Some “Iraq News” Posted by Clare at KTFA 7-12-2024
KTFA:
Clare: Framework MP: Efforts to nominate one name for the position of Parliament Speaker
7/12/2024
A representative of the Coordination Framework revealed efforts to nominate one name for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives, which has been vacant for 8 months.
Baqir al-Saadi told Al Furat News Agency, "Currently, there are no developments regarding holding a session or an agreement to elect a new speaker of the House of Representatives."
He added, "But there are efforts for political agreements soon to nominate one name for the position, and it will be within a month from now."
It is worth noting that the House of Representatives has failed twice to elect a new speaker, as its session held on May 18 witnessed fierce competition between MPs Salem al-Issawi and Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, with the former receiving 158 votes while the latter received 137 votes.
From that session, the parliament was unable to elect a speaker, and the position remained vacant.
Raghad LINK
Clare: Marketing 600,000 FTTH fiber optic lines in Iraq
7/12/2024 Baghdad
The Ministry of Communications announced today, Friday, the development of a plan and schedule with the companies contracting with it, in coordination with the Baghdad Municipality and the governorates, to deliver and implement fiber optic lines (FTTH) in all regions and governorates, while indicating the marketing of 600,000 fiber optic lines.
The Director General of the General Company for Communications and Information Technology at the Ministry of Communications, Ali Yassin, said: “The Ministry of Communications, represented by the General Company for Communications and Information Technology, has implemented more than 3 million FTTH fiber optic lines, and 600,000 lines of them have been marketed so far,” noting that “the ministry has developed a plan for the transfer of the rest of the governorates and a schedule with the companies contracted with it for the purpose of implementing and completing the rest of the governorates of Iraq.”
Yassin added, "Coordination has been made with the Baghdad Municipality to facilitate the work of companies contracting with the General Company for Communications and Information Technology to implement and extend cables for FTTH technology, as well as coordination with the governorates to facilitate the task of companies contracting with the General Company for Communications and Information Technology and to set controls and standards for implementation."
He pointed out that "the areas where the lines have been completed, including those on the Karkh side (Al-Saydiya, Al-Jami'a neighborhood, and Al-Adl) and on the Rusafa side (Zayona, and Palestine Street), are all equipped with FTTH service, as are the governorates such as Karbala and Najaf."
He pointed out that "the advantages of the lines are improving the quality of service provided to citizens at competitive prices, especially since most citizens complain about poor Wi-Fi service."
Therefore, FTTH service on optical cable will save them from that.” LINK
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7/11/2024 Baghdad - WAA
Minister of Transport Razzaq Muhaibis Al-Saadawi announced today, Thursday, the signing of a contract with Oliver Wyman Consulting Company to provide consulting services for the Development Road Project, noting that the completion rate of the initial designs for the railway track for the project reached 80 percent and the expressway 75 percent.
Al-Saadawi said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "Under the patronage of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, we supervised today the contracting with Oliver Wyman Company to provide consulting services for the Development Road Project," indicating that "signing the contract reflects the government's seriousness in proceeding with the implementation of the strategic development road project."
He added that "the consulting company will help the ministry in marketing the project and supervising investment opportunities in it," noting that "the contract signed on behalf of the ministry by the Director General of Iraqi Railways, Younis Khalid Jawad, and on behalf of the consulting company by Pedro Oliveira, General Manager of Oliver Wyman Company, is the first of its kind in Iraq, in terms of providing financial and economic consulting services for strategic government projects."
He pointed out that "this contract will give international importance to the development road, which enjoys the care and attention of the Prime Minister," noting that "the completion rate of the initial designs for the railway track has reached 80 percent, while the completion rate of the expressway designs has reached 75 percent, and 92 percent of the soil investigations for the project."
Thecontract signing ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister's Advisor for Investment Affairs, Mohamed El-Naggar, and a number of officials in the ministry, according to the statement. LINK
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Clare: ICC Opens Office in Iraq: This is What We Are Working on
7/12/2024 Economy News - Follow-up
The Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has announced the expansion of its global presence through the official launch of the chamber’s new headquarters in Iraq from the French capital, thus enhancing the spread of the chamber’s network of offices worldwide.
According to the official website of the International Chamber of Commerce, which was founded in 1919 in the French capital, it has a network of offices in more than 170 countries, and represents more than 45 million business companies.
The website stated that the official launch of the International Chamber of Commerce in Iraq was celebrated at the global headquarters of the Chamber in Paris, which will work to enhance the mission of the International Chamber of Commerce in Iraq, and strengthen the voice of Iraqi businessmen and chambers all over the world.
The report indicated that the International Chamber of Commerce of Iraq will constitute an addition to the total number of international chambers of commerce, reaching 92 around the world.
He added that a delegation from the International Chamber of Commerce of Iraq joined the official celebration in Paris, which was followed by a celebration at the Iraqi embassy in the French capital.
“The context in which companies operate today is one of geo-economic and geopolitical tensions that are causing instability, uncertainty and new challenges in Iraq and beyond,” ICC Secretary General John W. H. Denton was quoted as saying in the report. “Bringing our mission to Iraq will deliver real value to Iraqi companies and the real economies in which they operate.”
According to the report, the ICC Iraq will support the ICC’s institutional goals of promoting peace, prosperity and opportunities for all through local committees on arbitration, alternative dispute resolution, digital economy, intellectual property, trade and investment.
The report pointed out that the founding members of the International Chamber of Commerce of Iraq are Abdul Razzaq Al-Zuhairi, who holds the position of honorary president of the International Chamber of Commerce of Iraq and president of the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce, in addition to the president of the International Chamber of Commerce of Iraq, Mohsen Al-Hamid, who also heads the “Asriya Group”, along with Ahmed Al-Yasiri, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce of Iraq, who is also an advisor on international organizations.
The report concluded by pointing out that the members of the International Chamber of Commerce of Iraq, through their headquarters in Iraq, help formulate the policies of the International Chamber of Commerce and alert governments to what interests international business. LINK
Clare: Baghdad to Washington: The need to find a quick and fair solution to Iranian funds frozen in Iraq
7/12/2024
Iraq called on the United States to "find a quick and fair solution to the Iranian funds frozen in Iraq."
Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met in Washington with US Under Secretary of State for Political and Management Affairs John Bass, and during the meeting stressed "the need to find a quick and fair solution to the issue of Iranian funds frozen in Iraq."
Hussein expressed his "concern about the situation in Gaza and the spread of the conflict to southern Lebanon."
He stressed "the importance of supporting the financial and banking sector in Iraq, with a focus on the challenges related to the use of the dollar in financial transactions."
Iranian officials say Iraq owes between $9 billion and $11 billion for gas and electricity from Iran. LINK
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Clare: New "secrets" regarding the "theft of the century".. Iraq recovers 20 wanted persons involved in it
7/12/2024 Baghdad
The Director General of the Recovery Department at the Integrity Commission, Ayman Al-Baydani, revealed the qualitative leap witnessed by the Integrity Commission in recovering and pursuing funds and wanted persons, in addition to their files that were submitted to the judiciary.
Al-Baydani said, in an interview followed by "Al-Eqtisad News", that "more than 20 wanted persons involved in the theft of the century case were arrested and their files were sent to the judicial authorities and the matter is in the process of being recovered," indicating that "the authority is in the process of coordinating with the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Department to file lawsuits to recover those funds."
He explained that "in terms of funds, the Integrity Commission was able to track funds abroad and at home, uncover them, and place a seizure notice on them," noting that "the Integrity Commission has a history of achieving recovery numbers that rise to international levels in the modern Iraqi experience, such as the year 2023, the history of the Integrity Commission in recovering nearly 18 wanted persons in various cases, most notably the theft of the century."
Al-Baydani pointed out that "the money inside is not forgotten, we have tracked it down, exposed it and it is now in the process of being recovered to the state treasury." LINK