of peshmarga (Kurdistan border guards), the ownership of some multiethnic areas and the oil contracts signed by the KRG.

The oil contracts have become a highly sensitive subject as Baghdad labels the contracts illegal and presses the foreign companies to quit investment in Kurdistan fields.

Kurdistan and Baghdad official also accuse each other of smuggling oil and a vague dealing with oil file.

Whenever there is any tension between KRG and Baghdad, the latter puts pressure on the former by cutting its share of fuel.

[brendar]

Video is inside....

The semi-autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan is held up as an example of stability and development in the Middle East, in large part thanks to its oil revenues. But the gap is increasing between a minority that is thriving, and those who are not reaping the benefits from this economic boom...


Under a baking sun, an immaculate white luxury car is parked in front of an architect’s home. Decorated with grey marble, the 600m² building is on sale for 1.125 million euros. We are in Iraq - but in Erbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan.

Rasul, an estate agent for what is known as the "Italian Village", speaks in a conspiratorial tone. “We have very rich men in Kurdistan, they have millions!”

Iraqi Kurdistan has 19 billionaires, to be precise.

The region is enjoying an economic boom unique to the Middle East, thanks to security, oil revenues and financial incentives for investors. Around 2,000 foreign companies including Total, Exxon Mobile, and have now set up bases in the region.

However Himdad, a 26-year-old philosophy student, is not so happy about this Kurdish success story. Walking around the upmarket district nicknamed Dollarawa - “dollar-owned” - Himbad is disheartened. “The prices here are so high that only officials and rich people can afford it. Poor people really don't have the means”, he explains.

Himdad earns 400 dollars a month working as a night security guard, which is the average salary for a civil servant in the region. Like them, he cannot afford the new luxury flats nor the European products sold in the French-style department stores. Himdad lives in a small hut that he has built on the roof of the room he shares with five other members of his family.

Young Kurds - who make up over half the population - are highly critical of Iraqi Kurdistan society. “The old generation do not realise that the world is changing. They are trying to keep the old habits and traditions. But we want change,” Himdad tell us.

In a region where growth was estimated at 8% last year, the majority have yet to see any real benefits. Those benefiting are reportedly a minority close to the elite. “There is money coming in from oil revenues. The political groups have it. And they distribute it according to proximity, friendship, nepotism, sibling relationships”, explains Hosham Dawood, an anthropologist based in Erbil.

Kurdish society is now seeing the two systems collide. That of the Peshmerga leaders is based on unconditional loyalty to a clan. Meanwhile, the younger generation aspires to a more equal distribution of the region’s newfound wealth.

It’s a potentially explosive mix in a region which controls one fifth of Iraq’s oil supplies.

http://www.france24.com/en/20120819-rep ... outh-clans

[alan131210]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4obTHvWiS48&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&hd=1   

[alan131210]

KRG signs declaration with Northern Ireland to focus on trade, education, tourism and agriculture



London, UK (UK.KRG.org) – President Masoud Barzani this week welcomed Arlene Foster, the Northern Ireland Minister of Trade and Enterprise, to Kurdistan and expressed his appreciation at the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the governments of Northern Ireland and Kurdistan Region.

The joint declaration, signed by Ms Foster and Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir, the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, lays the foundations for further interaction between the KRG and the government of Northern Ireland in several areas including investment, commerce, education, tourism and agriculture. It also provides opportunities for cooperation in other areas such as political and cultural links. Minister Bakir expressed his hope that the MOU would result in the growth of meaningful cooperation on both sides.

President Barzani welcomed Minister Foster and her delegation to Kurdistan and reiterated the Region’s interest in continuing to build a partnership with the United Kingdom, and with Northern Ireland in particular.

Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, the KRG High Representative to the UK said, "The MOU signed with Northern Ireland demonstrates the empathy between our peoples, both of whom have a history of suffering and a drive to create a better future. The trade relations with Northern Ireland have got off to a good start already and we hope that with the signing of this MOU and Minister Foster's visit to Kurdistan, we can take the relationship forward."

The KRG UK Representation has been developing trade relations with Northern Ireland since 2009 and has visited Belfast on a few occasions while Invest Northern Ireland has taken trade delegations to Kurdistan, including a visit in January 2011 which led to at least £1.7million (pounds) worth of trade at the time. This is Ms Foster's second visit to Kurdistan. She led a Northern Ireland delegation to the Erbil International Trade Fair in October last year.

Simon Collis, the UK’s new Ambassador to Iraq, joined the Minister’s delegation while they were in the Region along with the outgoing Consul General, Chris Bowers, and his successor Hugh Evans.

Mr Bowers, previously commenting on the British-Kurdish relations, said, “There will be a special focus on Northern Ireland. The UK as a whole already has this, but to me it looks as if Northern Ireland is forming a special bond with the Kurdistan Region. The KRG representative team in London has done a fantastic job in reaching out to Northern Ireland and the interest was built upon by Ministerial visits from Erbil to Belfast, the region’s capital.”

Northern Ireland has much in common with Kurdistan Region and there is a shared understanding of the challenge of emerging from a history of violence. Both have emerged from conflict but are now forwarding-looking and open nations determined to create peaceful and prosperous future for their people.

[alan131210]

Kurdistan to provide almost full-time electricity in September

ERBIL, Aug.25 (AKnews)- September on Kurdistan Ministry of Electricity will provide 23.5 hours power for the citizens if there are no issues in the power plants.

The demand for electricity has decreased as the temperature has dropped and this will pave the way for the Ministry to increase the power supply for the citizens, said Umed Ahmed, Kurdistan electricity control director.  

The official added the Ministry is also trying to make the power supply full-time. At the same time he urged the citizens to save energy and reduce their demand in the public interest.

The inhabitants of Kurdistan are much better provided with power than those in the rest of Iraq. This is mainly due to the efforts by the government for installing several power plants which are expected to take Kurdistan to self-sufficiency level by the beginning of 2015, according to estimations.

Kurdistan has also begun the first steps of exporting power to other areas in Iraq, as Mosul, Kirkuk and Tuz Khurmatu.

[alan131210]

 
AMSTERDAM, Aug. 25 (AKnews) - A Dutch commercial and industrial mission composed of 12 companies will launch a business trip to the Kurdistan Region in Iraq, headed by businessman Jaap Van Drajr, in coordination with the Kurdish and Dutch Businessmen Club (KDBC).

The trip, which begins on September 15 and continues until 22, seeks to discuss the available ways to promote investment opportunities for Dutch companies in various sectors such as agriculture, food, and water resources.

Dutch investor Jan Vos told AKnews: "The development and reconstruction amid the security stability attracts a lot of companies that aspire to work there.

"There are large investment opportunities there because of the reconstruction projects in light of the available revenues from oil and gas. The number of Dutch companies will increase in the next five years."

 The program of the trip to Kurdistan includes visiting government and private institutions in addition to farms and factories.

The KDBC was founded in June 2012 in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, in the presence of 110 companies, in addition to known Dutch economists and politicians to develop commercial and economic relations between Kurdistan and the Netherlands.

Harry van Bommel from the Socialist Party visited the Kurdistan Region at the beginning of 2012 and encouraged Dutch companies to visit the region and cooperate and communicate with the Dutch consulate office in Erbil.
 
Dutch writer and journalist van Bommel in a report published in a Dutch newspaper called on companies to benefit from investment opportunities in the Kurdistan Region.