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In Iraq, opportunities don’t appear through public announcements or formal channels. They develop quietly — through activity on the ground, shifts in procurement behaviour, and changes in how contractors, suppliers, and regulators move in real time. This is why our approach to research is simple: focus on what people are doing, not what they are saying. Iraq’s infrastructure and energy sectors operate through signals: contractors increasing material orders ahead of a new proj

A few months ago, a European supplier asked me to look at a bid they were preparing for an Iraqi private-sector client. Big project. Multi-million dollar order. They were confident — good pricing, strong product, good reputation. When I opened their documents, I knew instantly they’d already lost. Not because their product was bad. Not because their price was high. Not because the client preferred someone else. They lost it in the most boring way possible: the way foreign sup

Most suppliers treat HS codes as a small administrative detail — something the freight forwarder picks, or whatever matches the catalogue. In Iraq, that approach is dangerous. A single wrong HS code can trigger: higher duties shipment reclassification inspection delays customs disputes late delivery penalties storage and demurrage payment delays complete rejection of the shipment Foreign suppliers don’t get caught because they act recklessly — they get caught because they und

Most foreign suppliers assume delivery failures happen because of logistics. They don’t. In Iraq, the number one cause of delays, penalties, and payment disputes is documentation non-conformity — minor-looking inconsistencies across the paperwork that customs officers, banks, or inspection agencies reject instantly. A shipment can be perfect. The packaging can be perfect. The transport can be perfect. But if a single detail on a document is wrong, unclear, unverified, or inc

Most foreign suppliers think delivery risk ends the moment their shipment reaches Iraq. It doesn’t. In Iraq, the highest-risk part of the entire delivery chain begins when the container hits the port. This is where customs, documentation, subcontractors, inspectors, banks, and project timelines all collide — and where contracts written for Europe or the Gulf fall apart instantly. Delivery risk in Iraq isn’t about shipping. It’s about everything that happens after shipping , a

Most foreign suppliers think Incoterms = full legal protection . They don’t. Incoterms were never designed to cover the realities of Iraq’s customs system, last-mile delivery risks, documentation requirements, or the delays that happen once cargo touches Iraqi soil. Yet suppliers routinely sign multimillion-dollar contracts assuming that choosing DAP, CIP, CFR, or EXW somehow protects them from: customs delays COO requirements HS code disputes conformity checks document mism

Most foreign suppliers entering Iraq assume the private sector behaves like the UK, EU, or Gulf. It doesn’t. The Iraqi private market has its own rhythms, risks, informal norms, and legal blind spots — and misunderstanding them can turn a simple procurement into a stalled project, a payment dispute, or a relationship-ending misunderstanding. After years of cross-border work between the UK and Iraq, the same misconceptions repeat themselves. Below are the most damaging legal m

How a routine procurement turned into a three-week delay because the supplier didn’t understand Iraq’s documentation process. Background A private-sector purchaser in Iraq ordered specialised machinery from a European supplier. The contract was straightforward: agreed price agreed shipment date agreed delivery deadline agreed incoterms Both sides assumed the paperwork was “standard.” The supplier shipped the goods with: Commercial Invoice Packing List Bill of Lading But one c

How a misstructured payment clause and incompatible banking procedures nearly killed a procurement deal between a UK supplier and an Iraqi buyer. Background A UK equipment supplier agreed to provide specialised industrial machinery to an Iraqi private-sector client. The contract required payment via Letter of Credit (LC) — a standard request from Iraqi buyers who want security. Simple on paper. Disastrous in practice. The parties signed the contract without: checking LC issu

How a supplier–contractor dispute over inspection rights nearly collapsed a cross-border project — and how structuring the contract properly saved it. Background A European supplier secured a contract to deliver specialised industrial equipment for an energy project in Iraq. Both sides agreed verbally on quality standards, inspection procedures and delivery milestones — but these details were not properly reflected in the written contract. The contract was a generic template

Most projects in Iraq don’t fail on site, they fail on paper. Unrealistic tender assumptions, rushed pricing, and ignored logistics destroy margins before construction even begins. Winning the bid means nothing if it can’t be delivered.

Iraq’s renewable energy ambitions are impressive on paper, but without a reliable grid, they risk becoming stranded promises. As billions pour into solar and gas projects, the country still lacks the transmission and distribution backbone to move power where it’s needed. Real transition won’t come from megawatts announced. It’ll come from megawatts delivered.

Iraq’s biggest obstacle to rebuilding isn’t funding — it’s bureaucracy. Projects stall between ministries, paperwork, and approvals that outlast budgets. Until oversight turns into enablement, reconstruction will remain an ambition instead of an outcome.

Overview The Basra–Najaf corridor — a 500-km transport and infrastructure route connecting Iraq’s southern oil hub to its religious and economic centre — was intended to be a model of post-war reconstruction. However, repeated execution delays, contract disputes, and funding gaps turned it into a symbol of the challenges foreign and local contractors face delivering large-scale projects inside Iraq’s evolving infrastructure framework. Background The highway was launched in 2

Overview Iraq’s first utility-scale solar projects are shaping the country’s renewable future — but they also expose the persistent challenges of execution on the ground . In 2025, a 300 MW solar plant in the Karbala desert highlighted the same issues many foreign EPC firms face: regulatory complexity, local capacity gaps, and last-mile delivery friction. Background With demand for electricity growing faster than supply, Iraq has sought to diversify away from gas-fired genera

Overview Despite Iraq’s growing portfolio of infrastructure and energy contracts, many international firms still face major barriers turning signed deals into operational projects. The challenge isn’t ambition — it’s execution: bridging the gap between contract award and real delivery . Background A European EPC contractor won a $45 million utilities project in southern Iraq, tasked with designing and supplying power-distribution systems. Within six months, design work was co