AMAR builds new Women’s Hospital in Basra

With the help of generous donors, the AMAR International Charitable Foundation has constructed and partly equipped a brand new charitable Paediatric / Maternity / Womens Hospital in Basra.

The hospital will serve over 100,000 living in Shatt Al-Arab, an area near Basra under-served by existing medical services. There are more than 22,000 women in the reproductive age group and over 4000 pregnancies are expected each year. There are more than 20,000 children under the age of 5 years old.

This state-of-the-art hospital will bring a new level of healthcare to women and children in these communities. The hospital is now close to opening and delivering an outpatient’s clinic for women and children to the needy.

Donations are now being sought to enable AMAR to equip the hospital fully and start providing a more extensive range of medical services to the many disadvantaged women and children in the area

PLEASE DONATE HERE

THANK YOU.

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Petrel calls for Reform of Iraqi Oil Contracts

By John Lee.

Petrel Resources has said that Iraq’s Ministry of Oil should negotiate Production Sharing Agreements to replace the existing service contracts, as, “this would better align the interests of the parties, and create more wealth, value-added in downstream industries like refined products and petrochemicals, infrastructure and employment for Iraq.”

In its unaudited interim statement for the six months ended 30 June 2022, the company mentions that an updated development proposal for the Merjan oil field has been submitted to the Ministry, but adds that it “requires an operating Iraqi Government in order to proceed“.

It adds that its Iraqi Director, Riadh Ani, has resigned in order to enter public service.

More here.

The company claims to have an interest in Iraq’s Block 6 in the Western Desert, subject to ratification.

(Source: Petrel Resources)

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Iraq Promotes Liquified Gas for Vehicles

By John Lee.

The Undersecretary for Liquidation and Distribution Affairs at Iraq’s Ministry of Oil, Hamid Younis, has said that the shift towards the use of liquified gas for vehicles is a strategic project for Iraq, which promotes sustainable development and supports the national economy, and is supported by the government and the Ministry.

He added that a number of decisions and instructions have been issued that support projects for the use of liquified gas in vehicles.

He made the comments at the opening of a model workshop to install liquified gas systems in vehicles in Taji, north of Baghdad.

(Source: Ministry of Oil)

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SOMO warns Int’l Companies not to buy Oil from KRG

By John Lee.

Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) has announced that it had taken “marketing measures” and informed all international companies not to buy crude oil from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).

SOMO Director, Alaa Al-Yasiri, also told the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA):

“The Federal Court issued a decision stipulating the invalidity of all contracts concluded by the Kurdistan Regional Government regarding the extraction and export of crude oil.

“The regional government sells oil at lower prices than the central government, and according to news published by Reuters, the region sells oil at discounts ranging from 16-20 dollars per barrel, despite the fact that the sale takes place in the same region and with the same quality of oil.”

He added that the KRG exported around 420,000 barrels per day last year, decreasing to about 355,000 bpd this year.

(Source: INA)

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Court rules Iraqi National Oil Company (INOC) Unconstitutional

By John Lee.

Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court has invalidated the Cabinet decision to set up the Iraqi National Oil Company (INOC).

According to a statement from the Court, Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Cabinet Decision No. 109 of 2020, and Decision No. 211 of 2021, are in breach of the constitution.

The full judgement, in Arabic, can be downloaded here, with Arabic summaries here, here and here.

A summary of the judgement in English, from the Court website, is shown below:

Federal Supreme Court Rules Invalidity of Paragraphs (2) and (3) of Cabinet Decision No. (109) of 2020 and the Decision (211) of 2021 and its repeal are related to the completion of the steps of establishing the National Oil Company and the assignment of [the Minister of Oil (Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar) to head it.]

   The Court shall consider:

1-    Whereas, public funds have inviolability following all the divine laws and affirmed that the Holy Quran in a number of its noble verses and Article (27 / 1st) of the Constitution stipulates that this and that their protection is the duty of every citizen, so all institutions and employees therein must maintain the sanctity of those funds and that the initiation of a lawsuit to protect them is consistent with what is stated in Article (20 / 1st) of the Bylaw of the Court, which obliges that the interest is a state, direct and influential in the legal status or Financial or social and because it is in the interest of the people to pay the damage caused to public funds and this is considered to be in their interest.

2-    To annul the number of essential articles of the National Oil Company Law No. (4) of 2018 cannot proceed with the formation of the company.

3-    The statement that articles of other laws should be replaced by articles that have been declared unconstitutional is contrary to the binding and consistent nature of the decisions of the Federal Supreme Court, and must take into account the will and competence of the legislator to legislate other articles to replace the articles that have been declared unconstitutional, and to say otherwise means that the legislative authority is deprived of a part of its constitutional competences.

Also, the Court shall consider:

1-    The failure to find ways to preserve public funds, which belong to all the people, by the bodies legally mandated to do so is a violation of the provisions of Article (27/1st) of the Constitution, and failure to achieve this leads to the absence of social justice and the absence of national belonging to the State.

2-    The failure to maintain public funds leads to the failure of the State to carry out its constitutional duties following the provisions of Articles (29-36) of the Constitution.

It also shall consider:

1-    The Constitution of the Republic of Iraq of 2005 is the result of the will of the people following the provisions of Article (144), which stipulates that (This Constitution shall come into force after the approval of the people thereon in a general referendum) and the constitution was not drafted for the benefit of any political party, sect or nationality, but was drafted for all Iraqis without discrimination.

2-    The purpose of organizing the federal authorities and all independent bodies is to abide by the Constitution in all its articles and not to depart from it, and that this obliges all federal authorities to work for the people and that non-compliance with the Constitution represents a departure from the will of the people.

(Source: Federal Supreme Court)

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Jordan Resumes Import of Iraqi Crude

By John Lee.

Iraq has re-started the export of crude oil by road to Jordan.

Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Dr. Saleh Al-Kharabsheh (pictured), announced on Monday that loading had commenced at Kirkuk, instead of the previous site at Baiji.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU), which was signed on 28th January 2021, has been extended until 31st December 2022, in order to complete the transfer of the remaining contracted quantities.

Jordan imported about 2,525 million barrels from Iraq, at a rate of 8,359 barrels per day (bpd), from September 2021 until the end of July 2022. The oil was carried by 9,678 tanker journeys from the site at Al-Siniya/Baiji to Zarqa refinery.

Pricing is based on the monthly average of Brent crude oil minus 16 dollars per barrel, in order to cover the quality difference and transportation costs.

(Source: Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources)

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Iraqi Oil Minister pushes Development of Eridu Oil Field

By John Lee.

Iraq’s Minister of Oil, Ihsan Abdul Jabbar Ismail, has stressed the importance of developing the Eridu (Arido) oilfield in Block 10, which is in the Muthanna and Dhi Qar provinces.

This came during a meeting with Lukoil‘s Vice President for Central Asia, Middle East, and North African affairs, Stepan Gorgi, and his accompanying delegation.

The Minister said that the ministry is awaiting the approval of the Council of Ministers of the joint development program for the field, commending the technical study of Lukoil.

He added the need to continue the development of West Qurna 2 field, and commended the cooperation between the Ministry and Lukoil to develop oil and energy sector.

The meeting was attended by the Senior Vice President of National Oil Company (INOC), Hamid Younis, the Director General of Petroleum Contracts and Licensing Directorate (PCLD), Ali Maarij. On the Russian side, the meeting was attended by Lukoil General Manager, Alexey Yakovlev, and the 10th block project manager, Edward Tcheloyansh, and vice manager of Iraq branch, manager of Lukoil reprentative office in Baghdad, Resan Sednavi.

(Source: Ministry of Oil)

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Iraq Buys New Ships for Port Maintenance

By John Lee.

Iraq’s Ministry of Oil is increasing its in-house capacity to maintain its export terminals in southern Iraq, with the acquisition of new purpose-built ships.

The Executive Director of the Iraqi National Oil Company (INOC), Hamid Younis, said that Safwan (pictured) will arrive in the coming days. It has the capability to assist with maintenance of export facilities, in addition to fighting fires and generating electric power for emergency situations. Built by the Korean company ENM, it has an integrated diving system, and is particularly suited to the maintenance of single-point moorings (SPMs).

It joins the Abu Al-Fadl, which has already entered service, and which was designed for maintenance and treatment of oil spills in regional waters.

A third vessel, the Shanasheel, is hoped to enter service in March of next year. Larger than the other two, as it will carry out major maintenance works for the ports and can accommodate staff working in ports and loading platforms.

The acquisition by the Ministry and the  of these vessels is intended to reduced the costs currently paid to foreign companies.

(Source: Ministry of Oil)

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Inaugural Flight from Hyderabad to Baghdad

By John Lee.

GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL) inaugurated the maiden direct flight service from Hyderabad to Baghdad on Sunday.

According to a press release, Fly Baghdad‘s maiden flight IF 462 took off at 15.17 hours from Hyderabad International Airport.

The flight will operate between Hyderabad and Baghdad twice a week, on Sundays and Tuesdays.

Flight IF 461 will arrive at GMR Hyderabad International Airport at 09.55 hours on Tuesdays. The return flight IF 462 will depart from Hyderabad at 10.55 on the same day.

On Sundays, flight IF 461 will arrive at HYD Airport at 11.55 hours and flight IF 462 departs at 12.55 hours.

Flights to India from Baghdad are popular among the Iraqis seeking medical treatment. The data released by the Union Tourism ministry shows medical tourists visiting India from Iraq comprised over 10% and is gradually growing.

(Source: GHIAL)

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KRG launches new Tendering Process for Medicines

By John Lee.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has announced a new tendering process for medicines.

According to a statement from the KRG, the new system will stabilise the price of 230 different medications.

KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani commented:

“Through transparent contracts, we will provide our citizens with better quality medicine at a lower cost to the KRG.”

More here and here.

(Source: KRG)

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