Economic Development in the South Region of Iraq. 1: Basra Province. (1) JICA Representatives Meets Basra ports officials. Source : scp.gov.

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1 Economic Development in the South Region of Iraq 1: Basra Province (1) JICA Representatives Meets Basra ports officials Source : scp.gov.iq Date : 25 February 2014 The Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA team held on February 25-26, 2014, a meeting at BIH with the officials of the State Company for Ports (SCP) and the Industrial Committee of Basra PC to discuss the master plan of the second phase of the Yen Loan for , which was presented by JICA to rehabilitate the ports of Iraq. Miss Anwar Mudalal Shuber, Head of Industrial Committee of Basra PC, said that the final draft of plan will be sent to the Iraqi government and Parliament for approval. Captin Hussain Mohmmaed, Head of the Japan's loan team at Um Qasr port added that the first phase of the Yen Loan projects contributed in enhancing the ports capacity to enable the ports recieving large ships and developing the trading exchanges in the ports. (2) Shamara Group awarded two IPP power plant deals Sources : Iraq Oil Report Date : 26 February 2014 Shamara Group granted investment licenses for two new power plants that are expected to add 4,500 megawatts to Iraq s power supply. The licenses for 15-year, build-own-operate contracts were awarded by Iraq s National Investment Commission to two Iraqi companies. Shamara Group will build a 3,000 megawatt plant in Rumaila, in Basra. Shamara Group is a group of well-established companies, which are considered among the leading companies in the fields of Power Generation, Oil and Gas, Industrial Investment, Telecommunication, Steel Manufacturing, Infrastructure Construction and Properties development in Iraq. The Group also has presence in other Arab countries. Drawing on its substantial investments in building its capital and human resources, and backed by a long history in business, the Group continues 1

2 to expand both in current lines of business, and other indust ries in Iraq and other Arab countries. Shamara Group has executed the first BOOT (Build Own Operate Transfer) co ntract in 2004 for AlM uthana Cement Power Plant. 2 : Thi-Qar Province 3 :Maysan Province (1) Maysan airport to be rehabilitated Source : al-shorfa Date :26,Feburay,2014 A 20 iqdb ($17 million) project to rehabilitate Maysan airport has begun. Maysan province spokesman, Zahi Abdul Wahid al-bazouni, said "A coalition of three British and local Iraqi companies started executing the project, which includes developing and modernizing the old airport in the province to enable it to receive international flights from various world countries.the project includes building new runways, rehabilitating and expanding arrival and departure terminals, developing the monitoring and air simulation system and training employees. The project funded by the federal government's regional development budget. 2

3 Political Development in the South Region of Iraq 1: Basra Province (2) Basra Governor call UK to re-open its Consulate Source: IraqNews Date: 20 February, 2014 Basra Governor Majeed Nasrawi, called UK to increase its investment and re-open the consulate of the UK in the province. The British Ambassador for Iraq, announced that his government intends to open an office in Basra to grant Visa for businessmen and citizens of Basra who want to travel to UK. Moreover, Nasrawi stressed the need for the good experienced UK s companies contribution in Basra s strategic projects within 2014 plan, especially in tourism,and infrastructure, for his part, the UK Ambassador expressed his desire for pushing the UK's companies to increase its activities and presence in Basra to strengthen the bilateral relations between local government in Basra and UK. (2) UK shows its readiness to twin its oil city, Aberdeen with Basra. Source:ar.Basrah.gov Date: 23 February 2014 The Charged` affaire of UK in Iraq, Mark Person expressed the desire of his government to make a twin between Aberdeen (the Britain oil city) and Basra province.during the meeting, Basra`s governor (BGO),Majed Nessaroui said that Basra is becoming an attractive city for foreign companies as a result of the stabllity of the security situation and as an example of the stable of security situation, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs and, Ambassador and The Charged` affaire of the UK offered to make a twin of one of their cities with Basra.The delegation of the UK expressed his admires towards the paln of 2014,which prepared by the local government to encourage the international companies to invest in Basra. The Charged` affaire of UK, invited BGO to visit UK in the next summer, an set up an office in Basra to facilitate between the two countries. Basra`s governor emphasized through his speech in the first investment conference that hold in Farahedi chamber in the international Basra hotel (Basra is ready to receive all foreign companies and investors), emphasizing that (providing all requirements of delegations such as Visa and others. 3

4 (3) South Oil Company employees demand share of accumulated revenues Source: Alsumaria Date: 25 February 2014 Hundreds of South Oil Company s employees protested at the Audit Supreme Board Directorate calling for dispatching their share of the annual revenues with a retroactive effect dating back to The main goal of the protests was to call upon the Audit Supreme Board to deliver accumulated revenues to the employees, said Abdul Karim Abdul Sada, a social activist and organizer of this demonstration. He revealed that the protestors called upon the Audi Supreme Board to unveil the real amount of South Oil Company s revenues for the last few years and then urge the company s management to give out the employees share of the gains with a retroactive effect dating back to The South Oil Company must distribute 10% of its gains to the employees however not a single Dinar was given out, mentioned Abdul Sada. He added that what pushed us to protest at the Audit Supreme Board was the delay in approving the final accounts of the company so mistakes can be spotted; consequently the company cannot pay the shares of the beneficiaries.the employees will continue to demonstrate until they receive their shares and other demands are met such as improving the employees situation in oil fields, in addition signing permanent contracts with contractual employees who have been working with the company for years especially that most of them are on the verge of retirement, pointed out Abdul Sada. The employees only resort was to protest and demand their rights, said Abdullah Kadhem Obeid who works in the Engineering Department of South Oil Company. He considered that it s inacceptable for South Oil Company, the most influential symbol of the Iraqi economy, not to have a clear picture of last year s gains. We also refuse the solution of dividing the revenues and dispatching them in installments. We want our share in one installment. 4

5 2: Thi-Qar Province (1)Turkish delegation visits Thi-Qar Source : Date :24 February 2014 Thi-Qar governor, Mohammded Al Nasiri, discussed with Turkish Counsel in Basra the means of promoting bilateral relations between Turkey and Thi-Qar. Turkish Counsel in Basra, Tolkan Arokon, announced that the Turkish companies seek to invest in Thi-Qar province. Security Development in the South Region of Iraq 1: Basra Province (1) Basra Operation Commander meets Basra Ports Director Source : scp.gov.iq Date : 24,Feburay,2104 Mr. Abedal Ameer Alami,Basra Operation Commander and Captain, Umarn Radhi, the Director of Basra Ports have discussed the security situation of the ports and how they can provide secure environment to the activities of the ports. This might be come as one of security preparations to avoid new attacks. It is worth mentioning that a truck bomb exploded at Iraq's main commodities port near the oil-exporting southern of Basra in August,2013, wounding four people, but officials said shipping traffic at the Um Qasr docks was not affected. The security situation in the four Southern provinces remained calm but the security forces put all its troopes under emergency alert because of Anbar s crisis. from other side, the police forces in Basra in the past few days set up a number of checkpoints in several areas of the province and managed to arrest four wanted persons and 30 others wanted for various crimes. 5

6 2 : Thi-Qar Province (1) Nasiriyah inaugurates modern surveillance system Source : nasiriyah.or Date: 25,Feburay,2014 Thi-Qar Police Directorate awarded TechnoIraq company a contract valued at 1,500 iqdb to inaugurate a security surveillance system in Nasiriyah. The camera project will enhance intelligence and security efforts, and will direct the patrols in the right direction based on the surveillance information which help to avoid the terrorists attacks in the future. The Head of Secuirity Committee in Thi-Qar PC Mr Jabber Al-Mousawy said, TechnoIraq company fixed new surveillance network system called a LT instead of wifi system and the time phrame of fixing all the cameras system should be three months. The Cameras which will be fixed were made by Huawei,Company, DG of the company Mr. Mushtaq Mohsen said 6