Iraq: Baghdad Looks to Germany's Siemens to Help It Improve Its Electricity Supply

Iraq has approved a deal with Germany-based Siemens to upgrade its dilapidated power sector and build electricity projects. The deal, which could be worth at least $14 billion, was announced April 30 while Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi was in Germany for a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Iraqi-Siemens "road map" to restore and boost Iraq's electricity supply will help Iraq slowly diversify its electricity sources away from Iran and could temper protests caused by chronic brownouts and blackouts....