By John Lee.
The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has today issued its Yearbook for 2017, outlining what UNAMI and the United Nations Country Team did for Iraq over the past year.
(Source: UNAMI)
UNAMI publishes Latest Yearbook
EU provides Healthcare for Vulnerable Communities
The European Commission for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) has provided an additional € 4.5 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) to maintain health security and resilience for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees and host communities in conflict-affected governorates of Iraq.
This comes on top of the €29.2 million already contributed by the commission since 2015.
This renewed support will be used to sustain health services more than 500 000 vulnerable people in hard to reach and newly accessible areas of Ninewa and Anbar for the coming 12 months and to ensure vigilance for diseases with a potential of causing outbreaks.
The funds will also support to provide necessary essential medicines and medical supplies as well as facilitate referral services for returnees who have limited access to primary healthcare, secondary rehabilitative and referral health services.
ECHO Head of Office in Iraq, Simon Mansfield said:
“ECHO is keen to continue this support of the provision of medical humanitarian assistance in Iraq. Access to essential medical services for displaced populations and assistance for victims of war injuries remain ECHO’s priorities in country. In 2018, ECHO maintains this strategic partnership with WHO”.
WHO’s Representative in Iraq, Altaf Musani said:
“We welcome this additional contribution from our long term partner, ECHO. This contribution will support WHO and health partners to ensure uninterrupted access to essential and rehabilitative health care services for at least 500,000 IDPs, returnees and vulnerable host communities in the country’s most conflict-affected governorates”.
This partnership between ECHO and WHO represents a strong commitment in improving the health of the people of Iraq.
(Source: WHO)
Rosneft to start work in Duhok
By John Lee.
Rosneft has reportedly sent a delegation to Duhok to discuss starting work on three oilfields next month.
According to the report from Rudaw, the state-controlled Russian company will work at three locations: Batle, Zawita, and in Sarsang and Chamanke in Amedi.
It is expected to extract 180,000 barrels of oil per day.
In October, Rosneft signed Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) with respect to five production blocks in Iraqi Kurdistan.
(Source: Rudaw)
KRG Acts against Illegal Refineries
KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani chaired on Wednesday a meeting of the KRG Oil and Gas Council.
It was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, relevant ministers, governors, supervisors of local administrations, and representatives of the Integrity Commission, Board of Supreme Audit, the Attorney General’s Office, and Security (Assayish).
The Ministry of Natural Resources presented a report on the number and locations of illegal refineries with dates of operation. Because these refineries are a serious threat to citizen health and the environment it was agreed to accelerate control of the situation.
Prominent examples in both Erbil and Suleimaniya Governorates were presented in which refinery residues severely damaged water resources, agricultural production, and adversely affected citizen health.
It was decided the Ministry of Natural Resources in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and the heads of administrative units would soon work in accordance with law to resolve this issue. The government would take necessary procedures to protect the environment and health of citizens, and later present results of legal proceedings to the public.
Prime Minister Barzani and Deputy Prime Minister Talabani stressed the need for especially the executive administrative units such as the Ministry of Interior, the Security Council, and the police to cooperate with governors to address this issue within the framework of the legal mechanism that was put forward during the meeting. Also, the Attorney General has been mandated to cooperate on legalities.
They stressed that protection of the environment and preservation of citizens’ lives are priorities that supersede economic issues – a distinction must be made between the lives of citizens, the environment, and the provision of fuel.
(Source: KRG)
Video: Why Oil-Rich Iraq Needed Kuwait Energy Deal
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
Many ask why oil-rich Iraq needed to make Kuwait energy deal
Iraq’s government has signed a deal with Kuwait in a bid to alleviate its energy crisis after the lack of kerosene and electricity led to widespread unrest.
But many are asking why Iraq, which holds the world’s fifth-largest petroleum reserves, needs help from Kuwait.
Al Jazeera‘s Imran Khan reports from Baghdad:
Saipem wins contract at West Qurna
By John Lee.
Italy’s Saipem has been awarded a contract by ExxonMobil Iraq Limited for the DS6 project for the debottlenecking of the West Qurna field, in the south east of Iraq.
Debottlenecking is a process that optimises a plant in order to increase its overall capacity.
The works will have a duration of 23 months and will mainly be executed in the Rumaila fabrication yard, owned by Saipem.
(Source: Saipem)
(Picture: Saipem chief executive, Stefano Cao)
Kuwait donates Generators to Iraq
Kuwait has donated 17 mobile electric generators with a total capacity of 30,000 kilowatts to Iraq, the Undersecretary of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Electricity and Water, Mohammed Bushehri has announced.
In a press statement, Bushehri said the donation came “to alleviate the electricity crisis in the Iraqi city of Basra”.
“In the light of the current difficult circumstances faced by our brothers in Iraq, which is partly due to a severe shortage of electricity, His Highness the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah has instructed us to provide urgent assistance to brotherly Iraq” he said.
The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity announced last Friday that Kuwait would supply it with fuel to operate the power stations in the country.
Videos were circulated on social media showing a convoy of generators and fuel tankers heading to Iraq.
Iran has recently stopped exporting electricity to Iraq as a result of Baghdad’s accumulated debt.
(Source: Middle East Monitor)
(Picture: Parliament in Kuwait City. Credit, Leshonai)
Oil Ministry Finalises Export Figures for June
By John Lee.
Iraq’s Ministry of Oil has announced final oil exports for June of 105,640,161 barrels, giving an average for the month of 3.521 million barrels per day (bpd), an increase from the 3.490 bpd exported in May.
These exports were entirely from the southern terminals, with no exports registered from Kirkuk via Ceyhan.
Revenues for the month were $7.264 billion at an average price of $68.758 per barrel.
The oil was shipped by 38 international companies from the ports of Basra, Khor Al-Omaia and the SPMs on the Gulf.
May export figures can be found here.
(Source: Ministry of Oil)
Iraq “puts Oil Company Plans on Hold”
By John Lee.
Baghdad has reportely postponed plans to create a new national oil company until a new government is formed.
In March, Iraq’s parliament voted to establish a new Iraqi National Oil Company (INOC) to manage its upstream energy sector, and serve as an umbrella body for its state-owned oil firms.
More here from MEED (subscription needed).
(Sources: Offshore Technology, MEED)
New Tenders for Development of West Qurna-2
By John Lee.
Russian oil company Lukoil has published tenders for two projects at its West Qurna-2 oilfield:
- Decentralised Water Injection Facilities – click here for more information;
- Gas Turbine Power Plant Expansion – click here for more information.
Interested companies have until 23rd July to apply for documents, and bids will be accepted until 23rd August.
(Source: Lukoil)