Iraqi PM Discusses Oil & Gas Investment with US Firm
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani received a delegation from U.S. oil services firm Morgan Hughes, led by the company's Vice President Gregory Bloom, in a meeting held on Tuesday and attended by Steven Fagin, Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
The talks focused on potential cooperation and investment opportunities, including the development of oil fields and the capture of associated gas. Prime Minister Al-Sudani reiterated Iraq's goal to fully utilise all associated gas produced from its oil fields by 2028.
He emphasised that the government seeks to ensure its oil contracts promote local employment, with a particular focus on secondary contracts benefitting the Iraqi private sector. He also stressed the importance of training Iraqi engineers and technicians in the latest technologies used in oil and gas projects.
Mr. Bloom expressed his company's interest in partnering with Iraq in gas investment and field development, and in supporting the country's ongoing economic growth through technological cooperation in the energy sector.
(Source: PMO)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Shafaq News
Unidentified drone crashes in Duhok amid heightened security concerns
Shafaq News – Duhok An unidentified drone crashed Monday evening in the Bardarash district, north of Duhok in Iraq's Kurdistan Region, a security source in the Iraqi Ministry of Interior reported. The source told Shafaq News that the drone went down in a remote area and that its origin remains unknown. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the incident caused any casualties or material damage. A local source said that security forces are investigating the crash and working to determine further details. The incident occurred just hours after Iraq's National Security Adviser, Qassem al-Araji, concluded a visit to the Kurdistan Region, where he emphasized that the Region's security is critical to Iraq's overall stability. His visit came amid growing concerns over recent drone strikes targeting the area. According to a statement from al-Araji's office, a joint security committee held meetings with officials from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and local security agencies in Erbil to review recent drone activity. Al-Araji also noted that coordination between Iraqi and Kurdish authorities remains ongoing, with technical teams continuing to analyze data related to the recent strikes.
Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Shafaq News
Iraqi MPs urge government to pressure Turkiye over water shortage
Shafaq News – Baghdad On Monday, the Iraqi Parliament's Agriculture, Water, and Marshes Committee called on the federal government to take urgent action against Turkiye for failing to honor its agreement to release Iraq's designated share of water, amid worsening water scarcity across the country. Committee member Thaer Mukhayef told Shafaq News Agency that Turkiye's ongoing policy of restricting water flows to Iraq is 'inflicting severe consequences and could soon result in critical shortages of drinking water.' "While traveling through Babil province, I witnessed protesters setting tires ablaze in outrage over water cuts to their farms," Mukhayef said, adding that 'the land has gone dry, devastating livelihoods and dealing a heavy blow to the local economy." 'There is no alternative, the Prime Minister must go to Turkiye himself and resolve this crisis directly. The promises Turkiye made to Speaker of Parliament Mahmoud al-Mashhadani were nothing but lies—none have materialized into meaningful action,' he stated. Mukhayef stressed that the Committee would continue to press through official channels to safeguard Iraq's water rights and push for a resolution to the crisis. Iraq has experienced a sharp decline in water levels in recent years, driven largely by upstream restrictions—particularly from Turkiye, which controls the flow of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers through extensive dam and reservoir networks. Although Turkiye has recently increased water discharges in partial response to diplomatic efforts, Baghdad continues to press for a lasting, equitable water-sharing agreement to secure Iraq's long-term water stability.
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Erbil-Baghdad disputes: A cycle of missed opportunities and deep-seated divides
Shafaq News For two decades, promising opportunities for cooperation between the Iraqi Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Erbil have consistently been lost. A lack of unified vision and an accumulation of political crises have undermined efforts to build a stable and prosperous Iraq. This persistent deadlock has stifled national progress and deepened economic instability and political uncertainty for the Iraqi people. The Unfulfilled Promise of the Constitution The 2005 federal constitution, which recognized the Kurdistan Region as a federal entity, was seen as a landmark opportunity to shape a democratic, multi-ethnic Iraq. Yet Baghdad's centralizing approach and intra-Kurdish party rivalries hindered its full implementation. Rather than uniting the country, the constitution became a source of dispute and political leverage. The 2017 Kurdish independence referendum, though a bold assertion of regional will, highlighted the limits of Iraq's federal system. While the vote did not alter Iraq's territorial integrity, it demonstrated to the KRG the importance of adhering to the constitution to preserve its existing gains, despite Baghdad's uneven commitment to its terms. Post-ISIS Hopes and Economic Friction Iraq's victory over ISIS offered another chance to promote national unity through shared sacrifice. However, lingering political and financial disagreements again took precedence, preventing the KRG from capitalizing on its role in the fight. The Kurdistan Region's diplomatic reach and economic potential—especially in tourism—positioned it as a possible success model within Iraq. But recurring tensions with Baghdad, compounded by fragmentation within Kurdish leadership, limited this potential. One key flashpoint remains the obstruction of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region. Rather than fostering economic cooperation, it became a recurring source of tension, dragging both governments into repeated crises. The inability to jointly manage Iraq's most vital resource reflects a deeper institutional dysfunction. Similarly, the Region's agricultural capacity—strong enough to position it as Iraq's breadbasket—has been undercut by federal policies, adding to the frustration in Erbil. Legal Paralysis and Exploited Divides Political analyst Khaled Waleed links these persistent disputes to political opportunism, legal ambiguity, and a lack of commitment to shared national goals. 'The relationship is part of the broader state of political, economic, and social instability that Iraq has been suffering from for more than two decades,' he told Shafaq News. He warns that numerous problems afflicting the relationship are being exploited by political actors for narrow interests, ultimately harming citizens. A key example is Article 140 of the constitution, whichlays down a clear road map to define the final boundaries of the territory to be administered by the KRG. Its neglect has instead intensified divisions. Member of Parliament Aref Al-Hamami, from the Legal Committee, holds both Baghdad and Erbil accountable for failing to implement Article 140. He notes that other critical laws remain unfulfilled as well, including the budget law, its recent amendments, and legislation related to the transfer of non-oil revenues. The Blame Game Responsibility for the impasse remains hotly debated. Al-Hamami, a member of the State of Law Coalition led by Nouri al-Maliki, claims that 'the Kurdistan Region maneuvers and negotiates but does not implement. Therefore, the failure to hand over oil revenues is entirely the KRG's responsibility.' He adds that all agreements are essentially stalling tactics. Others, however, point fingers at Baghdad. Kurdish political analyst Mohammed Zangana argues that the federal government is deliberately delaying progress by creating new obstacles concerning the Region's budget and employee salaries. 'While salaries for May were disbursed, those for June and July remain suspended pending decisions by a committee formed to resolve disputes, including on deductions and retiree rights.' A Path Forward? Without durable solutions rooted in enforceable legislation, the cycle of conflict is likely to continue. Waleed stresses that as Iraqis grow more politically aware, the ongoing stalemate benefits only those who profit from the power-sharing system—leaders who are increasingly facing public discontent in both Baghdad and Erbil. He adds that meaningful solutions require a commitment to the national interest, one that reflects and benefits all segments of society and embraces an inclusive Iraqi identity. Zangana concludes, 'The ball is now in the court of the federal government, which is delaying the resolution of these problems,' despite pressure and the Kurdistan Democratic Party's threats to withdraw from the political process.
