News & Announcements

(Reuters) - Iraq has captured a suspected al Qaeda cell that planned to produce chemical poisons such as mustard gas to attack Iraqi forces and to ship overseas for attacks on Europe and the United States, the government said on Saturday.

The announcement was made as investigators look into allegations over the use of sarin nerve gas in next-door Syria where rebels and President Bashar al-Assad's forces have blamed each other for using chemical weapons.

Iraq’s Ministry of Oil recently approved a contract for a Karbala refinery, which will produce a wide range of petroleum products and serve growing domestic demand.

The Deputy Chair of the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq to Washington DC and the Vice President of the World Bank for the Middle East and North Africa signed, at the headquarters of the Bank in Washington DC, on Tuesday 20th December, 2016 two loans, first of which is at the value of ( $ 1 billion , 443, 820,000 ) to support the Iraqi investment policy, and the second is at the value of ( $ 41 million , 500, 000) to finance public projects.

Iraq recently unveiled an ambitious Integrated National Energy Strategy, which aims to raise $6 trillion from oil and gas sales by 2030 and massively increase local power generation. Iraq anticipates it will increase employment levels and living standards through this strategy.

The governments two banks will run a credit program to help citizens finance private housing projects.

Iraq's state-owned railways company announces plans to rehabilitate 100 passenger cars, as well as add new locomotives into service that will incorporate modern technology, signifying a leap in the area of rail transport.

Iraq is one of the top crude suppliers to South Korea. The two countries will sign an agreement for comprehensive cooperation in energy matters, including oil, gas and electricity.

Library plans highlight Baghdad’s new Youth City project with a design that will engage and empower visitors. The architectural firm will partner with a New York-based library consulting firm to build a collection of over three million books, including rare manuscripts.

"As a result of the two-year-specific-efforts made by Iraqi ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its Permanent Mission to the United Nations and Human Rights Department; Iraq was elected member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the first time, by UN General Assembly, along with 13 other countries.