Latest news with #MohammedAl-Najjar
Iraqi News
3 days ago
- Business
- Iraqi News
Iraq, Japan sign agreement to support investment
Baghdad ( – In a significant effort to enhance collaboration between the private sectors of Iraq and Japan, Mohammed Al-Najjar, the head of the Iraq Development Fund, announced on Monday that Iraq and Japan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) titled 'Logistics Cooperation to Support Investment.' In a statement to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Al-Najjar clarified that the step promotes Iraqi-Japanese relations through broader participation by the private sectors in both countries. The agreement that aims to boost cooperation between the Iraqi and Japanese private sectors by sharing and exchanging information, as well as supporting, promoting, and coordinating business operations, was signed between the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME) and the Iraq Development Fund. Al-Najjar described the agreement as significant, stating that it will create new opportunities and result in the establishment of two centers: one in Japan that represents the Iraq Development Fund and another in Iraq that represents the JCCME. The MoU establishes an Iraqi-Japanese platform that offers up new possibilities in terms of training and collaboration, according to Al-Najjar. For more than a decade, the JCCME has worked to promote trade and investment between Japan and Iraq through activities that aim to improve Japanese companies' understanding of Iraq, according to the Japanese Ambassador to Iraq, Akira Endo. Endo added that the JCCME helped organize annual Iraqi business seminars, sent delegations to critical industries in Iraq, and organized training programs in Japan for Iraqi authorities.
Iraqi News
3 days ago
- Business
- Iraqi News
Iraq signs $200 million deal with British firm to build baby formula plant
Baghdad ( – The Iraq Development Fund and Britain-based Agrium Capital signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday to set up the first modern baby formula plant in Iraq. During a ceremony held in Baghdad to sign the MoU, director of the Iraq Development Fund, Mohammed Al-Najjar, stated that the step is critical for the future of Iraqi youth, as Iraq sees an annual growth in the number of births that exceeds one million children, the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported. Many imported brands of baby formula have little nutritional content; thus, this initiative is essential for the health of Iraqi infants and future generations, according to Al-Najjar. The Iraqi official explained that the plant will be built in Iraq and will use locally produced raw materials, such as milk, to manufacture premium branded baby formula with excellent nutritional content. Al-Najjar illustrated that Iraq not only relies on imported infant formula but also lacks a comprehensive mechanism for verifying its quality. Having a facility inside the country allows Iraqis to derive economic benefits from the country's cattle while also ensuring excellent quality control. Agrium Capital works on projects in many countries. The firm employs roughly 3,000 people and has considerable experience in producing infant formula, thanks to its various specialized plants across the world. With a capital investment of more than $200 million, the factory is intended to be extremely sophisticated. It is expected to have a manufacturing capacity of up to 25,000 tons, which is sufficient to meet 80 to 85 percent of the Iraqi market's requirements.
Iraqi News
4 days ago
- Business
- Iraqi News
Iraq and Japan Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Support Investment
The Executive Director of the Iraq Development Fund, Mohammed Al-Najjar, announced on Monday the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japan titled 'Logistical Cooperation to Support Investment.' Al-Najjar told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) 'A memorandum of understanding was signed with the Japanese delegation under the title 'Logistical Cooperation to Support Investment.' This agreement is historic in that it transitions the Iraqi-Japanese relationship from a government-to-government framework to one involving the private sector.' He also expressed his gratitude to the Japanese side for their support over the past 20 years through various projects and loans. He added that 'the Japanese experience in Iraq is not merely technological, but a human one,' affirming that 'this agreement is historic and will open unprecedented horizons. It will establish two centers, one in Japan representing the fund, and another in Iraq representing the Japanese institution.' He continued 'We are working at a rapid pace. This agreement forms an Iraqi-Japanese platform that will unlock major opportunities in areas such as agency representation, training, and broader cooperation.'
LeMonde
24-05-2025
- Politics
- LeMonde
In Gaza, the future erased
On January 20, Mohammed Al-Najjar returned to his home in Rafah, at the southern tip of the Gaza Strip. The 24-year-old lawyer, displaced by Israeli bombings to Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza, took advantage of the truce that began the previous day to visit his family home with his brother. There, they found that the six-story building had been reduced to a pile of rubble, twisted metal, shattered furniture and shards of plastic. Mohammed, who is blind, described the scene over the phone as his brother narrated what he saw, calling from the top floor of a building in Deir Al-Balah where he found an internet signal. Israeli authorities continue to bar foreign journalists from entering the Palestinian territory. The conversation was punctuated by the crackle of automatic weapons, very close by. "In our neighborhood, only one building was still standing: a burned-out shell where no one can live," Mohammed said. "We couldn't find our bearings, where our street was, the houses. There was nothing left." The same could be said for nearly all of Rafah. The city, which had some 250,000 residents before October 7, 2023, has been pummeled relentlessly. According to an analysis by Le Monde 's video team using satellite imagery, 68% of its buildings have been leveled. The structures that escaped the barrage of bombs and missiles dropped on the city over the past 19 months have been destroyed by bulldozers, block by block. The few buildings still standing are gutted.
Iraqi News
19-05-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
Iraq plans to begin Baghdad Metro project in 2025
Baghdad ( – Iraqi Prime Minister's advisor Mohammed Al-Najjar revealed on Monday that Iraq plans to start the first phase of the Baghdad Metro project before the end of 2025. In a statement to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Al-Najjar explained that the project involves years of development and will be implemented in phases. In November 2024, Iraqi Prime Minister's Advisor Naser Al-Asadi revealed that the pathway design of the Baghdad Metro has been completed. Al-Asadi said that the government consulting agency has begun drafting the project's specifications for the tracks, trains, and stations, which will contain subterranean, surface, and elevated parts. With seven lines that range in length from nine to 37 kilometers, the project will cover the majority of the Iraqi capital and could be upgraded to reach other areas, according to Al-Asadi. The Iraqi cabinet announced in late July that the businesses selected to design, build, and run the Baghdad Metro project include France-based Systra and SNCV, the Spanish Alstom, Talgo, and Sener enterprises, Turkish construction companies, and Germany's Deutsche Bank. Al-Asadi told Reuters earlier that Baghdad Metro would span 148 kilometers (92 miles) with seven lines and 64 metro stops. The $18 billion-worth project should be finished after four years, according to Al-Asadi. A large percentage of Baghdad commuters rely on taxis and buses for transportation, and because of high traffic, basic trips can take hours to reach their destinations, according to Reuters. Baghdad Metro, which had been initially proposed in the 1980s, was abandoned due to years of violence and international sanctions. Once finished, it will be the first of its sort in Iraq. Earlier in July, the Mayoralty of Baghdad inked a $315.9 million deal with Malaysia's HSS Engineering Berhad (HEB) to offer consultancy services for Baghdad Metro. The Malaysian company will oversee project management, provide consulting services, and monitor the progress under this contract. The Baghdad Metro is a significant initiative designed to alleviate traffic congestion and offer a modern, efficient transportation system in Iraq's capital, home to approximately eight million residents.
