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Al-Ziyadi: We are determined to legislate the oil and gas law during the current parliamentary session
Information / Baghdad.
Independent MP Mohammed Al-Ziyadi stressed that there is determination and orientation within the parliament and a rise in voices calling for the legislation of the oil and gas law, pointing out that the current time is very suitable for the legislation of this law to ensure that Each governorate obtains its entitlement of oil and gas.
Al-Ziyadi told Al-Maalouma that "the fifth parliamentary session has a lot of loud voices from independent deputies who are not led to leaders and heads of blocs, so that there is freedom to put forward important files and bills, one of which is the oil and gas law.”
He added that "the time has become very appropriate to legislate this law in order to grant rights to citizens and provinces, each according to their entitlement, as silence no longer works in front of Kurdistan's access to oil revenues without a law that regulates this process." and grants rights according to merit.
He pointed out that "there is a trend and determination during the current session to legislate the oil and gas law, especially since many voices rose to complete this law to ensure the rights of each province in terms of its share of oil and gas as well." as for the region.”
Russia's foreign minister to visit Baghdad on Monday for energy, security talks
Iraq News
Breaking
2023-02-04 09:41
Shafaq News/ Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov will visit Baghdad on Monday for energy and security talks, a senior officer in Iraq's foreign ministry revealed.
The source told Shafaq News Agency that Lavrov will be flanked by a group of high-profile government officers and representatives of major Russian companies.
"He is scheduled to meet with his counterpart, Minister Fuad Hussein, and the three heads of the state," the source said.
"Russia's top diplomat will discuss issues relevant to energy, gas, oil, and the work of Russian companies in Iraq," said the officer who preferred to remain anonymous, "armament is also on Lavrov's agenda."
"The Russian side might sign deals with the Iraqi side if the talks went well," the source concluded.
KRG considering $10bn Investment from China
30th January 2023 in Construction & Engineering In Iraq, Investment, Iraq Public Works News: By John Lee.
China's Gezhouba Group has offered to invest $10 billion in Iraq's Kurdistan region.
According to a report from Kurdistan24, a translation of which was published on the company's website, the investment is intended for roads, railways, the power sector and dams. Mohammed Shukri, chairman of the Kurdistan Investment Board, is quoted as saying that the KIB has formed a committee to consider the offer.
According to Wikipedia, a major shareholder of the company is the state-owned China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC), which is in turn a subsidiary of the China Energy Engineering Corporation (Energy China).
(Sources: Kurdistan24, Gezhouba Group)
Chinese group offers $10bn investment in Iraq’s Kurdistan
Chinese conglomerate Gezhouba Group has offered to invest $10bn in infrastructure projects in the Autonomous Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq, news site Zawya reports.
Mohammed Shukri, chairman of the Kurdistan Investment Commission, said the group had offered to invest the money in rail networks, power projects, roads, dams “and other sectors”.
Shukri added that the Kurdistan regional government has formed a committee to study the offer and identify projects for investment. He did not say whether it fell under the oil-for-projects agreement signed by Iraq and China in 2019.
The regional government is soliciting international investment in “every sector”, including oil and gas, electricity, agricultural and the service industries.
President Nechirvan Barzani meets with a high level UN delegation
2023-01-24 21:22
Shafaq News / President Nechirvan Barzani received Ms. Rosemary A. DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and an accompanying delegation including Ms. Jeanine Plasschaert, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq, along with several other UN officials.
The meeting discussed the situation in the Kurdistan Region and the ongoing efforts to reach an agreement on the elections. The Election Commission and the views of all communities on the general elections, Erbil-Baghdad relations, the fight against terrorism, and the status of the Yezidis were also discussed.
In the meeting, President Nechirvan Barzani praised the role of the United Nations in Iraq, both in working closely with the relevant parties in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, and as an assistant to facilitate the solution of issues and to maintain stability and peace.
Regarding the situation in the Kurdistan Region, the President stressed that the ground is ready for political parties’ meetings, especially between the KDP and the PUK and their talks on the solution of the pending problems which would then pave the way for resolving the issues related to elections and the setting of a voting date.
The President said that Erbil-Baghdad relations and the recent positive atmosphere that has emerged for dialogue between the two sides and the efforts to resolve the issues between them, especially regarding the Iraqi budget law and oil and gas laws and the distribution of revenues, will contribute to further stability and peace in the country.
Both sides reiterated the significance of implementing the agreement on the formation of the Iraqi government and its agenda, as well as the need for continued coordination between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Federal Government of Iraq in the fight against ISIS, especially in the disputed territories of the Article 140. They also stressed the significance of implementing the agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi Federal Government on the status of Shingal.
Iraq’s relations with neighboring and regional countries, and several other issues of common interest were also highlighted at the meeting.
Parliament awaits al-Sudani's green light to proceed with passing a new hydrocarbons bill: lawmaker
Iraq's legislative body awaits a green light from Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani to proceed with passing a new hydrocarbons bill for the country, lawmaker Sabah Sobhi said on Monday.
In a statement to Shafaq News Agency, the member of the parliamentary oil and gas committee said, "the hydrocarbons law is an indispensable act. It is a pivot for Mohammad Shia al-Sudani's government program."
"The bill will stem the differences between the federal and regional governments. It is complementary to the political agreement that gave birth to the cabinet," he added.
"The bill mainly relies on Articles 111, 112, and 115 of the constitution to address the disputes between Baghdad and Erbil," he continued.
"We are awaiting a final notification from the cabinet to submit and vote on the budget bill," he concluded.
White House Coordinator for MENA, Brett McGurk, to visit Iraq, Kurdistan Region
The visit is to discuss the latest political developments in Iraq and the region, Hariri added.
The White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, Brett McGurk, is visiting Iraq and the Kurdistan Region on Monday to meet the country’s top officials, a Kurdish official told Kurdistan 24.
Following his meetings in Baghdad, the US official is set to meet with the Kurdish leadership, including President of the Democratic Party of Kurdistan (KDP) Masoud Barzani, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani as well as the leaders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and Fawzi Hariri, chief of staff to the Kurdish president told Kurdistan 24 on Monday morning.
The visit is to discuss the latest political developments in Iraq and the region, Hariri added.
Serving as presidential envoy in the fight against ISIS, McGurk has closely engaged with the leaders both in Iraq, Syria, and the Kurdistan Region
Rashid assured al-Sudani he will ratify the 2023 budget without delay
Iraq's President Abdullatif Rashid on Sunday assured Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani that he will ratify the 2023 budget bill as soon as it is submitted to the presidency office.
President Rashid's remarks came during a meeting with Prime Minister al-Sudani in Baghdad's al-Salam palace earlier today.
According to an official readout, Prime Minister al-Sudani and President Rashid discussed the latest updates on the political situation in Iraq, the government program of the new cabinet, and the needs of the Iraqi people.
The meeting laid emphasis on approving the budget as soon as possible, and the Iraqi president assured that he will ratify it as soon as it is submitted to the presidency office.
Al-Sudani briefed Rashid on the results of his visit to Berlin, his meetings with German government officials, and the prospects of bilateral cooperation between Iraq and the European country.
The meeting also touched upon President Rashid's participation in the world economic forum in Davos later this month and Iraq's endeavors to develop its ties with other friendly nations.
Al-Sudani and Rashid attached importance to enacting legislations that provide facilities to international firms wishing to invest in Iraq's infrastructure, reconstruction, and other sectors.