1. society
2. unrest and war

IBBC NEWSLETTER: February 2015
WELCOME TO THE IBBC FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER
Baroness Nicholson meets Iraq Prime Minister
Mr Haider Al-Abadi
Baroness Nicholson met Iraq’s new Prime Minister, Mr Haider Al-Abadi,
for wide-ranging talks during his visit to London last week.
Mr Al-Abadi was attending the Lancaster House coalition conference on
the situation with Da’esh (Islamic State) but was keen to make time to
discuss trade and humanitarian issues with the Baroness.
The discussions, which were also attended by the Iraqi Foreign Minister,
Dr Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, the former British Ambassador to Iraq, Mr Simon
Collis, and the IBBC’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr Christophe Michels,
were described as “warm and friendly”.
Iraq’s PM Haider Al Abadi
IBBC WELCOMES NICKOLAY MLADENOV TO LONDON
IBBC Chairman, Baroness Nicholson, and members of the Council welcomed Mr Nickolay Mladenov,
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq and Head of United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), to London in a meeting held at IBBC’s offices on Wednesday 21st January.
Mr Mladenov discussed different aspects of the current situation in Iraq and exchanged views with representatives from Aegis, G4S Risk Management, SKA International, SSH Design, Unatrac/Iratrac and Vitol
Group.
From left to right: Mr Ramy Hatem and Mr Islam Tag El Din, Unatrac/Iratrac, Mr Laurie Downing, SKA International, Ms Karen Mort,
SSH Design, Ms Angelique Lecorps, G4S Risk Management, Baroness Nicholson, IBBC, Mr Nickolay Mladenov, UN, Mr Christian
Boatswain, UN, Ms Robin D’Alessandro, Vitol Group, Brigadier James Ellery, Aegis, Richard Cotton and Christophe Michels, IBBC.
February 2015
IBBC/SB/20150126
Iraq Britain Business Council, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 06929280
Registered as an NGO in Iraq with registration number 2D76104
IBBC NEWSLETTER: February 2015
IBBC Chairman and Members with Basra Governor and Provincial Council Representatives
THE GOVERNOR OF BASRA AND THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL DINE
WITH IBBC MEMBERS
His Excellency the Governor of Basra, Dr Majid Al-Nasrawi, together with representatives of the Basra
Provincial Council, Mr Aqeel Al Khalidi, Mr Hayder Al Saadi, Mr Jabbar Al Saadi, and Mr Munther,
joined the IBBC Chairman Baroness Nicholson in a dinner at the Shams Hotel on the 14th January 2015.
The IBBC event was attended by members from Aegis, Anwar Soura General Contracting, ARCHS,
Baghdad Chamber of Commerce, Basrah Engineering Group, BP, CCC, HWH & Associates, PTS,
Restrata, Saipem, Shell, SKA International, SSH Design, SNC Lavalin and Weir Group. There were discussions on the security situation in Basra and the possibility of easing the current visa restrictions, among
other subjects.
HE Governor of Basra, Dr Majid Al–Nasrawi, and Baroness
Nicholson
Mr Vikas Handa, Weir Group, and Mr Shalendra Nalbo, PTS,
February 2015
Mr Hans Nijkamp, Shell and Ms Angela McKenzie, FCO
Mr Marc Hornbrook, BP, with the Governor
IBBC/SB/20150126
Iraq Britain Business Council, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 06929280
Registered as an NGO in Iraq with registration number 2D76104
IBBC NEWSLETTER: February 2015
Mr Hans Nijkamp, Shell, the Governor of Basra, Mr Marc Hornbrook, BP, Baroness Nicholson, Mr Sahib Sajjad, Saipem, and Mr
Peter Hunt, HWH & Associates
Mr Peter Hunt, HWH & Associates, Mr Maytham Kedher, Baghdad Chamber of Commerce, Eng Rasmi Al Jabri, Basra Engineering Group, Mr Hans Nijkamp, Shell, the Governor of Basraa and Mr Aqeel Al Khalidi, Basra Provincial Council
The Governor greets Mr Firas Saeed Ismail, SKA International
February 2015
Mr Cashel Gleeson, FCO, with Mr Hussain Charchafchi,
ARCHS
IBBC/SB/20150126
Iraq Britain Business Council, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 06929280
Registered as an NGO in Iraq with registration number 2D76104
IBBC NEWSLETTER: February 2015
ERBIL MISSION AND CONFERENCE
IBBC WELCOMES ARCHS
The IBBC is delighted to welcome ARCHS as a new
member of the Council. ARCHS was established in
Baghdad in 1950 by Mr Ali Charchafchi and has offices in Iraq, Jordan, UAE and UK.
The company has grown substantially during the last
decades and provides construction services in the civil, electrical and water treatment sectors.
BARONESS NICHOLSON AT THE AL-KINDI
SOCIETY
IBBC Chairman addressed the Al Kindi Society for
Engineers during the symposium “The Role of Engineering during Iraq’s Crisis” held in London on the
10th January 2015.
Dara Al Khayat, President of the Erbil Chamber of Commerce
Members are encouraged to join the IBBC mission to Erbil lead by Baroness Nicholson from
Saturday 28 February to Tuesday 3 March.
The primary objective of the mission is to attend a
conference jointly organised by IBBC and the
Kurdish Federation of Chambers of Commerce
and Industry (KFCCI) in partnership with the Iraqi Federation of Chambers of Commerce (IFCC)
entitled ‘Erbil Business Conference, KurdistanIraq-UK: Business opportunities”.
The conference will take place under the auspices
of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Prime
Minister Mr Nechirvan Barzani and it will be attended by Ministers of both the Government of
Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government. It
will take place in Erbil on 1 and 2 March.
Baroness Nicholson highlighted the importance of engineers and their role in building Iraq’s future. You
can read her speech at www.webuildiraq.org
‘WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING IN IRAQ TO-
DAY? CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES’
Baroness Nicholson and Dr Alastair Niven will be
having a discussion on the subject at the Goodenough
College in Central London on the 23rd February 2015
at 8pm.
The Goodenough College is a postgraduate residence
with a significant number of overseas students. IBBC
Members are welcome to attend this free event. Please
register at [email protected]
SPECIAL DISCOUNT FOR IBBC MEMBERS
Baroness Nicholson will be speaking at the Middle
East Congress organised by The Telegraph in London
The agenda will include sessions on ‘Banking and on the 25th and 26th February 2015. IBBC Members
Insurance’, ‘The Built Environment’, ‘Oil and are eligible for a 25% discount.
Gas’, ‘Higher Education’ and ‘Business OpPlease contact [email protected]
portunities in the Healthcare and IT sector’.
Upcoming IBBC Events
- 9 February, 2015: Meeting of the Financial and Pr oOn 3 March we will be or ganising ministerial
fessional Services Sector Table
meetings for the IBBC delegation as well as
field visits as requested by Members attending the - 19 February, 2015: Meeting of the Education, Tr aining and Heritage Sector Table
mission. The UK Consulate General in Erbil and
UKTI Iraq will be supporting the event by hosting 1-3 March, 2015: IBBC Confer ence and Mission in
Erbil
a reception and dinner on one of the evenings.
 13 March, 2015: IBBC and BUIC Round Table
Please do let us know at the earliest opportunity if - 23 March, 2015: Boar d Meeting, Oil and Gas Sector
Table and Council Meeting followed by Reception and
you or your colleagues are planning to attend.
Dinner at the House of Lords.
February 2015
IBBC/SB/20150126
Iraq Britain Business Council, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 06929280
Registered as an NGO in Iraq with registration number 2D76104