Iraq Reconstruction News 30 March 2007

Iraq Reconstruction News
30 March 2007

1. Brookings Iraq Index 29 March 2007 http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf

2. Iraq Weekly Status Report 28 march 2007 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82522.pdf

3. GRD Iraq Reconstruction Report 30 March 2007 http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/20070330.pdf

4. Shell VP Confirms Gas Development Talks with Iraq -- Dow Jones Commodities News via Comtex -- Energy giant Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSB.LN) confirmed Thursday that it has been in talks with oil officials from the Iraqi government over the development of the country's gas industry. Speaking on the fringes of an oil and gas conference in Aberdeen, Scotland Shell's Executive Vice President for Development and Technology in Exploration and Production Matthias Bichsel confirmed representatives of his company met with Iraqi officials in Oman to explore opportunities for the development of Iraq's largely untapped gas reserves. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43230

5. DNO: Northern Iraq Well Delivers 9,860 bopd -- DNO ASA on Thursday announced an update on its activities in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq. http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=43214

6. The World Bank Supports Electricity Rehabilitation in Iraq -- The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved today a credit of US$124 million for the Republic of Iraq for the Emergency Electricity Reconstruction Project. The total cost of the project is estimated at US$150 million. The World Bank has approved an additional US$6 million from the World Bank-administered Iraq Trust Fund; and the Government of Iraq is contributing US$20 million of its own resources. http://www.harolddoan.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4114

7. Why You Should Care About the World Bank and Iraq - Bank Information Center - Reports that a World Bank staffer was shot at an Iraqi checkpoint surfaced in late February. The Bank apparently suppressed the news for several days, presumably in an effort to quell concerns about Bank President Paul Wolfowitz's recent push to re-open a World Bank office in Baghdad. What should the Bank be doing in Iraq? Following is an overview of current Bank involvement in the country, and some reasons why you should be concerned. http://www.just-international.org/article.cfm?newsid=20002051

8. Non-Iraqis allowed to trade in Iraq Stock Exchange -- official http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=3421

9. Poll: Despite violence only 26% preferred life under Saddam -- One in four (26%) Iraqi adults have had a family relative murdered in the last three years, while 23% of those living in Baghdad have had a family/relative kidnapped in the last three years. These are among the findings released today from the largest poll into Iraqi opinion ever to be published. Carried out by UK research firm ORB, which has been tracking public opinion in Iraq since 2005, the poll shows that despite the horrendous personal security problems only 26% of the country preferred life under the previous regime of Saddam Hussein, with almost half (49%) preferring life under the current political system. As one may expect, it is the Sunnis who are most likely to back the previous regime (51%) with the Shias (66%) preferring the current arrangements. http://www.opinion.co.uk/Newsroom_details.aspx?NewsId=67

10. New dam constructed in restive Anbar Province -- Azzaman -- Work is progressing on the construction of a new dam in the restive Province of Anbar to help nomads find enough pasture and water for their herds. Anbar is the largest Iraqi province in area. Though River Euphrates passes through its territory most of the province is barren desert. The dam will cost 14 billion dinars (one dollar is worth 1,300 dinars) and rise to a height of 17.5 meters, according to Raad Abduljaleel, head of the state-run Directorate for Dams and Reservoirs. http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-03-20\kurd.htm

11. Iraqi Engineers Learn New Skills to Better their Country http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/NR07-03-17.pdf

12. British firms face fraud allegations over 'phantom' armoured vehicles -- Three British companies are facing accusations that they engaged in large-scale fraud in Iraq after it emerged they were paid for "phantom" armoured vehicles destined to protect Iraqi government employees. The vehicles were never delivered, but the companies were paid anyway. One company, headed by a former deputy assistant commissioner at Scotland Yard and a colourful ex-army officer, received $5.7m (£2.93m), even though the vehicles never left the factory in Russia where they were due to be manufactured. http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2038097,00.html

13. Shortage of safe water risks cholera in Iraq: U.N. - AMMAN (Reuters) - United Nations agencies working in Iraq warned on Thursday a chronic shortage of safe drinking water risks causing more child deaths and an outbreak of waterborne disease such as cholera during the summer. Four years after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, millions of Iraqi children still find that safe water is no easier to access, said a statement issued by leading U.N. aid agencies operating in Iraq. http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=AFF272815FA63358420D88A9C6D37B91

14. Iraqi water minister calls for transparency - ISTANBUL – Turkish Daily News - Sharing information between neighbors, coordination and consultation are the key to collaboration, Iraqi Minister for Water Resources Dr. Abdullatif Jamal Rashed told the TDN in an interview. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=68824

15. Shada's Singing Lifts Iraqi Spirits -- Morning Edition, March 30, 2007 -- Through war and intense sectarian violence, one person has united many Iraqis. Shada Hassoon is a 25-year-old singer, one of four finalists on Star Academy, a Lebanese TV program. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9237388

END