TNT:
Tishwash: Mohsen Al-Humaid: ICC continues its efforts to open channels of cooperation and investment with international institutions and companies.
The President of the International Chamber of Commerce – Iraq (ICC), Engineer Mohsen Al-Humaid, affirmed that investment represents the true gateway to achieving sustainable economic development, pointing to the importance of working to attract the largest global investments to the Iraqi market in a way that contributes to supporting the reconstruction movement and revitalizing various productive and service sectors.
Al-Humaid said that Iraq has promising investment opportunities and an economic environment capable of attracting global companies, indicating that the current stage requires strengthening the partnership between the public and private sectors and providing the necessary facilities for investors in a way that will positively affect the national economy and provide new job opportunities for young people.
He added that the International Chamber of Commerce – Iraq (ICC) continues its efforts to open channels of cooperation with international institutions and companies, and to work on presenting a positive image of the economic reality in Iraq.
He stated that attracting foreign investments contributes to the transfer of expertise and modern technology and supports the comprehensive development process in the country. link
Tishwash: The Ministry of Electricity is discussing with representatives of the American company GE ways to accelerate the completion of maintenance and development projects in the production and transmission sectors.
The Ministry of Electricity discussed on Tuesday with representatives of GE Vernova in Iraq mechanisms to accelerate the completion of maintenance and development projects in the production and transmission sectors.
The Ministry of Electricity’s media office stated in a statement seen by “Al-Eqtisad News” that “Minister of Electricity Ali Saadi Wahib met today with representatives of GE Vernova in Iraq to discuss the progress of projects implemented by the company in the electricity sector and prospects for strengthening joint cooperation.”
She added that “the meeting reviewed the most prominent projects led by the company in the field of electricity production, and discussed mechanisms to accelerate maintenance and rehabilitation work for power generation stations, in order to increase their readiness and bring them into service as quickly as possible, as well as discussing future plans aimed at developing the performance of the electrical system.” link
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“America First” in Baghdad: What is Tom Barrack planning for Iraq’s “interconnected crises”?
Tom Barrack, 79, is described as more than just a traditional American diplomat. The man of Lebanese descent, who speaks Arabic, combines a background as a businessman and investor with close ties to US President Donald Trump, and in recent months has become one of the most prominent architects of American policy in the Middle East.
Observers believe that his appointment as a special presidential envoy to Iraq and Syria places him at the heart of the most sensitive issues for Washington, from Iranian influence and armed factions to energy, investments, and the future of regional arrangements.
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump announced the appointment of US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack as Special Presidential Envoy to Iraq and Syria, while retaining his position as ambassador in Ankara, stressing that the new mission comes within the framework of strengthening strategic cooperation with the governments of Baghdad and Damascus.
The decision came just one day after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the end of Barak’s mission as special envoy to Syria, before it later became clear that the US administration was moving to expand his powers rather than end them.
According to researchers and observers who spoke to Shafaq News Agency, the decision represents an indication of a broader shift in Washington’s approach to Iraq, from an independent file managed through traditional diplomatic channels, to part of an interconnected regional system that includes Syria, Turkey, Iran and the Gulf.
Regional engineering
In this context, Dalir Khalaf Osman, a researcher in international relations and Middle Eastern affairs at the University of Tennessee, believes that merging the Iraqi and Syrian files under the supervision of a single envoy reflects a fundamental shift in American strategy.
Osman tells Shafaq News that the United States no longer deals with Iraq as a separate file with its own internal particularities, but rather as part of a broader security and geopolitical engineering aimed at reshaping the region’s balances and reducing Iranian influence.
This trend is believed to represent a shift from the American approach that has prevailed since 2003, which focused on democracy, development and institution building, to an approach that puts regional security and balances of power at the forefront of priorities.
He adds that Barack’s background, his direct relationship with Trump, and the “America First” doctrine adopted by the US president reveal that his focus will be on strengthening the central state and its security capabilities rather than being preoccupied with issues of democracy, federalism, and political pluralism.
Savaya’s mission is complete
In Washington, Patrick Clawson, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, reveals that Barak’s appointment does not represent a sudden shift as much as it enshrines an existing reality.
Clawson told Shafaq News that Barak’s joint appointments in Iraq, Syria and Turkey “are a continuation of an existing policy that he has been leading for some time,” noting that he has become a pivotal figure in managing the region’s files, including Lebanon as well.
The American researcher reveals that the former envoy to Iraq, Mark Savaya, was effectively dismissed from his post without an official announcement, considering that the decision “was widely arranged and welcomed within the US State Department and within Iraq.”
He adds that Savaya, a businessman from Michigan of Iraqi Chaldean descent (from the Nineveh Plain), did not have the diplomatic background to manage a complex file the size of Iraq, and that his experience practically ended before it began.
unconventional approach
From Baghdad, writer and political analyst Ali Al-Baydar believes that Barak’s appointment does not appear to be a mere protocol step, but rather an indication that Washington wants to manage its relationship with Baghdad through political channels directly linked to the White House.
Al-Bader told Shafaq News Agency that the new mission comes within the framework of strengthening strategic cooperation with Iraq, but at the same time it reflects the desire of the American administration to rearrange the files of the region as an interconnected unit that includes Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Iran and Lebanon as well.
He adds that combining the position of ambassador to Turkey with the mission of special envoy to Iraq and Syria reveals an American interest in energy issues, regional balances and border security, as well as taking advantage of Barak’s personal relationships and his ability to combine economics, politics and diplomacy.
Al-Bader believes that Washington is also seeking to manage the files of the American military presence, the international coalition and the relationship with armed factions more directly, with a focus on preventing any escalation that may threaten American interests.
Controlling the factions
While the new envoy has many issues to address, Clawson places the issue of armed factions at the forefront of American priorities. He says that Washington’s most urgent and significant goal is to limit the influence of the Popular Mobilization Forces and ensure that they do not affect the formation of the next Iraqi government, in addition to pressuring Baghdad to impose its full control over the armed factions and prevent any targeting of American forces or interests.
He points out that Barak’s agenda is not limited to security issues, but extends to economic relations, Iraqi oil exports, and investment cooperation.
This assessment coincides with what a number of observers believe, who consider that Washington currently views Iraq through three main files: the weapons of the factions, reducing Iranian influence, and revitalizing economic and investment relations, especially in the energy, gas, electricity, and banking sectors.
“Trump’s man”
For his part, Haitham al-Hiti, a professor of political science at the University of Exeter in Britain, says that Barak’s reappointment has closed the door on the speculation that surrounded his future during the past weeks.
Al-Hiti adds to Shafaq News Agency that the man played a pivotal role in the transformations that Syria witnessed during the past period, and that his statements in Damascus, Beirut and Baghdad showed a different approach from the traditional American discourse related to democracy and elections.
Al-Hiti describes Barak as a realistic and straightforward figure who views the region from the perspective of its social, tribal, and historical formations, rather than through traditional Western democratic frameworks.
He points out that his background as a businessman, his Lebanese origins, and his specialization in history and law all give him a deep understanding of the Middle East’s structure and complexities.
Al-Hiti believes that Barak tends to support strong central states instead of models based on power-sharing and sectarian divisions, considering him to be one of the most prominent figures of the Trumpian movement seeking to reshape American policy in the region.
Countering Iranian influence
Despite the confidence that the US administration places in Barak, his mission in Iraq appears more difficult than the Syrian file, as Osman says that the biggest challenges he will face are the deep Iranian influence inside Iraq, which extends to politics, the economy and security, unlike the Syrian scene in which the Turkish role was more clear and influential.
He adds that Iraq has multiple and interconnected centers of power, from the government, parties and armed factions to Kurdish forces and regional actors, making any attempt to reshape the balances a highly complex task.
Opportunity or threat?
On the other hand, not everyone agrees with the optimistic view regarding Barak’s appointment. Prominent Iraqi politician Mithal Al-Alusi believes that Iraq and the region need “institutional America” more than they need an envoy close to the American president.
Al-Alousi told Shafaq News Agency that some of Barak’s positions and statements raise questions about his understanding of democracy and political pluralism, warning that dealing with Iraq in the same way as the Syrian issue was dealt with may not serve the development of the strategic partnership between Baghdad and Washington.
He adds that Barak’s appointment may be interpreted by some as a retreat from the traditional American institutional approach, or a gray message regarding Iranian and Turkish expansion in the region.
Political analyst Ziad Al-Arar believes that Barak’s appointment reflects a growing American interest in Iraq in the coming period.
Al-Arar told Shafaq News Agency that Iraq will be an essential part of the regional and international scenes, given the complex issues related to weapons, the economy, foreign relations, and the nature of the political system.
He continues that Washington seems willing to build on what it started during the past months, and to work more intensively with the Iraqi government, which explains the choice of a figure of Barak’s stature for this sensitive task. link
Tishwash: Integrated banking solutions for localization employees… International Development Bank enhances financing, savings, and investment.
The International Development Bank affirmed its continued commitment to providing advanced banking and financing solutions that meet the needs of public and private sector employees with salaries deposited directly into their bank accounts. This aligns with its strategy to offer flexible banking services and solutions that align with customer aspirations and support their financial stability and various investments.
In a press release issued Monday, the bank’s management stated, “The bank offers a comprehensive suite of banking services and products specifically designed for its clients with deposited salaries. These include loans, credit cards, savings and investment accounts, in addition to digital services and a network of branches and ATMs located throughout the country.”
The statement added, “The International Development Bank provides credit cards to public and private sector employees, enabling public sector employees to obtain financing of up to six times their salary, while private sector employees can obtain financing of up to three times their salary, with flexible repayment options to meet their financial needs.”
The bank also offers a special loan for local employees, providing financing of up to 60 million Iraqi dinars. This enables clients to implement and grow their personal projects, aligning with the bank’s strategy to support the business sector and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Regarding savings and investment solutions, the bank offers a profit account with a 6.5% return paid upfront, an investment deposit account with annual returns of up to 10% distributed monthly, and a savings account with a 5% annual return. This reflects the bank’s commitment to providing diverse financial options to suit various customer segments.
The bank’s services also include a solar energy loan designed to support the transition to clean energy, with financing of up to 18 million dinars for individuals and 1 billion dinars for companies. This initiative demonstrates the bank’s commitment to supporting sustainability and promoting modern environmental solutions.
The International Development Bank continues to enhance the customer experience through advanced localization services and a comprehensive debt collection service. This is built upon its growing expertise in providing financial solutions for individuals and businesses, and its extensive network of branches and ATMs, ensuring easy access to banking services at all times.
The bank confirmed that these services fall within its vision of providing a comprehensive banking experience that combines innovation, flexibility, and ease of access, while also supporting investment projects and the national economy, thus reinforcing its position as a leading bank in providing modern financial solutions in Iraq. link
