Cursor International executes projects and collaboration activities across several industries.
By Yerevan Saeed for Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
Coronavirus could cause US to lose Iraqi Kurdish region to China
Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, China has been working to expand its influence over the KRG through medical aid.
The Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF), the United States’ largest charity devoted exclusively to advocacy and support for Iraq’s children, premiered today a fresh, impactful design and message for the cause.
ICF Board Chairman Mohammed Khudairi explained:
“Today, we reintroduce ourselves to Americans and the international community with a fresh voice. For over a decade, ICF has intervened with love and hope in the lives of children who are vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and exploitation by criminals, traffickers, and extremists.
“We have invested in life-changing education, legal protection, psychosocial services, nutrition, and other support for the most marginalized children: orphans, street kids, children displaced by war, child laborers, and disabled kids. We are now standing with them in the face of new dangers from COVID-19.“
Liz McRae, Executive Director, said:
“We started this process in early 2020 and poured our hearts and souls into creating a new image that would accurately depict who we are at our core, as an organization. As COVID-19 began to dramatically impact the world and our work, we doubled down on our efforts to refocus on our organization and the way we do things.
“Our mission and vision are strong, and we recognized the importance of the right tools to communicate messages driving real and meaningful change. We are committed to ‘thinking big’ to address the critical need for orphans and street children in Iraq, now more than ever.“
ICF’s voice for Iraq’s children is reflected in the visual identity the organization debuted today. It reflects a modern, bright, optimistic and inclusive outlook, focused on the deepest needs of children to belong to their family, community, and nation.
This idea is presented in the graphic pattern, with four elements surrounding the map of Iraq: the sunshine symbolizing hope, growth in the form of the date palm leaf and fruit of Iraq, and water marking the Euphrates and Tigris rivers which represent the historic position of Iraq as the seat of civilization.
The tagline – Protect. Nurture. Empower. – codifies ICF’s core mission to ensure all children are safe, have a voice, and are empowered to reach their full potential.
* Cuneiform inscriptions based on the ancient writing systems of Mesopotamia.
That mission – to protect, nurture, and empower – is manifested in ICF’s projects in recent years, including a “Street Lawyers” project providing legal protection and aid to more than 1,200 children and securing legal identity documents needed for school and nutrition and other benefits for 1,300 children.
Social services – including services for mental health, ending abuse, stopping child labor, and medical care – have been delivered to 1,006 children. Two child-friendly and colorful “Hope Buses” in a desperately poor neighborhood provide tutoring and nutritious meals to empower an average of 100 orphans and street children each school day.
Some of these initiatives have been seriously impacted by COVID-19 related curfews in Baghdad and other obstacles to service operations.
ICF is a non-partisan, non-sectarian tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charity with top Platinum status on Guidestar. It is also listed on the U.S. government’s workplace giving platform, the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC #95191). Board and Advisor leadership includes veterans, former Ambassadors, top U.S. child welfare experts, Iraqi-American professionals, and business executives. ICF initiatives in Iraq are executed with competent, trusted Iraqi NGO partners who know local communities and urgent needs best. ICF relies on both private and corporate donations to make this work possible.
Learn more about our work and donate at www.iraqichildren.org, or contact ICF Executive Director Elizabeth (Liz) McRae at liz@iraqichildren.org
(Source: ICF)
By John Lee.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (pictured) has welcomed the formation of a new government in Iraq following months of instability.
In a phone call with the new Prime Minister, Mustafa Kadhemi, he said that the US would not enforce sanctions on Iraq buying electricity from Iran for 120 days “as a display of our desire to help provide the right conditions for success”.
The full statement via Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said:
“Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Secretary Pompeo welcomed Prime Minister Kadhimi’s new government, which was confirmed by the Council of Representatives.
“They discussed the urgent hard work ahead for the Iraqi government, implementing reforms, addressing COVID-19, and fighting corruption. In support of the new government the United States will move forward with a 120-day electricity waiver as a display of our desire to help provide the right conditions for success.
“The Secretary and the Prime Minister also discussed the upcoming U.S.-Iraq strategic dialogue and how they look forward to working together to provide the Iraqi people the prosperity and security they deserve.“
(Source: US State Dept)
By John Lee.
Washington has renewed a waiver for Iraq to continue importing Iranian electricity, a US State Department official said.
“The Secretary granted this brief extension of the waiver to allow time for the formation of a credible government,” the official said, referring to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and added that the waiver would expire on May 26, according to Reuters.
Washington has repeatedly extended the exemption for Baghdad to use crucial Iranian energy supplies for its power grid, for periods of 90 or 120 days.
Earlier this month, Iraq’s president named intelligence chief Mustafa al-Kadhimi as prime minister-designate, the third person tapped to lead Iraq in just 10 weeks as it struggles to replace a government that fell last year after months of deadly protests.
“Once that government is in place, the Secretary will reassess whether to renew the waiver and for how long,” the US State Department official said.
The official added that the waiver applied only to electricity and referred to the Treasury Department for transactions related to Iranian natural gas imports.
Electricity Minister Luay al-Khatteeb told S&P Global Platts last week that Iraq needs three to four years to complete projects that would provide the necessary natural gas for its power stations.
(Sources: Tasnim, Reuters, S&P Global)
By John Lee.
At least three rockets are reported to have hit near Halliburton‘s site in the Burjesia area of Basra early on Monday morning.
It is understood that the incident caused no casualties or damage.
It is the first attack to target US energy interests in Iraq in recent months.
(Sources: S&P Global Platts, AP, Sputnik)
By Bryant Harris for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
US provides Aid to help Iraq fight Coronavirus
The US Embassy in Baghdad announced today that is providing $670,000 to help Iraq fight the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“Today’s announcement shows the strength of the US and Iraqi partnership, and we are committed to fighting this pandemic alongside the Iraqi people,” said US Ambassador to Iraq Matthew Tueller. “Support provided through the [World Health Organization] will directly enhance the country’s ability to combat the spread of COVID-19.”
By Bryant Harris for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
Coronavirus forces partial US troop drawdown in Iraq
The US-led global coalition to defeat the Islamic State announced today that the coronavirus pandemic has forced “temporary adjustments” in the mission against the terrorist group.
“The unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to the Iraqi and Syrian people, and to our mission, led to temporary adjustments to protect the force during this period, in full coordination with the Iraqi authorities,” the coalition said in a joint statement today released by the US State Department.
By Bryant Harris for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
Iraq likely to continue importing Iranian natural gas under US waiver renewal
Iraqi officials have indicated that the United States is likely to renew a key Iran sanctions waiver that will allow Baghdad to continue importing Iranian natural gas to fuel its electricity needs, the AP reported.
The three-month waiver is set to expire Thursday.
Iraq relies on Iranian imports to meet the lion’s share of its electricity needs in the face of shortages that have helped provoke widespread protests in recent years.
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(Picture credit: Tasnim, under Creative Commons licence)
By John Lee.
The head of Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI) has reportedly said that the bank would stop processing payments for Iranian gas imports if a US sanctions exemption expires next month.
Faisal al-Haimus told AFP:
“As a bank, the most important thing we have is that we are compliant (with international regulations). That’s why people trust us.”
Iraq relies heavily on Iran to support its struggling electricity sector.
When the United States imposed sanctions on Iran’s energy sector in 2018, it granted Iraq a series of temporary waivers to allow it to buy gas from Iran.
(Source: AFP)
By John Lee.
US-based Schlumberger has reported that Iraq has contributed to its revenue growth in the region.
In its full-year results for 2019, the company said:
“Sequential international growth was led by the Middle East & Asia area, where revenue increased 5% driven by higher year-end product sales in Kuwait, Iraq, and Oman.”
(Source: Schlumberger)