Category: Security

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Iraq Immediate Stabilisation Programming, FY17-18

The Iraq Governance and Security and Justice Programmes are key in delivering the UK’s mission to support the Iraqi Government and people as they build a stable, prosperous and democratic nation.

Working with the Government of Iraq, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the UNDP, CSSF funding has helped to rebuild essential infrastructure in areas liberated from Daesh, and cleared it of explosive hazards, enabling over 3.6m people to return home and access basic services, including healthcare, education, water and electricity.

CSSF support to the UNDP-led Funding Facility for Stabilisation, a multi-donor pooled fund, has helped deliver over 1,500 stabilisation projects restoring services and essential infrastructure in liberated areas. UNDP has staff deployed across Iraq, including embedded stabilisation advisors in 10 municipalities to support project planning.

The programme has provided cash for work for both men and women, and stimulated local business through reconstruction contracts. Over 15,000 residents earned a wage whilst restoring their homes and city.

Inclusion is critical to the stabilisation effort—and women have been recruited as engineers, social workers and in local councils. In total over 2,000 jobs and more than 1,000 small business grants have been created for women, and over 1,000 vulnerable women and female headed households have benefitted from cash for work programmes.

As well as the ‘pooled’ Funding Facility for Stabilisation projects, CSSF funding has specifically paid for the rehabilitation of a water plant serving over 300,000 people in Mosul and repaired over 2,000 homes in the city.

In Mosul the UNMAS demining programme has facilitated the removal of more than 585,000 explosive hazards, helping to enable the return of nearly 1 million people. Clearance locations include Al Khansa Hospital in Mosul and four schools in Al Qayarra, helping 1,286 children return to school.

To download the full report from the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, please click here.

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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)

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Video: Protests Outside Oil Field near Basra

From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

People are still protesting across southern Iraq, despite a promise by the prime minister to create jobs and improve public services.

The unrest began in the oil-rich province of Basra last week and has spread to several other large cities.

Demonstrators say they’re not benefitting from Iraq’s vast oil wealth, because of government corruption and mismanagement.

Al Jazeera‘s Osama Bin Javaid reports:

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Basra Protests: Oil Minister Orders More Jobs

By John Lee.

Protestors took to the streets of Basra for the fourth day on Wednesday, protesting the killing of a demonstrator by security forces, and demanding jobs and public services.

According to AFP, protesters also blocked the road leading to the oilfields of West Qurna, while international oil companies (IOCs) have reportedly moved senior staff out of the area for their security.

On Tuesday, the Cabinet approved measures to improve the delivery of essential public services in Basra province, with a focus on improving the supply of electricity to homes and businesses.

It also “instructed Iraq’s embassies, consulates and all border entry points to apply new visa and residency fees for foreign nationals seeking to enter Iraq“.

The Cabinet voted to establish a specialist committee staffed by teams from the Planning and the Construction & Housing Ministries to assess the value of resuming several incomplete or suspended projects, and instructed the Ministry of Finance to speed up the allocation of funds for projects that are deemed suitable for completion.

Meanwhile, Oil Minister Jabar Ali al-Luaibi [Allibi, Luiebi] ordered “secondary contractor companies in West Qurna oil field to provide new jobs for the citizens of the neighbor towns near to the field“, and to “provide additional jobs for the citizens of Shatt Al-Arab district and the other towns“.

“Otherwise“, he added, “the Ministry will take the appropriate procedures towards the companies that violates the directions“.

(Sources: AFP, Iraqi Cabinet, Ministry of Oil)

(Picture credit: Ahmed Mahmoud)

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Iraqi Red Crescent provides Assistance in Mosul

One year after the events of Mosul ended in July 2017, the Iraqi Red Crescent teams continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the residents inside the city or to the displaced who face some challenges to return to their homes after their homes have been damaged.

After thousands of houses were destroyed, roads and bridges were damaged, and water station, as well as sanitation facilities, were destroyed by heavy fighting, the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS) in cooperation with its partners in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement installs water purification stations and installs (65) water tanks with a capacity of 5000 liters distributed in the old neighborhoods of Mosul.

Relief official for the Iraqi Red Crescent Society, Haidar Kassem, says:

“The IRCS teams distribute more than (350,000) liters of water per day covering Mosul’s old city and this is done by transporting water from the water station in the Ghazalani area by IRCS water truck and then all tanks which were distributed in the old city neighborhoods will be filled”.

“The IRCS teams continue to provide the needs of the families in their residential areas and the displaced in the camps such as the distribution of food parcels for families in their residential areas as well as provide hot food meals for the families in the displacement camps not to mention provide some special needs of children and women.

“IRCS Health teams continue to receive and treat more 130 cases per day and specialist medical staff give medicine to the patient in the Health center and mobile clinic of the IRCS.”

(Source: IRCS)

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EU Supports Conflict-Affected Iraqi Families

Vulnerable farming families in post-conflict areas in Iraq’s Ninewa plains, west of Mosul, will be able to better withstand shocks thanks to a European Union-funded UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) project that aims to increase household income while building, repairing and maintaining local infrastructure and creating communal and public productive assets.

The €6 million project funded by the Madad Fund – the European Union’s Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian crisis – is part of FAO’s Recovery and Resilience Programme. The programme contributes to reducing chronic, or acute food insecurity, malnutrition, poverty, and associated risks and vulnerabilities in Iraq’s agriculture sector.

“The European Union has responded promptly to the very urgent needs of the most vulnerable families that were affected by the conflict in northern parts of Iraq,” said Fadel El-Zubi, FAO Representative in Iraq. “Thanks to the support from the European Union, households will enhance their resilience and ability to cope with shocks by increasing their net earnings,” he said.

Cash-for-work to improve access to water

Through cash-for-work activities, 1 250 households will be able to earn an income, directly benefiting around 7 500 people. Critically, the results of this work will also enable farmers to access water for crop irrigation and livestock, through the rehabilitation and construction of water catchments, roads, river embankments and secondary canals.

“Once these important agricultural assets and irrigation infrastructure are restored, the project will provide water for 70 000 hectares of currently unproductive land that can be used for winter wheat crops, and the spring and autumn vegetable seasons,” El-Zubi said. “This means 30 000 vulnerable farming households (180 000 people) will be able to produce food on their land again.”

Many of the families participating in the cash-for-work component of the project have no other income. Participants include women and other marginalized groups, with the work benefiting the community as well as individuals and families.

FAO’s humanitarian response

As the Government of Iraq moves towards a focus on rehabilitation and recovery, humanitarian needs remain. Under the Humanitarian Response Plan 2018, FAO requires $10.2 million to assist 116 100 people in the areas of livestock, plant pest outbreak control and food security coordination.

Over the longer term, under the Iraq Recovery and Resilience Programme 2018-2019, FAO requires $76 million to assist 1.6 million people by restoring agriculture and water systems and revitalizing communities.

FAO’s focus remains on ensuring rural families have the resources to re-establish and secure their agricultural livelihoods and build their resilience into the future. FAO’s work, in close coordination with the Iraqi government, supports families returning to retaken areas, internally displaced families, host communities and refugees from Syria.

(Source: UN)

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UK Starts Corruption Proceedings against Unaoil

The UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has commenced criminal proceedings against Unaoil Monaco SAM and Unaoil Ltd as part of an ongoing corruption prosecution.

This follows charges already brought against four individuals for alleged conspiracy to make corrupt payments to secure the award of contracts in Iraq.

Unaoil Ltd has been summonsed with two offences of conspiracy to give corrupt payments, contrary to section (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 and section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.

This relates to alleged corrupt payments to secure the award of a contract worth US$733 million to Leighton Contractors Singapore PTE Ltd for a project to build two oil pipelines in southern Iraq.

Unaoil Monaco SAM has been summonsed with two offences of conspiracy to give corrupt payments, contrary to section (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 and section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.

The charges relate to alleged corrupt payments to secure the award of contracts in Iraq to Unaoil’s client SBM Offshore.

The first appearance for the companies will be held at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 18 July 2018.

(Source: SFO)

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Video: Angelina Jolie visits Devastated Mosul

From AFP. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie visits West Mosul, less than a year after the city’s liberation.

The visit marks Jolie’s 61st mission – and her fifth visit to Iraq – with the UN Refugee Agency since 2001.

She arrives in the city on the second day of the Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan.

View on YouTube

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New Charges in Unaoil Investigation re $733m Contract

The UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has brought further charges against two individuals facing trial in relation to the Unaoil investigation.

Basil Al Jarah and Ziad Akle have both been charged with conspiracy to give corrupt payments to secure the award of a contract worth US$733 million to Leighton Contractors Singapore PTE Ltd for a project to build two oil pipelines in southern Iraq.

  • Basil Al Jarah was charged on 15 May 2018 with two offences of conspiracy to give corrupt payments, contrary to section (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.
  • Ziad Akle was charged on 16 May 2018 with one offence of conspiracy to give corrupt payments, contrary to section (1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.

Basil Al Jarah and Ziad Akle will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 23 May 2018.

The SFO would like to thank the Australian Federal Police for the assistance it provided in connection with our investigation.

The investigation is ongoing.

(Source: SFO)

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Running for the Children of Iraq

Bright and early last Saturday morning, runners in the Washington, DC area took off when the starting gun fired.

It was the sixth annual IN THEIR SHOES 5K for Iraq’s most vulnerable children.  This year, for the first time, the US-based 5K was joined by a “sister” 5K in Basra, Iraq, hosted by BP.

Veterans, Iraqi-Americans, diplomats, businesses, children, and families all joined to raise awareness and support for Iraq’s orphans, street kids, and displaced children.  The result?  A record $59,000 was raised to deliver tutoring, legal protection, nutrition, health care, and childhood fun to some of the most vulnerable and at risk kids in Iraq.

Joined by Iraq’s Ambassador to the United States Fareed Yasseen, the three Youth Ambassadors for the 5K – Humoody, Teeba, and Ala’a – served as the faces and voices of children back in Iraq.

Team Teeba won for the largest 5K team with 33 registered, and the Iraqi-American Young Professionals (IAYP) came in second with 23.  Tim Reilly and Veronica Scott took home trophies for first place in the men and women’s division.

Looking for your race time?  Check here.  Pictures of the event?  Check out recent posts and an album on our ICF Facebook page.

The race was followed by an after party with music by Salaam Band, dancing,  and Iraqi food.  Our friends at Old Town’s Casa Rosada Artisan Gelato provided free gelato for everyone, and there was face painting and balloon animals for the kids.  At a table hosted by Kids Giving Hope to Kids, special drawings were made for Hope Bus kids in Baghdad

To each of you who ran or walked, donated or volunteered, the Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF) expresses its deepest appreciation.  Thanks for being a part of the team to deliver love and hope to Iraq’s children!

(Source: ICF)

(Photo credits: George Banker and BP)