Thursday, August 16, 2007
Five companies bid for Iraq's mobile phone market
Telecommunications
(AFP) - Five companies began bidding in Amman Thursday for a share of Iraq's lucrative mobile telephone market, one of the few sectors of the war-ravaged economy still producing revenues, officials said. The five include the three existing licence holders -- Orascom, MTC and Asiacell, Iraqi Finance Minister Bayan Jabr Solagh told reporters before the bidding process got underway in the Jordanian capital.
The chief of the National Communications and Media Commission, Siyamend Othman, said the other two companies in the running are Turkcell and Korek, but Solagh would not confirm that. Turkcell is Turkey's largest mobile phone operator and Korek is a regional operator headquartered in northern Iraq's relatively stable Kurdish area.
"There were initially fourteen companies, but five pulled out because of security concerns," Solagh said. "We excluded another four after carefully studying their backgrounds," he added, without elaborating. Solagh said bids would start at 300 million dollars and that the top three tenders would be awarded the contracts.
Egypt's telecom giant Orascom controls Iraq's central region. The south is covered by Atheer, a branch of the Kuwaiti firm MTC, and the north is in the hands of Asiacell, a consortium of Iraqi and Gulf firms. They boast a total of around nine million subscribers. The licences expire at the end of August, and they have been pushing for a speedy issuing of new ones.
The results are expected to be announced on Friday or Saturday. Iraq has limited fixed-line infrastructure, and cellular phones are the main means of communication in the war-torn country. Mobile telephony is one of the few sectors besides oil attracting foreign investment as attacks on telecoms infrastructure are rare.
The chief of the National Communications and Media Commission, Siyamend Othman, said the other two companies in the running are Turkcell and Korek, but Solagh would not confirm that. Turkcell is Turkey's largest mobile phone operator and Korek is a regional operator headquartered in northern Iraq's relatively stable Kurdish area.
"There were initially fourteen companies, but five pulled out because of security concerns," Solagh said. "We excluded another four after carefully studying their backgrounds," he added, without elaborating. Solagh said bids would start at 300 million dollars and that the top three tenders would be awarded the contracts.
Egypt's telecom giant Orascom controls Iraq's central region. The south is covered by Atheer, a branch of the Kuwaiti firm MTC, and the north is in the hands of Asiacell, a consortium of Iraqi and Gulf firms. They boast a total of around nine million subscribers. The licences expire at the end of August, and they have been pushing for a speedy issuing of new ones.
The results are expected to be announced on Friday or Saturday. Iraq has limited fixed-line infrastructure, and cellular phones are the main means of communication in the war-torn country. Mobile telephony is one of the few sectors besides oil attracting foreign investment as attacks on telecoms infrastructure are rare.
The cell phone network companies licensed by the Iraqi government should seek a permit from the region's government to work within the borders of Kurdistan region, Omid Mohammed Saleh, from Iraq's Kurdistan Telecommunication Ministry said on Wednesday. The media spokesman for Kurdistan Telecommunications Ministry also told VOI that his ministry imposes a tax reaching up to $1.75 per subscriber a year.
Labels: Amman, Asiacell, Atheer, Bayan Jabr Solagh, Iraq, Korek, Kurdistan, mobile phone network, MTC, Omid Mohammed Saleh, Orascom, Siyamend Othman, Turkcell
Friday, July 20, 2007
Hike in airfares to Amman and Dubai
Travel
(Iraq Directory) - An official source in the Iraqi Airways announced in increase in fares to Amman and Dubai. He said in a press statement last Thursday, "The ticket to Oman rises to $644 from $604." He added, "The rise was the result of a tax increase in Jordan's Queen Alia Airport." He indicated, "A ticket to Dubai is going up $90, to $500 from $410." He explained, "This increase comes for the same reason, a tax increase in Dubai Airport." He added that "The increase will come into effect next Monday."
Labels: Amman, Dubai, Iraqi Airways
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
International Rebuild Iraq Exhibition opens in Amman
Trade
(Voices of Iraq) - The fourth International Rebuild Iraq Exhibition, organized by the International Fairs & Promotions group, opened on Monday in al-Abdali project in Amman. "The main aim of organizing this exhibition is to contribute to rebuild Iraq through facilitating meetings between Iraq businessmen, companies and international companies," said Jordanian Industry and Trade Minister Salem Khazalah during a joint press conference held today in Amman.
"Jordan is seeking to be an economic gate for Iraq," said Khazalah noting that the intensive participation of exhibitors from 40 Arab and foreign countries in the event would indicate a desire to establish a real partnership with Iraqi businessmen and traders for rebuilding Iraq.
The minister pointed out in the press conference that was also attended by Head of Iraqi parliament's Investment Committee Younadem Kena and Iraqi Deputy Industry Minister Mohammad Abdallah Al-Ani, that this vast participation shows the world's interest in rebuilding the country.
"The large number of companies participating in the exhibition proves that exhibitions play an important role in attracting companies to invest in the country," he continued. "Those who oppose the new Iraq are trying to envision a black picture for this country which is incorrect," Iraqi lawmaker and Head of the parliament's investment committee Younadem Kena said in the press conference.
"We do not say that everything is fine: but more than 60 percent of Iraq's territory are safe and ready for investment and reconstruction," he added. "Jordan has been Iraq' way to communicate with the world since 1980s till now," the Iraqi official also said, noting that such exhibitions would make Iraqis able to communicate with the world and with the international companies.
He urged foreign companies to invest in Iraq. The Iraqi parliament approved last December the investment law, which allows both Iraqis and foreigners to invest in the country. "This free system allows 4,000 companies registered in Iraq's Kurdistan region to enter into the Iraqi market, in addition to other companies in the south," the Iraqi official highlighted.
"Jordan is seeking to be an economic gate for Iraq," said Khazalah noting that the intensive participation of exhibitors from 40 Arab and foreign countries in the event would indicate a desire to establish a real partnership with Iraqi businessmen and traders for rebuilding Iraq.
The minister pointed out in the press conference that was also attended by Head of Iraqi parliament's Investment Committee Younadem Kena and Iraqi Deputy Industry Minister Mohammad Abdallah Al-Ani, that this vast participation shows the world's interest in rebuilding the country.
"The large number of companies participating in the exhibition proves that exhibitions play an important role in attracting companies to invest in the country," he continued. "Those who oppose the new Iraq are trying to envision a black picture for this country which is incorrect," Iraqi lawmaker and Head of the parliament's investment committee Younadem Kena said in the press conference.
"We do not say that everything is fine: but more than 60 percent of Iraq's territory are safe and ready for investment and reconstruction," he added. "Jordan has been Iraq' way to communicate with the world since 1980s till now," the Iraqi official also said, noting that such exhibitions would make Iraqis able to communicate with the world and with the international companies.
He urged foreign companies to invest in Iraq. The Iraqi parliament approved last December the investment law, which allows both Iraqis and foreigners to invest in the country. "This free system allows 4,000 companies registered in Iraq's Kurdistan region to enter into the Iraqi market, in addition to other companies in the south," the Iraqi official highlighted.
Labels: Amman, International Rebuild Iraq Exhibition, Mohammad Abdallah Al-Ani, Younadem Kena
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Iraqi banking industry conference held in Iraq
Finance
(USAID) - Iraqi banking industry leaders and international banking experts gathered in Amman, Jordan April 4 to 5 for the first Iraqi Banking and Finance Conference, Banking in Iraq: The 21st Century Challenge. More than 200 delegates attended the two-day conference, organized by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Izdihar Private Sector Growth and Employment Generation and Economic Governance II projects.
Conference participants included representatives from the Central Bank of Iraq, Government of Iraq agencies, regulators, Iraq private and state owned banks, regional and international banking groups, non-bank financial institutions, bank training and certification organizations, banking experts and international donors.
Conference participants included representatives from the Central Bank of Iraq, Government of Iraq agencies, regulators, Iraq private and state owned banks, regional and international banking groups, non-bank financial institutions, bank training and certification organizations, banking experts and international donors.
Labels: Amman, Iraqi banking industry, USAID
