Cursor International executes projects and collaboration activities across several industries.
By Al-Monitor staff. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
Iraq’s coronavirus cases top 100,000 as Baghdad airport reopens
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Iraq exceeded 100,000 on Thursday as the country’s airport in Baghdad reopened to commercial flights for the first time since March.
The Higher Committee for Health and National Safety held a meeting in Baghdad on Monday via video conferencing under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Adil Abd Al-Mahdi.
The Committee reviewed and evaluated current measures to combat Covid-19 and received briefings from the Ministry of Health, specialists and officials from relevant ministries.
The Prime Minister commended the high degree of coordination between relevant government departments and the crisis cells across the country, which he said contributed to enabling Iraq to make progress in combating the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Odd-even’ rule for vehicles:
The Higher Committee decided that, based on even and odd numbered license plates, vehicles will be allowed on roads and public highways on alternate days. This measure comes into force on Tuesday 05 May 2020.
Helping families to return home:
The Higher Committee discussed how to assist families who, because of curfew and restrictions on movements, have been unable to travel between Iraqi provinces to return to their home.
The Committee said it is considering easing some restrictions for one day only to enable these families to return to their home towns, adding that it will make an announcement on this issue soon.
Restarting Iraq’s cement plants:
The Higher Committee also discussed plans to restart Iraq’s cement manufacturing plants to meet the needs of the local market and to maintain price stability.
Stay at home:
The Higher Committee called on all Iraqis to continue to stay at home, to go out only when absolutely necessary, and to comply with physical distancing rules.
(Source: Govt of Iraq)
Intelyse, a Sicuro Group company, has announced that it is will provide extraction flights for clients to get them home from Iraq.
It will fly people from Baghdad and Erbil to Doha, using a 150-seat Boeing 737-700.
The first flight goes into Iraq next week with a further two flights to follow.
(Source: Sicuro)
By John Lee.
Iraq has banned all public gatherings and barred entry to travellers from a number of countries affected by the coronavirus (covid19).
Entry permits are being denied to foreigners arriving directly or indirectly from China, Iran, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, Italy, and Singapore, until further notice.
Despite the ban on public gatherings, protesters continue to demonstrate in Baghdad and elsewhere.
(Sources: MOFA, Middle East Eye)
By John Lee.
Iraq’s Ministry of Health has confirmed the first case of the coronavirus (covid-19) in the country.
It said that an Iranian student had tested positive for the virus in Najaf.
The student is reported to have been immediately quarantined.
Following the announcement, Kuwaiti state news agency KUNA said that Kuwait’s civil aviation authority has suspended all its flights to and from Iraq.
The Kuwaiti Ports Authority has also banned the entry of ships from Iraq.
(Sources: Ministry of Health, Anadolu Agency, KUNA)
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
Iraq is setting up quarantine areas aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus from across the border with Iran.
Neighbouring Iran has reported its sixth death from the disease.
There are fears that hundreds of thousands of Iranian visitors to holy sites in Iraq could spread the virus.
Al Jazeera‘s Rob Matheson reports from the Iraqi capital Baghdad:
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
Iraq struggles to switch from use of imported fuel to national gas
The Iraqi government is trying to get people to switch from imported fuel to locally produced gas.
All new public transport vehicles must run on liquefied petroleum gas or LPG.
But despite awareness campaigns and government subsidy, users are reluctant to move away from traditional fuel.
Al Jazeera‘s Osama Bin Javaid reports from Baghdad:
From Peace to prosperity:
The Conference to find out what’s happening for Iraq business.
The Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) Autumn Conference in Dubai on December 8th is set against a backdrop of relative peace and security in Iraq, and the prospect of oil revenues surging through the economy is driving a wider range of business opportunities and a prospective 8% increase in GDP.
Peace is enabling the economy to diversify through the revenues that pay for a range of infrastructure projects. So this Autumn we are focusing on a range of sectors set to benefit from a stable Iraq: namely, Water, Transport and Logistics, Energy and Tech.
The recent protests have also spurred on Government reforms and incentives to drive employment, entrepreneurship and service diversity, and increase the volume of opportunity that lies ahead and the prospects for not just business-to-business but also a burgeoning consumer market.
The Iraqi Electricity Minister will likely be speaking about his reforms to open up the market to SME’s, training and new players. Other ministers including those from Construction and Transport are attending.
The recent announcement of a 10year tax-free period for SMEs in Iraq will also stimulate the Tech entrepreneur market and drive the uptake of engineering skills.
At this conference, we will discuss big-picture economics with Professor Frank Gunter (Lehigh University), Ahmed Tabaqchali (AFC Iraq Fund), and Simon Penny (UK Trade & Investment), who will address the economic backdrop in the Middle East, and the context for Iraq in particular.
The World Bank and Wood Plc will cover the water sector, while Rolls Royce, Basra Gateway Terminal (BGT), and Menzies will look at transport and logistics, and Iraq’s Electricity Minister, GE, Siemens and Enka will focus on energy.
Alongside the conference our Tech Forum brings experts on HealthTech and Educational Tech, including speakers from GE, Siemens Healthcare, KPMG, EY, Google and the British Council, among others.
While key opportunities will be outlined, the real opportunity for business is to meet the people directly involved in contracts and supply-chain opportunities. This is the place to do business, to network and to find out what’s happening in the Middle East’s most potentially dynamic market that is Iraq.
For further information and to find the latest updates on speakers – more are expected – please contact london@webuildiraq.org or visit the website to register for tickets.
https://iraqbritainbusiness.org/event/autumn-conference-at-the-address-hotel-dubai
The year it’s all on the up…
From Peace to prosperity:
The Conference to find out what’s happening for Iraq business.
The Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) Autumn Conference in Dubai on December 8th is set against a backdrop of relative peace and security in Iraq, and the prospect of oil revenues surging through the economy is driving a wider range of business opportunities and a prospective 8% increase in GDP.
Peace is enabling the economy to diversify through the revenues that pay for a range of infrastructure projects. So this Autumn we are focusing on a range of sectors set to benefit from a stable Iraq: namely, Water, Transport and Logistics, Energy and Tech.
The recent protests have also spurred on Government reforms and incentives to drive employment, entrepreneurship and service diversity, and increase the volume of opportunity that lies ahead and the prospects for not just business-to-business but also a burgeoning consumer market.
The Iraqi Electricity Minister will likely be speaking about his reforms to open up the market to SME’s, training and new players. Other ministers including those from Construction and Transport are attending.
The recent announcement of a 10year tax-free period for SMEs in Iraq will also stimulate the Tech entrepreneur market and drive the uptake of engineering skills.
At this conference, we will discuss big-picture economics with Professor Frank Gunter (Lehigh University), Ahmed Tabaqchali (AFC Iraq Fund), and Simon Penny (UK Trade & Investment), who will address the economic backdrop in the Middle East, and the context for Iraq in particular.
The World Bank and Wood Plc will cover the water sector, while Rolls Royce, Basra Gateway Terminal (BGT), and Menzies will look at transport and logistics, and Iraq’s Electricity Minister, GE, Siemens and Enka will focus on energy.
Alongside the conference our Tech Forum brings experts on HealthTech and Educational Tech, including speakers from GE, Siemens Healthcare, KPMG, EY, Google and the British Council, among others.
While key opportunities will be outlined, the real opportunity for business is to meet the people directly involved in contracts and supply-chain opportunities. This is the place to do business, to network and to find out what’s happening in the Middle East’s most potentially dynamic market that is Iraq.
For further information and to find the latest updates on speakers – more are expected – please contact london@webuildiraq.org or visit the website to register for tickets.
https://iraqbritainbusiness.org/event/autumn-conference-at-the-address-hotel-dubai
The year it’s all on the up…
By John Lee.
Iran has reportedly reassured Iraq that there will be freedom of international maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (pictured) gave the reassurances to an Iraqi delegation visiting Tehran.
(Source: Reuters)