Tech-driven hope: Opportunity clicks for Mosul youth
Shafaq News/ The war-scarred Mosul, where destruction once muted every sound, a 25-year-old Laith Ahmed, a computer science graduate, is determined to rebuild both his life and his city beyond the shadows of conflict.
Opportunity at a Click
His turning point came not in a government office but in front of a modest screen. While scrolling through job portals, Laith came across an announcement for a vocational training course supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in cooperation with the UK-based NGO Human Appeal and funded by Germany's KfW Development Bank.
For many, it might have seemed like just another ad, but for Laith, it was a signal—an opening.
The program was designed to equip young Iraqis with marketable skills and facilitate access to employment—a pressing need in a country where youth unemployment is both chronic and destabilizing. Without a second thought, Laith applied.
With a computer science degree from the University of Mosul, he had qualifications—but in a city emerging from devastation, opportunities remained scarce. This training, he hoped, would offer a foothold.
Tested by Ice and Steel
After weeks of uncertainty, Laith was accepted. His placement: a company specializing in the installation and maintenance of surveillance camera systems—a technical field adjacent to his academic training, but far more physically demanding.
Winter in Mosul was unforgiving. Rain poured, temperatures dropped, and Laith spent his days maneuvering ladders and cables in the cold. Still, he welcomed the challenge, asking questions, taking notes, and absorbing every detail.
'It wasn't easy,' he recounted in a UNDP report. 'But I had to prove I could handle it. I wanted to be ready for whatever opportunity came next.'
Earning a Place
That readiness soon bore fruit. Midway through the training, Laith encountered a complex technical malfunction that risked halting operations and causing financial loss. He tackled it on his own—and resolved it.
That moment changed everything.
By the end of his 40-day training, the company offered him a full-time role. No speeches. No spotlight. Just a quiet affirmation of his value. 'You've earned your place here,' the director told him.
Beyond Stability
Now a full-time technician, Laith's goals stretch beyond his current role. He dreams of launching a surveillance tech workshop—creating jobs for other young Moslawis and mentoring the next wave of technicians.
'I want to build something that lasts—not just for me, but for others,' he explained. He's also planning to resume his studies and stay up to date with evolving technologies.
His ambition is grounded, not grandiose. 'My biggest goal right now is stability.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
6 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Iraq nears completion of strategic refining project in Basra
Shafaq News / Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani announced on Monday that the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) unit project at the South Refineries Company in Basra is nearing completion and will soon begin operations. During a visit to the project site, Abdul Ghani described the FCC unit as one of the most strategic developments in the refining sector, expected to significantly curb Iraq's reliance on imported petroleum products. He told Shafaq News Agency that specialized Japanese firms are executing the project with support from the Japanese loan, and that work has reached its final stages ahead of trial operations. The unit is set to produce between 4,200 and 4,500 cubic meters per day of high-octane gasoline (above 92 octane), along with diesel meeting European standards. Abdul Ghani stated that gasoline imports are projected to drop to 2,000–3,000 cubic meters per day, down from over 16,000 in previous years, noting that the annual spending on imported white petroleum products, which exceeded $5 billion two years ago, has since fallen below $1 billion, and is expected to end entirely with the project's completion. He highlighted the role of the Karbala refinery in boosting domestic output, contributing 8,000 to 9,000 cubic meters of gasoline daily and reducing imports to 4,000–5,000 cubic meters. The minister also pointed to progress at the Kirkuk refinery, operated by the North Refineries Company, which is expected to begin trial production soon with a daily output of no less than 1,600 cubic meters of gasoline. He confirmed that trial operations for the FCC project's diesel unit will begin in mid-August, with the gasoline unit to follow. The FCC unit in Basra is part of a wider effort to modernize and expand refining capacity across Iraq, including projects at the Karbala, Kirkuk, Central, and Northern refineries, aimed at improving fuel quality and meeting higher environmental standards.
Shafaq News
9 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Kurdistan's $110B gamble: A new front in the Baghdad-Erbil oil war
Shafaq News/ More than two years after the suspension of Kurdish oil exports following an international arbitration ruling, tensions between Baghdad and Erbil have reignited once again. This time, the dispute centers on a $110B oil and gas agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and two American companies. Signed during a high-profile visit by KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to Washington, the deals target the development of strategic gas fields in the Region's al-Sulaymaniyah province. The first contract involves HKN Energy, a US-based company active in Kurdistan since 2007. HKN holds a 62% majority stake in the Sarsang block in northern Kurdistan, alongside ShaMaran (18%) and the KRG (20%), and has extracted over 63 million barrels of oil from the Swara Tika and East Swara Tika fields and employs between 200 and 500 staff across its offices in Erbil and Texas. The second company, WesternZagros, is a Canadian energy firm founded in 2003 and operating in Kurdistan since 2005. Headquartered in Calgary, it manages operations from Erbil and al-Sulaymaniyah and has invested more than $1B in the Region, with main assets including the Kormir and Karmian fields, estimated to contain 5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 900 million barrels of recoverable oil. According to KRG officials, the Miran and Topkhana-Kormir fields covered by the agreements are expected to supply 24-hour electricity to the Region and potentially export surplus power to the rest of Iraq. 'This is not just about energy security—it's about political leverage,' local energy analyst Kovand Sherwani told Shafaq News. 'If implemented, these projects could drastically reduce the Region's reliance on Iranian fuel and grant it more bargaining power with Baghdad.' The United States welcomed the deals as a step toward enhancing Iraq's energy sovereignty. A senior State Department official told Shafaq News, 'The United States believes that Iraq will be more stable and sovereign by achieving energy independence and distancing itself from Iran's harmful influence,' the official stated. 'We encourage Baghdad and Erbil to work together to begin gas production as soon as possible,' he added. American energy expert Dr. Paul Sullivan of Johns Hopkins University also told Shafaq News that 'Erbil's decision to strike massive deals with US companies signals closer ties between Kurdistan and Washington in a vital sector, and may imply implicit American support for the Region.' However, he cautioned that 'unless constitutional disputes are resolved through a federal oil and gas law, this move will only deepen the crisis with Baghdad.' The Iraqi government responded swiftly to the deal. The Oil Ministry issued a statement rejecting the deals as 'null and void,' asserting that they violate Iraq's laws and the authority of the federal government. Citing the constitutional status of Iraq's natural resources, Baghdad argued that the KRG has no right to unilaterally sign contracts, especially while operating under a caretaker government awaiting elections, due to possible obligations on future administrations. MP Basim Naghamish, a member of the Parliamentary Oil and Gas Committee, echoed the ministry's stance. 'It is unacceptable for any party to operate independently of the federal government on the oil file. What Erbil has done—signing contracts with foreign companies unilaterally—constitutes a serious constitutional and financial violation. We will use all legal means to stop this unilateral move and protect Iraq's national wealth,' he stated. The deals also triggered a backlash in Parliament, including from some of the KRG's traditional allies, with several Baghdad-based parties within the governed Shiite Coordination Framework accusing the Region of violating revenue-sharing agreements, warning that such unilateral moves could derail national budget negotiations and legislative cooperation. In response, Kurdish officials defended the deals as essential to securing energy stability and financial sustainability in the face of continued delays in federal budget transfers and the suspension of oil exports through Turkiye. The Region has faced mounting liquidity pressures since March 2023, when the International Chamber of Commerce ruled against Turkiye's unilateral export of Kurdish crude, leading to losses exceeding $20B in potential revenue. Economist Mustafa Faraj told Shafaq News the deal could be a 'double-edged sword' for the KRG. 'There's no doubt these agreements represent a major investment opportunity. They could revitalize Kurdistan's economy through infrastructure development, job creation, and expanded power generation.' But, he added, 'They're not a magic bullet. Their success hinges on legal clarity and political stability. If the dispute with Baghdad remains unresolved, investors may hesitate, and implementation could be delayed.' At the same time, the KRG garnered support from Kurdish and American lawmakers, who pointed to Baghdad's repeated delays in disbursing the Region's financial entitlements, including unpaid May salaries, leaving Erbil with no choice but to seek independent solutions to meet its basic energy and fiscal needs. At the core of the legal conflict is Iraq's 'failure' to enact a federal oil and gas law. Article 112 of the 2005 Constitution calls for cooperative management of natural resources between Baghdad and the regions, yet in the absence of binding legislation, both sides have adopted clashing interpretations of the constitution. 'The legislative vacuum has created a constitutional gray zone,' political analyst Yassin Aziz told Shafaq News. 'There is no operational clarity between the center and the regions—especially regarding who oversees which stage of oil production, from exploration to export.' He added that divergent views on federalism itself exacerbate the conflict. 'While Kurdistan believes the constitution grants it real and broad powers, many in Baghdad remain committed to a centralist mindset, viewing any independent economic initiative as a challenge to state authority.' Observers agree that the only long-term solution lies in passing a comprehensive federal oil and gas law that balances regional rights with federal oversight. Yet after nearly two decades of impasse, that breakthrough remains out of reach. In the meantime, Erbil appears determined to proceed, leveraging US backing and investor confidence to solidify its energy sector, though Baghdad must decide whether to double down on legal confrontation—or return to the negotiating table.
Iraqi News
12 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Iraq's oil exports to Greece valued at over $5 billion in 2024
Baghdad ( – Statistics released on Monday indicated that Iraq's total oil exports to Greece surpassed $5 billion in 2024. Iraq supplied almost nine million tons of crude oil to Greece, valued at $5.41 billion, with a 21 percent annual growth rate between 2020 and 2024, Shafaq News reported. According to the figures, Iraq exported 8.2 million tons of crude oil to Greece, totaling $4.59 billion. It also exported 1.52 million tons of oil derivatives, totaling $812 million. Greece, Italy, and Turkey are the largest importers of Iraqi crude oil in Europe. The Iraqi Ministry of Oil revealed in January that the country's oil exports in 2024 surpassed 1.2 billion barrels, where China and India were the largest importers of Iraqi oil. According to official figures, the country's total oil exports in 2024 were 1.234 billion barrels, while the quantities exported in 2023 were 1.232 billion barrels. Iraq's daily export rate was 3.31 million barrels, while the monthly export rate was 102.87 million barrels, according to data released by the State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO). Through Gulf ports, Iraq exports around 70 percent of its crude oil to Asia, particularly China and India, with the rest of the oil exports going to Europe and the United States.
