News From Iraq
U.S. forces lift siege from al-Aazamiya
Baghdad, 27 June 2007 (Voices of Iraq)
U.S. forces lifted a five-day siege from al-Aazamiya, northern Baghdad, local residents said on Tuesday.
“U.S. forces removed barricades from the outlets to the neighborhood and allowed residents to go to work after a siege that lasted for five days following Thursday’s bombing of a U.S. vehicle and an attack on an Iraqi army checkpoint,” an eyewitness told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
Another eyewitness told VOI, “technicians and workers started fixing water pipes damaged in the bombings and clashes last week and now the electricity is back.”
U.S. forces had asked residents of al-Aazamiya via microphone to report any armed groups in the area and were allowing only pedestrians in or out.
_______
18 suspected gunmen arrested in Diala
Baghdad, 27 June 2007 (Voices of Iraq)
Eighteen suspected gunmen were arrested in Hamrin mountain and al-Muqdadiya, Diala province, an Iraqi army official said on Tuesday.
“A joint Iraqi-U.S. force launched a security raid in Hamrin mountain in search of runaway gunmen within Operation Arrowhead Ripper, arresting eight suspected members of al-Qaeda Organization in Iraq, including two carrying Syrian passports, and seizing arms and ammunition,” the source, who declined to be named, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The same source also said “Iraqi and Multi-National Force troops started a wide-scale security campaign in al-Muqdadiya, (45 km) northeast of Baaquba, within Arrowhead Ripper in Diala, arresting 10 suspected gunmen.”
“The raid ended on Tuesday morning without any casualties in the security forces’ ranks,” said the source, adding “two vehicles rigged with explosives were seized.”
Operation Arrowhead Ripper, launched more than a week ago in Baaquba, capital of Diala province, 57 km northeast of Baghdad, involves more than 10,000 Iraqi and U.S. troops targeting members of al-Qaeda and other armed groups there.
______
Maliki declares package of important decisions
Baghdad, 26 June 2007 (Al-Sabaah)
Prime Minister Noori Maliki declares package of important decisions which aim to serve Iraq and its future.
While Mr. Abdulazzez Alhakeem confirmed that the Govt. still powerful and has wide public support, four main political parties agreed on national principles of constant political project for the Govt. and democratic process.
Meanwhile, Islamic Dawa party and Islamic supreme council formed joint secretariat to face recent challenges and support the Govt.
________
MP: New constitutional changes serve Iraq’s unity
Baghdad, 26 June 2007 (Al-Sabaah)
Sheikh Humam Hamodi, chairman of foreign relations committee in Parliament, confirmed that new constitutional changes would serve Iraq’s interest and unity stressed on that Iraq wouldn’t become base or panel to attack neighbors.
Hamodi added at his meeting with Turkish ambassador that Govt. believes in importance of Iraq’s unity besides giving real opportunities to develop and prosperity the territories.
While Hamodi put forth on the ambassador activating parliament friendship committee between the two countries as what happens with other friendship committees.
_______
Iran firm wins Iraq power deal
Iran, 27 June 2007 (AME Info FZ LLC)
Iran’s Saneer Company has been appointed head contractor for the construction of a gas-fired power plant in Iraq, the Tehran Times reported.
The Sadr plant will have two units each with 157MW capacity. An official said $150m will initially be invested in the project.
________
Dubai School of Government organises training programme for Iraqi officials
United Arab Emirates, 26 June 2007 (AME Info FZ LLC)
The Dubai School of Government organised a five-day training programme for Iraqi government officials to address issues related to rebuilding the government sector.
The ‘Exploring Strategic Planning for the Government Sector’ programme targeted PA to ministers, under-secretaries and CEO’s to help them develop leadership and policy-making skills based on the global best practices and the UAE’s own experience.
The participants attended a presentation by Ohood Al Roumi, Executive Director at the UAE Prime Minister’s Office. The presentation featured preparatory procedures for the UAE Federal Government Strategy and the various stages of the Dubai Strategy Plan 2015. In addition, it also gave an insight into the strategies of the UAE Ministry of Interior and Labour as well as the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority.
Tarik Yousef, Dean of the Dubai School of Government, said: ‘The participants from Iraq focused on developing strategies for their ministries, including formulating the mission, vision and objectives. We are glad to offer knowledge and expertise to the Arab World to help nurture leaders capable of resolving the present day challenges.’
Dr. Abbas Mahdi, Senior Consultant to the Iraqi Prime minister’s Office, said: ‘The creation of government departments in Iraq is going ahead at a slow but steady pace despite various challenges.’
Dr. Mahdi praised the UAE’s successful experience in promoting government excellence, encouraging individual creativity, developing a strategy capable of dealing with contemporary challenges and concentrating on human development.
The programme included lectures from Dr. Tarik Yousef, Dr. Tarek Abdul Qader Hatem, Senior Research Fellow at the Dubai School of Government and Khaled Al Gohary, Manager of the Executive Education Programmes at Dubai School of Government.
________
Forest allocations exceed 6,000,000,000 IQD
26 June 2007 (Iraq Directory)
The General Company of Horticulture and Forestry in the Ministry of Agriculture began implementing a national project to develop forests in Iraq, to be implemented over four years with allocations exceeding 6,000,000,000 IQD.
An authorized ministry source statement said it prepared an integrated plan last year to compensate for trees in forests subject to indiscriminate cutting over the past two decades, especially in man-made forests covering 6000 hectares at the time of the fall of the regime. Forest improvement last year used allocations exceeding 810,000,000 IQD for development of existing forests and establishment of others, both man-made and natural.
The source stressed the importance of the project, which will introduce new species and varieties of international origin in order to improve the environment, provide economic return from timber production, protect the soil from erosion and runoff, maintain river basins, moderate climate, minimize damage from dust storms, and stop sand encroachment or desertification in governorates in southern and central Iraq.
Meanwhile, 180 farming divisions in all provinces began tree farming on 50,000 sq. m for a total area of over nine thousand dunums.
An official source at the Department of Planning and Follow-up claimed agricultural divisions began operations on their allocated areas starting from scratch. He expressed confidence that the completion of the mini-forest projects in each division will be valuable “seed†experiences for wide future implementation.
________
Revitalizing Tourism
Revitalizing the Iraqi tourism economy
26 June 2007 (Iraq Directory)
An economic expert stated that the tourism sector in Iraq was never given the attention it deserves as an important economic sector in supporting development.
Dr. Ali Al-Manii of the Economic Studies Center said in a press statement, “The successful development of tourism in any country must focus on its most enjoyed areas; and since Iraq is a tourist country, according to world rankings, those responsible, especially the Ministry of State for Tourism and Antiquities, must work under the provisions of the National Development Strategy issued by the Ministry of Planning in this concern.”
He added, “Acceleration in tourism sector development will lead to economic diversification and help other sectors. Regrettably, the obstacles standing in the way of developing this sector were not analysed because of the security situation and because tourist facilities are spread throughout Iraq. Therefore it is necessary to develop and improve basic services which affect such development.”
Al-Manii noted that “Foreign or local investments could revitalize the production and service sectors associated with development of tourism and support the government’s efforts.”
He said, “Iraq does not need [a distinct] tourism industry because it is [naturally] a tourist country. So it is necessary to consider the characteristic Iraqi when transforming to the market economy; local economies are not part of official market economics at the present time, leaving the door open for universities to prepare special studies, in conjunction with local advisory offices.”
________
Three industrial plants put up for investment in Basra
Basra, 26 June 2007 (Voices of Iraq)
Three industrial plants were put up for investment in Basra and a number of companies made bids that are still under discussion by the local government, Deputy President of Basra’s municipal council Nasif Jassim al-Abbadi said on Sunday.
A fertilizer plant in Abi al-Khasib, southern Basra, in addition to petrochemical and iron and steel plants “were put up for investment. The local government has received many bids for them from Iraqi and foreign investors,” al-Abbadi said during a conference held today at the headquarters of the council.
“Bids will be open to select the best offer in the coming period,” he added.
According to the deputy president, developing industrial plants will produce significant benefits for Iraqi industry. Combating widespread unemployment, providing cash flow and developing other sectors are some of the benefits, which al-Abbadi said investment will bring.
After the collapse of the former Iraqi regime, most of Basra’s industrial plants were partly or wholly closed because of negligence or destruction.
Set up in the 1970s with a productivity of one million tons, Abi al-Khasib’s chemical fertilizer plant is currently working at half its productivity.
The General Company for Petrochemical Industries in western Basra was established in 1978 with a capital of 400 million Iraqi dinars ($318,699). It aimed to process one million tons of natural gas to produce 150,000 tons of petrochemical products, including plastic grains and liquid chlorine.
The iron and steel factory in Khour al-Zubeir neighborhood in western Basra was manufacturing steel wire and sponge iron and has been shut down since 2003 because of a lack of raw materials and inadequate maintenance. IraqUpdates