Strategic Iraq–Bahrain Partnership to Advance Industrial Growth
Al-Rida Investment Group has signed a strategic partnership with Bahrain-based Neo Holding to establish an integrated industrial complex in Najaf Industrial City. The project’s first phase includes factories for pipes, gypsum board, electrical wiring, and construction chemicals to reduce Iraq’s…
Fawry Studies Expansion into the Iraqi Market
Fawry, the leading financial company in Egypt, is currently studying opportunities to expand into the Iraqi market as part of its regional expansion plan. A new management team is working on evaluating regional markets, including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the…
EQIQ Doubles Fund to $30 Million to Support Iraq’s Digital Economy
Abu Dhabi-based venture capital fund and venture builder EQIQ has announced doubling its fund size from $15 million to $30 million to deepen investments in Iraq’s rapidly growing digital economy. The fund targets startups in e-commerce, logistics, and fintech, aiming…
M4Bank Enters Iraqi Market Through Strategic Partnership with SWITCH
M4Bank, a global SoftPOS technology provider and part of EMI Global Corp, has officially entered the Iraqi market through a strategic partnership with SWITCH, a leading Iraqi electronic payments company. This collaboration introduces M4Bank’s secure SoftPOS solution—used in over 17…
Inditex to Launch First Stores in Iraq by End of 2025
Spanish fashion giant Inditex, parent company of Zara, will open its first stores in Iraq in late 2025 as part of its global expansion strategy. The launch will take place inside the massive Iraq Mall in Baghdad, which is set…
German – Iraqi Partnership Sets Stage for Regional Glass Manufacturing Hub
In a major step toward developing Iraq’s industrial capabilities, Al-Diyar Company, a subsidiary of Iraq’s Al-Rida Investment Group, has announced the signing of a new contract with HORN Glass Industries AG, the renowned German manufacturer, for the design and implementation…
New Platform Tracks Iraq’s Emerging Market Opportunities
The International Center for Development Studies (ICDS) has announced the launch of “Iraq Business Update“, a specialized media platform dedicated to tracking investment flows, corporate developments, and partnership initiatives within Iraq’s evolving economic landscape. The platform emerges at a pivotal…
AI Middle East: Unlocking the Region’s Next Tech Frontier
The International Center for Development Studies has announced the launch of “AI Middle East“, a specialized media platform aimed at enhancing understanding and development of artificial intelligence technologies across the Middle East and North Africa region. This initiative comes at…
Infrastructure Diplomacy: The New Power Game
By: Haydar Al-Rikabi* The global race for artificial intelligence leadership has created a new form of statecraft, “infrastructure diplomacy”. Rather than wielding influence through military power or ideological alignment, nations are now building strategic relationships through control of the computational…
ICDS to Participate in Pivotal Energy Disputes Conference in London
The International Center for Development Studies (ICDS) will participate in the 8th Annual conference on Energy Arbitration and Dispute Resolution in the Middle East and Africa, taking place on June 12–13, 2025, at the prestigious London offices of Herbert Smith…
Is the global economy at a crossroads?
The global economy, having overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, now faces new and accelerating obstacles. Debt crises, rising inflation and interest rates, and declining trade performance have significantly pressured global economic growth, diminishing opportunities anticipated by investors…
Iraq on the Rise
Iraq is undergoing a remarkable transformation across key sectors—from real estate and hospitality to energy and education. With global hotel chains establishing a presence, international firms like Chestertons expanding into Baghdad, and strategic partnerships such as Siemens Energy’s engagement in…
Iraq’s Investment Surge
The tides of economic transformation are gaining momentum in Iraq. From billion-dollar real estate ventures to sweeping infrastructure upgrades, the country is undergoing a redefinition of its investment landscape. In this edition, we spotlight a wave of major developments that…
France’s Strategic Shift in the Middle East: Navigating Ties with Iraq Post-Coalition Withdrawal
France’s New Approach As its political and military influence wanes in Africa, France seeks to bolster its presence in the Middle East, specifically Iraq. While Iraqi Prime Minister Muhamad Shia Al-Sudani called for the international coalition, led by the United…
The Impact of Red Sea Tensions on the Global Economy
The Red Sea in the Spotlight Since the outbreak of conflict in Gaza, escalating events suggest a widening scope of the conflict to encompass broader regions in the Middle East. Daily military incidents along the Lebanese border, missile strikes, and…
Will Iraq’s Economy Escape the Ramifications of the Gaza War?
Confronting the factions The aftermath of the recent war in Gaza has quickly expanded to encompass other countries in the region, including Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. American bases in both Syria and Iraq witnessed multiple missile and drone attacks…
The war in Gaza undermines the Prospects of the Economic Corridor
The war in Gaza poses a significant challenge to the reshaping of economic corridors in the Middle East. The India to Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which extends from India through Israel, clearly clashes with the security factor, considered essential by…
Abu Dhabi: The Future Global Capital for Renewable Energy
By 2050, the UAE aims to rely entirely on clean and renewable energy sources for its energy consumption, marking a significant transition despite its prominent hydrocarbon industry and vast oil and natural gas reserves. The country has made notable strides…
Digitalization: The way to carbon neutral economy
Digitization plays an important role in our lives. In addition to its great role in analyzing data and benefiting from it in most aspects of economic, social and scientific life, it also contributes to providing a flexible, efficient and carbon-free…