Friday, July 18, 2025
APIKUR SPOKESPERSON CALLS FOR SWIFT ACCOUNTABILITY & CLEAR PAYMENT STRUCTURE
APIKUR SPOKESPERSON CALLS FOR SWIFT ACCOUNTABILITY & CLEAR PAYMENT STRUCTURE
(Even under such harassment these contractors want in to Iraq so bad and are willing to put up with it. They know the money to be made…..)
APIKUR demands security guarantees & transparent payments to resume Kurdistan’s oil exports, stressing $1B/month losses. While welcoming Baghdad-Erbil talks, firms await written deals to unlock stalled $400M investments and boost Iraq’s energy sector recovery.
Amid ongoing disruptions in oil exports from the Kurdistan Region and a recent attack on a private oil facility, Col. Myles B. Caggins III, spokesperson for the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR), reaffirmed the consortium’s commitment to Iraq but stressed the need for protection, transparency, and swift action by the Iraqi and Kurdish authorities.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Kurdistan 24, Col. Caggins denounced the recent assault on a private oil production facility, calling for immediate accountability. “We want the perpetrators to be caught. And as the government of Iraq has said, we want them to be punished swiftly and severely,” he stated. He emphasized that APIKUR member companies operate as private entities, and it is the responsibility of the Iraqi federal and Kurdistan Regional Governments (KRG) to ensure their safety.
Trust in Iraqi Investigative Process, but Security Concerns Persist
Referring to statements made by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, Caggins noted, “We trust that he will have his team do a quick and detailed investigation.” He added that the unique nature of Iraq’s security environment often results in contradictions: “On one day, you can have an attack in the morning and a deal signed in the afternoon.”
He dismissed any suggestion that the Iraqi government was behind the attack but warned of destabilizing actors: “Some group is doing evil while there are arrangements for new oil deals that are happening between HKN and the central federal government of Iraq.”
Risk Assessment and Continued Investment Amid Political Volatility
APIKUR, comprising eight member companies including HKN, has collectively invested over $10 billion in the Kurdistan Region since February 2005—at the height of Iraq’s civil war. “Our companies have remained committed…through the threats of ISIS,” Caggins said, while acknowledging that each company must independently assess risks daily.
He cautioned that attacks like the recent one are “dangerous and disruptive,” which may prompt companies to temporarily halt operations while reassessing their security posture. Still, he stressed: “There’s risk and then there’s also reward.”
Stalled Exports and Financial Transparency: APIKUR’s Demands
The prolonged closure of the Iraq–Turkey pipeline, now over two years, has cost all stakeholders an estimated $1 billion per month. Caggins revealed that on July 12, APIKUR met with KRG and federal officials to present conditions for resuming exports. Chief among them is a transparent payment mechanism that addresses outstanding dues.
“We need to have transparency for how we will receive payments,” he said, advocating for either direct cash or in-kind payments via barrels of oil, facilitated by SOMO. “We want paper. We want signatures. We want stamps,” Caggins asserted, underlining the need for contractual guarantees.
APIKUR has also proposed an escrow system through an international bank independent of Iraq’s financial institutions to secure payments.
International Price Advantage and Revenue Potential
Caggins emphasized the economic urgency of restoring international sales: “The oil that is sold on the international market is around $70 per barrel, and the oil that is sold locally is only about $30.” He underscored that resumed exports would generate more state revenue, enabling Baghdad to address salary arrears and invest in infrastructure.
“We believe that our business of producing and selling oil should not be caught into the budget disputes between Erbil and Baghdad,” he added.
Pipeline Reopening: A Test of Political Will
Caggins highlighted recent Iraqi and Kurdish statements as signs of progress. Prime Minister Sudani, in a recent meeting with the US embassy and HKN representatives, expressed renewed intent to reopen the Iraq–Turkey pipeline. “We have seen many, many statements. Now we want to see proposals for written agreements,” said Caggins.
He urged all parties to “remain at the table” and finalize a solution that benefits all Iraqis. APIKUR, he added, is optimistic that a resolution may come “in the coming weeks.”
Cooperation With International Stakeholders and Consultant Oversight
APIKUR member companies have engaged with the US and British governments, pressing for a pipeline reopening. “We want to attract more foreign investors,” said Caggins, who affirmed that once agreements are signed, exports can resume within days.
APIKUR supports the involvement of an independent consultant to audit production and costs. “Our companies will fully cooperate… we insist that the calculations are made with the sanctity of our contracts,” he said, noting that Iraq’s federal courts and Ministry of Oil have affirmed the legitimacy of these contracts.
Accepting Article 12: The Path to Implementation
According to Caggins, APIKUR member companies accept Article 12 of Iraq’s federal budget law and have submitted oil export principles accordingly. The group awaits written contracts to activate implementation. “Production is different at each field… What’s important is that our companies agree and accept the budget law,” he explained.
Investment Freeze and Future Outlook
Since the pipeline’s shutdown, companies have had to pause $400 million in planned investments. Once operational, each company will reevaluate new ventures, including drilling and increasing capacity. Caggins stressed that APIKUR supports Iraq’s goal of increasing exports from 4 million to 6 million barrels per day within three years.
“We want to increase the amount of oil that our companies are able to produce… and export that oil to international markets,” he said.
Resolve, Cooperation, and Economic Recovery
Caggins concluded with a call for unity and urgency: “The government’s actions in the past week… have shown a new level of seriousness.” He said elected officials now recognize the need to resume exports to fund salaries and public services. “And if you have money to pay, you need to make more money, and a good way to do that is sell oil internationally.”
MNT GOAT: "Beyond the Hype: The Real Road to Iraq’s Currency Reinstatement", PART . 3
😊And there is yet another good article that brings home our theme of discussion for today too and it is titled “AL-SUDANI’S ADVISOR REVEALS THE MOST IMPORTANT PILLARS OF REVIVING IRAQ’S “TREASURE.”
Saleh, economic advisor to Prime Minister Al-Sudani, said on Tuesday that legislation and industrial policy are the most important pillars of reviving industry in Iraq, stressing that foreign investment is a priority in revitalizing the local market.
Saleh told Shafaq News Agency: “To revive the Iraqi national industry, there are a number of pillars, foremost among which is the strength of pursuing a policy of protecting the national product from dumping policies, through the applicable legislation, especially customs legislation.” So, over the past couple years we witnessed the White Paper reforms being implemented. Remember these “financial” reforms?
Now we are witnessing yet another set of pillars of reform called legislation and industrial policy are the most important pillars of reviving industry in Iraq. Of course in the past they called the Financial Reforms the most important but we must consider that they are talking present tense and so now they have moved on. These are the most important and this alone tells us they have moved on from the Financial Reforms.
This is now their new concentration. Do you see any new articles about the Banking, Insurance or Stock Market reforms? The answer is not many, if any, as these reforms are mostly all completed and so why would they be in the news.
I have to add a note here. The intel gurus keep harping on their nonsense that the articles don’t matter. Really? Did you just witness above how we can see the direction of Iraq by reading and paying attention to the articles, which is the news from Iraq? So why would you not want to know what is happening in Iraq and tell your listeners the TRUTH. Oh… but these sly intel gurus always want an “inside” “secret” person who knows more that what is in the articles. This makes them important. They think this makes them stand out from the rest. Really?
But eventually the lies do catch up to them. Folks there are no such inside people. Even my CBI contact may pass on some news, not yet in the news, but it does eventually make it there, as I have shown you over and over again. By this contact I just get the news a bit early that is all. She is not going to give out any secret info to me. Get it?
So, Al-Sudani’s “pet project” is the Development Road Project. Through this new set of pillars of reviving industry in Iraq is what we should now concentrate on. This fits right into what Saleh is now telling us. This is the path to full sovereignty in many ways. I have already discussed this project with you. There was a very good article describing it in a past Newsletter dated July 1st. If you want to refresh your memory you can go to my Archives and read it while it is still posted there. Remember only about 2 months’ worth of Newsletter are retained there.
So, what is one of the pillars of legislation they tell us about today? They tell us that these industrial cities on the Development Road “are regulated by the Investment Law, into the local industrial system. This is what the current government program is working towards.” Can it get any clearer?
As speculators in the IQD, the reason for following these new set of pillars called for of reviving industry in Iraq is that we are NOT going to see the RV until this Development Road Project is in full swing. Client companies must now come into these industrial cities and set up shop manufacturing something to use in Iraq and to export either in the middle east or around the world. President Trump, once he analyzed this Development Road Project see the potential for great wealth to American companies.
This is not going to be outsourcing of companies but rather setting up “satellite companies” that will bring their profits back to the US. Can you see now too why he just slapped a 30% tariff on all imported goods to the US? He is also hoping there will be many American jobs in Iraq. This situation is much, much different than the cheap Asian labor and massive unbalance of trade now going on with China and Asia where entire American companies moved there to conduct business.
I don’t care what intel guru idiot tells you otherwise. How many times do you have to be fooled before by them until you realize they are scamming you?
TAIF SAMI: THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO SUBMITTING BUDGET SCHEDULES
TAIF SAMI: THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO SUBMITTING BUDGET SCHEDULES.
Finance Minister Taif Sami stated on Wednesday that the government is committed to submitting the budget tables.
MP Raed Al-Maliki said in a post on Facebook: “Finance Minister Taif Sami informed us today during her meeting at the ministry headquarters that a committee in the Council of Ministers is working to complete the budget tables.”
He pointed out that “the Minister of Finance explained that the reason for the delay is due to efforts to maximize non-oil revenues and find financial sources to cover the budget deficit from fees, taxes, service fees, etc., and that the government is committed to submitting the budget tables.”
MNT GOAT: "Beyond the Hype: The Real Road to Iraq’s Currency Reinstatement", PART . 2
😊There are a few articles that struck me as VERY important in today’s news discussion. The first one is titled “IRAQ IS QUIETLY DISTANCING ITSELF FROM IRAN. HOW IS BAGHDAD BUILDING A BALANCED FOREIGN POLICY?” For more than two decades, Iraq has been trapped between foreign occupation and Iranian hegemony, navigating foreign policy without a clear identity and exploited as a tool rather than a state.
However, in recent months since the Trump administration took power in the US, and particularly since the events in Syria and the transformations taking place there, have opened a rare strategic window for Baghdad to quietly redraw its regional positioning from Iran with measured steps.
Baghdad today is not turning against anyone, but it also no longer accepts its decisions being dictated by those outside its borders. We already witnessed the move to redevelop Iraqi bombed out refineries which are now producing their own petrol and actually announced for the first time since 2003 they are exporting it.
So this move gets Iraq independent of Iranian petrol sales. We are also witnessing the rebuilding of the electric grid that they say will be completed in 2026 using the LNG for fuel, getting Iraq fully off of the Iranian grid. While temporarily tied to the Saudi and Turkey grids for power they can not yet produce.
I will say the largest sticky point today with Iraq is these Iranian backed militia. They call themselves the
😊Another article titled “BETWEEN IMF RECOMMENDATIONS AND BAGHDAD’S AMBITIONS… IRAQ PLANS A NEW ECONOMY”. Prime Minister’s advisor, Mazhar Mohammed Saleh, confirmed on Monday that the government’s reform policy has not deviated from the recommendations of the International Monetary Fund.
While explaining that the government seeks to transform the rentier economy into a diversified, productive economy. “Despite the significant financial exposure to oil revenues, which has made the financing of public spending, especially investment, dependent on oil price fluctuations and the oil asset cycle.
However, it can be said that Iraq possesses promising economic components if they are employed within a realistic and gradual development vision,” Saleh said in a statement to the official media, followed by “Al-Mutalaa”.
He added, “Strengthening the non-oil sector requires a real shift from a rentier economy to a diversified productive economy, something the current government is seeking to achieve within the framework of its government program. This transformation is no longer just rhetoric or intentions, but has taken on concrete manifestations on the ground.
Yes, we have known for a long time that it as been the US as the driving force behind Iraq to get off the sole oil revenues (rentier economy) and on to a “diversified productive economy”.
This has been its foreign policy towards Iraq. I will also say that it has been the US and its push in Iraq to get this done, that is the agent of change to move them ahead. We must also remember that Iraq needs investment money and much of this money would not flow into Iraq until these UN resolutions were completed.
They were completed in 2022. This also coincided with Al-Sudani being elected as the new prime minister. His visions evolved into the “New Development Road Project” and it is this project that is his “pet project” that he wants to see to the end before the end of his second term, should be he be reelected next year. The point I want to make here is that there is a evolution going on here in Iraq. Can you see it? This drastic change had to happen, according to the new foreign policy for Iraq.
Yes, the foreign policy changed since G.W. Bush’s administration and Dr Shabibi’s time. Do you really think they were going to reinstatement the currency without these changes occurring?
For the IMF and the US Treasury these changes are essential to bring the IQD rate high, high enough to be included in the basket of currencies they plan to shortly move out when they reinstate the dinar.
In the high-level futuristic thinking for Iraq it is to be the financial hinge pin for the middle east. How much longer will it take to complete the Development Road Project enough to see major revenue streams I can not tell you, but we see it won’t be long.
https://mntgoatnewsusa.com/latest-mnt-goat-newsletter/
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)