Iraq’s Investment Commission Says it Cooperates with Neighboring Countries to Improve Investment Law

The head of Iraq’s National Investment Commission, Suha Al-Najjar (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The head of Iraq’s National Investment Commission, Suha Al-Najjar (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Iraq’s Investment Commission Says it Cooperates with Neighboring Countries to Improve Investment Law

The head of Iraq’s National Investment Commission, Suha Al-Najjar (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The head of Iraq’s National Investment Commission, Suha Al-Najjar (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The head of Iraq’s National Investment Commission, Suha Al-Najjar, said that her country was able to overcome current economic challenges thanks to the strong internal consumption and average income rates, noting that Iraqi and foreign companies in the country were adapted to operate under the most difficult circumstances and political crises.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Najjar pointed to cooperation with investment authorities and ministries in Egypt, the UAE, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, with the aim to develop Iraq’s legislative systems and the investment law.

She also emphasized that the Commission has succeeded in reducing the corruption index in projects by 60 percent, which enabled it to attract international investors.

“Our economy is strongly capable of overcoming every challenge, for a simple reason: Iraq is a large market with 40 million people and income rates are medium, not low. This rate is growing with the rise in oil prices and amid financial abundance,” Najjar remarked.

She continued: “The Iraqi people, as well as local and foreign investors operating in Iraq, got used to work under these conditions. Some companies see their profits rise during political crises, when the people resort to buying real estate.”

Najjar stressed that the Iraqi economy was able to face challenges, as the market was growing significantly in terms of population density.

Asked about Baghdad’s expectations from neighboring countries in the Gulf and others, such as Jordan and Egypt, the head of the Commission said: “From an economic point of view, the economic and investment situation in the neighboring countries, whether in the Gulf, Jordan and Egypt, has developed very quickly during the last period. Indeed, they could build successful economies, develop infrastructure and provide the people with services and housing, through investments.”

Najjar noted that Iraq had huge economic potentials that required investments worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

“Iraqi banks cannot provide these amounts,” she said, underlining her country’s need for liquidity, the exchange of expertise, and the development of a suitable legislative and legal environment.

“We have investment gaps, and we have discussed with the Investment Authority in Egypt, and the ministries of Investment in each of the UAE, Jordan and Saudi, our desire to develop the legislative and legal system in Iraq. They have all opened their doors for cooperation,” the senior official told Asharq Al-Awsat.

She added that Iraq would host workshops to come up with an updated investment law in cooperation with neighboring countries.

According to Najjar, investment in her country was, in the past, associated with corruption.

“But today, thank God, we were able to change this idea, with the adoption of stricter procedures,” she said.

Najjar pointed to ongoing projects to address housing needs, including the Rafael City project - the new administrative capital of Iraq - which she said would extend over a large area of 25 square kilometers and would help advance the economy and solve the housing crisis in the capital.

She explained that the Commission completed the first phase by reviving existing projects and granting new investment licenses to investors from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

“It will be Iraq’s first experience in establishing a new city of this size, similar to the new cities in neighboring countries. It will include housing areas, and recreational and service projects such as universities, hospitals and markets,” Najjar said.

In addition, the head of Iraq’s National Investment Commission highlighted the shift towards solar energy, saying that Iraq was able provide 7,500 megawatts to international companies producing solar energy, namely Total, the UAE’s Masdar, the Norwegian Scatec and POWERCHINA, adding that negotiations were underway with the Saudi ACWA Power.

Asked whether Iraq was able to keep the fight against corruption and rebuild investors’ confidence, despite recent political developments, Najjar said: “With regards to the National Investment Commission, I can say that we were able to eliminate corruption by 60 percent, which enabled us to attract global investors whose main request was to deal only with the Commission.”

She continued that despite the huge powers granted to the commission, “it is a coordinating body and our work depends on all other ministries, and in order to eliminate corruption, it must also be eliminated in other government bodies.”

Najjar stressed that the current Iraqi government was working in this direction, adding that her country’s large market was growing despite all challenges.

On Saudi Arabia’s role in promoting investments in Iraq, she said: “Saudi Arabia, represented by the government and Saudi investors, has been very supportive of Iraq, in building and correcting the economic path... and we thank them for this support, which is done in different ways, by helping to amend legislation and laws related to investment.”



Oil Prices Rise as Iran Suspends Cooperation with UN Nuclear Watchdog

An aerial view shows a crude oil tanker at an oil terminal off Waidiao island in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China January 4, 2023. China Daily via REUTERS
An aerial view shows a crude oil tanker at an oil terminal off Waidiao island in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China January 4, 2023. China Daily via REUTERS
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Oil Prices Rise as Iran Suspends Cooperation with UN Nuclear Watchdog

An aerial view shows a crude oil tanker at an oil terminal off Waidiao island in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China January 4, 2023. China Daily via REUTERS
An aerial view shows a crude oil tanker at an oil terminal off Waidiao island in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China January 4, 2023. China Daily via REUTERS

Oil futures edged up on Wednesday as Iran suspended cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog and markets weighed expectations of more supply from major producers next month, while the US dollar softened further. Brent crude was up 55 cents, or 0.8%, to $67.66 a barrel at 1301 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 58 cents, or nearly 0.9%, to $66.03 a barrel.

Brent has traded between a high of $69.05 a barrel and low of $66.34 since June 25, as concerns of supply disruptions in the Middle East have ebbed following a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Iran enacted a law on Wednesday that stipulates any future inspection of its nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency needs approval by Tehran's Supreme National Security Council. The country has accused the agency of siding with Western countries and providing a justification for Israel's air strikes, according to Reuters.

"The market is pricing in some geopolitical risk premium from Iran's move on the IAEA," said Giovanni Staunovo, a commodity analyst at UBS. "But this is about sentiment, there are no disruptions to oil." Planned supply increases by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies including Russia, a group known as OPEC+, appear already priced in by investors and are unlikely to catch markets off-guard again imminently, said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at brokerage Phillip Nova. Four OPEC+ sources told Reuters last week the group plans to raise output by 411,000 barrels per day next month when it meets on July 6, a similar amount to the hikes agreed for May, June and July. "We are all talking about additional supply coming to the market, but the supply has not really hit the market," UBS' Staunovo said. "Probably because it's being consumed domestically."

Overall OPEC+ exports are relatively flat to slightly down since March, Staunovo said. He expects this trend to persist over the summer as hot weather drives higher energy demand. The greenback continued to weaken, falling to a 3-1/2-year low against its major peers on Wednesday. A weaker dollar tends to support oil prices, as it can boost demand for buyers paying in other currencies.

The release of the key US monthly employment report on Thursday will shape expectations around the depth and timing of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve in the second half of this year, said Tony Sycamore, an analyst at IG.

Lower interest rates could spur economic activity, which would in turn boost oil demand. Official US oil stockpile data from the Energy Information Administration is due to be released at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT) on Wednesday. American Petroleum Institute data late on Tuesday showed US crude oil inventories rose by 680,000 barrels in the past week at a time when stockpiles are typically drawn down amid summer demand, sources said.