2019 – (Another) Key Year for Iraq

by **claud39** Fri Jan 04, 2019 6:41 am

http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2019/01/03/2019-another-key-year-for-iraq/

2019 – (Another) Key Year for Iraq

2019 – (Another) Key Year for Iraq Iraqi-flag-Govt-of-Iraq-2-623x346

3rd January 2019 in Blog

The past year has seen many developments in Iraq, including the successful completion of parliamentary elections (admittedly with a low participation of voters), the installation of a new cabinet (with a few posts still to be filled), and a considerably higher oil price than in the previous year (although that has fallen back considerably towards the end of the year).

Protests over the summer have highlighted unemployment, corruption, shortages of electricity, and problems in the delivery of basic services.

In the year to come, the new government of Prime Minister Abdul-Mahdi must focus on tackling these problems as a matter of urgency, while at the same time redoubling its efforts to rebuild the areas previously devastated by the Islamic State group.

There’s a lot of work to be done, but there are several factors at the moment pushing Iraq towards a favourable outcome: Despite the current low oil prices, Iraq’s oil production is at record highs; the new government appears highly motivated and seems to know it has a limited time to effect change; and international companies and institutions are keen to get involved.

If managed properly, this year could be the start of a real boom period for Iraq. The nearly ten-percent increase in the readership of Iraq Business News over the past year is just one indicator that more people are taking an interest in Iraq and the opportunities to be found there.

As we publish our first newsletter of the new year, we’d like to say a special word of thanks to all of our contributors, including our panel of Expert Bloggers, who have given us the benefit of their wisdom and observations over the past twelve months:

Alessandro Bacci

Ahmed Mousa Jiyad

Ahmed Tabaqchali (AFC Iraq Fund)

Elena Kornienko

GardaWorld

We look forward to reading more from them in the coming year.

We’d also like to thank all our readers and well-wishers for making Iraq Business Newsthe must-read publication for everyone with an interest in Iraq, and we ask you to please support our valued advertisers, who make all of this possible.

It is also important to remember two Iraq-focussed charities that are doing amazing and much-needed work in the country:

AMAR International Charitable Foundation; and,

Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF).

Any donations made to them will make a big difference to the lives of so many vulnerable people in Iraq.

With another challenging but potentially rewarding year to come, Iraq Business Newswill be with you every step of the way, wishing all of you a happy, peaceful and prosperous 2019.