Cursor International executes projects and collaboration activities across several industries.
By John Lee.
US-based Honeywell has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the South Gas Company (SGC) to process 300 million cubic meters of gas per day from the Artawi field in southern Iraq.
(Source: Oil Ministry)
By John Lee.
Oil services firm TechnipFMC (TFMC) has agreed to pay $296 million to resolve allegations that the company paid bribes in Brazil and Iraq.
TFMC is the product of a 2017 merger between two predecessor companies, Technip S.A. and FMC Technologies, Inc..
The admissions and court documents establish that beginning by at least 2008 and continuing until at least 2013, FMC conspired to violate the US’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by paying bribes to at least seven government officials in Iraq, including officials at the Ministry of Oil, the South Oil Company (SOC) and the Missan Oil Company (MOC), through a Monaco-based intermediary company in order to win secure improper business advantages and to influence those foreign officials to obtain and retain business for FMC Technologies in Iraq.
(Source: US Justice Dept)
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
Iraq exports around 3.5 million barrels of oil a day.
Heightened regional tensions between the US and Iran and recent attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf have heightened security fears.
The government of Iraq is worried about the threat to its oil exports – and how its economy could suffer.
Al Jazeera‘s Charles Stratford reports:
Actress Alia Shawkat Designs Exclusive Tee for 5K to Benefit Iraqi Children
Iraqi-American performer and producer, Alia Shawkat, is best known for her acting work in TV shows like Arrested Development and films like Whip It and The Runaways.
She is also a talented artist, with her contemporary works featuring in high profile gallery shows including at the Known Gallery and Dilettante Gallery in LA.
This year, Ms Shawkat joins the Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF) to design a custom t-shirt for their upcoming “In Their Shoes” 5K race in Alexandria VA, on June 22nd.
Ms Shawkat’s artistic style is a playful and contemporary mix of colors and textures, often taking the form of abstract cartoons.
“I’ve grown more and more curious as I’ve gotten older about my father’s heritage”, says Ms Shawkat.
“I’ve travelled to the Middle East and feel such a strong connection to the people and the environment.”
“The more misunderstood Arabs and the Muslim culture are in America, the deeper my urge is to share the beauty of our culture with Americans and in my art”.
Ms Shawkat’s father came to America from Baghdad in the 1970s with only $200 in his pocket, and eventually started his own business.
Her father has been an active participant in charitable giving for children in Iraq, and this commitment clearly runs in the family.
“I’m open to every opportunity that allows me to help children in need”, says Ms Shawkat.
Iraqi Children Foundation invests in education, legal protection, and medical on-the-ground support for Iraq’s most vulnerable orphans and street children.
An investment in these children is an investment in the future of Iraq.
In 2018, ICF provided 14,200 meals for children enrolled in their education programs, and handled 675 legal cases for children, including the victims of sex trafficking.
Without these critical services, these children are vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and exploitation by criminals, traffickers, and extremists.
The event, now in its 7th year, promises to be a fun family-friendly morning, with an after party including Iraqi music, snacks, and entertainment.
For those who can’t make it to Alexandria, donations can be made via the same link, or registrants can sign up and note and note their location as a “remote runner” in the comments (ICF will send remote runner’s shirts with free shipping in continental US).
Race details:
ICF’s “In Their Shoes” 5K will be held at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) at 0800 on June 22, 2019 (registration opens at 0700).
Registration link: https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/OldTownAlexandria/InTheirShoes5KIraq
For more information please contact Liz McRae: liz@iraqichildren.org, +1.202.790.1109
Actress Alia Shawkat Designs Exclusive Tee for 5K to Benefit Iraqi Children
Iraqi-American performer and producer, Alia Shawkat, is best known for her acting work in TV shows like Arrested Development and films like Whip It and The Runaways.
She is also a talented artist, with her contemporary works featuring in high profile gallery shows including at the Known Gallery and Dilettante Gallery in LA.
This year, Ms Shawkat joins the Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF) to design a custom t-shirt for their upcoming “In Their Shoes” 5K race in Alexandria VA, on June 22nd.
Ms Shawkat’s artistic style is a playful and contemporary mix of colors and textures, often taking the form of abstract cartoons.
“I’ve grown more and more curious as I’ve gotten older about my father’s heritage”, says Ms Shawkat.
“I’ve travelled to the Middle East and feel such a strong connection to the people and the environment.”
“The more misunderstood Arabs and the Muslim culture are in America, the deeper my urge is to share the beauty of our culture with Americans and in my art”.
Ms Shawkat’s father came to America from Baghdad in the 1970s with only $200 in his pocket, and eventually started his own business.
Her father has been an active participant in charitable giving for children in Iraq, and this commitment clearly runs in the family.
“I’m open to every opportunity that allows me to help children in need”, says Ms Shawkat.
Iraqi Children Foundation invests in education, legal protection, and medical on-the-ground support for Iraq’s most vulnerable orphans and street children.
An investment in these children is an investment in the future of Iraq.
In 2018, ICF provided 14,200 meals for children enrolled in their education programs, and handled 675 legal cases for children, including the victims of sex trafficking.
Without these critical services, these children are vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and exploitation by criminals, traffickers, and extremists.
The event, now in its 7th year, promises to be a fun family-friendly morning, with an after party including Iraqi music, snacks, and entertainment.
For those who can’t make it to Alexandria, donations can be made via the same link, or registrants can sign up and note and note their location as a “remote runner” in the comments (ICF will send remote runner’s shirts with free shipping in continental US).
Race details:
ICF’s “In Their Shoes” 5K will be held at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) at 0800 on June 22, 2019 (registration opens at 0700).
Registration link: https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/OldTownAlexandria/InTheirShoes5KIraq
For more information please contact Liz McRae: liz@iraqichildren.org, +1.202.790.1109
By Hamdi Malik for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
ExxonMobil evacuated dozens of its non-Iraqi employees from Iraq on May 18. The evacuation follows a US State Department decision to withdraw its non-essential staff from the US Embassy in Baghdad and its consulate in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.
The US oil company relocated its employees to Dubai, where they will continue their work related to the West Qurna-1 oil field in Basra. The company announced May 31 that it will begin returning its employees from June 2 after the Iraqi government promised to increase the security measures in the site.
By John Lee.
Contrary to recent reports that the US had granted a waiver to Iraq to allow it to continue buying power from Iran, a State Department spokeswoman reportedly said on Wednesday that this was not the case.
Reuters quotes Morgan Ortagus as telling reporters that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has not made a decision on this issue.
(Source: Reuters)
By Mustafa Saadoun for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
US grants Iraq reprieve to continue buying Iranian gas
The United States has decided to grant Iraq a third 90-day sanctions waiver so it can continue to purchase gas from its sole provider, Iran, giving Baghdad some much-needed breathing room.
On May 22 in Baghdad, Joey Hood, US chargé d’affaires in Iraq, stressed to reporters that the waivers will not continue indefinitely, so the United States is working with Iraq to reduce its dependence on Iran.
By John Lee.
At its regular meeting in Baghdad on Tuesday, the Iraqi Cabinet received a briefing on negotiations led by Iraq’s Ministry of Oil with ExxonMobil and PetroChina on the Southern Iraq Integrated Project.
In a statement, the government describes the project as “a mega energy and infrastructure scheme consisting of building oil pipelines, storage facilities and a seawater supply project to inject water from the Gulf into reservoirs to increase oil production and Iraq’s export capacity.”
According to Reuters, Iraq is close to signing the $53-billion, 30-year agreement, from which it expects to make $400 billion over the life of the project.
It quotes the Prime Minister as saying that it will involve increasing production at the Nahr Bin Umar and Artawi oilfields from around 125,000 barrels per day (bpd) now to 500,000 bpd.
(Sources: Iraqi Cabinet, Reuters)
U.S. Government to Provide Additional $100 Million for Iraq Stabilization
US Chargé d’Affaires Joey Hood has announced that the United States Government intends to provide an additional $100 million to help stabilize liberated areas once held by the Islamic State.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide the funds to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). With this $100 million contribution, the U.S. Government will have provided $358 million to stabilization efforts in Iraq since 2015.
The Funding Facility for Stabilization is supported by the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and managed in cooperation with the Government of Iraq.
The United States and the GOI are committed to creating the conditions to allow displaced Iraqis to return to their homes and start to rebuild their lives. Strengthened with new funding, this stabilization program will restore essential services, such as water, electricity, sewage, health, housing, and education.
In his announcement, the Chargé called on Anbar’s elected officials, tribal sheikhs, and residents to protect the project work sites and do their part to re-integrate back into their communities all displaced Iraqis who wished to return home.
(Source: U.S. Embassy Baghdad)