All the training rooms were full of women learning new skills – Information Technology, dressmaking and handicrafts.

The spacious play area was adorned with colourful mats and toys, creating a safe and welcoming space for the children to develop their social skills and creativity. The laughter and joy resonating from this section of the centre underscored the nurturing environment and the care provided to ensure the holistic development of the children.

All thanks to donations from Basra Energy Company Limited (BECL), with the support of the Basra Oil Company.

The centre’s AMAR staff welcomed me with smiles, tea and cakes.

Overall, the women’s center served as a beacon of hope and empowerment, offering not only education and training for women but also a supportive community where women could connect, learn, and grow together. It was a place where dreams were nurtured, skills were honed, and futures were transformed, embodying the spirit of resilience and determination that defined the women it served.

Donations to help AMAR’s work in Iraq should he made here:  AMAR International Charitable Foundation

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• Pumping station – taking water from the sweet water canal, sanitising the water and distributing the water to homes.
• Al Khora Womens’ Centre – with a kindergarten and training facilities for women
• Five aside football pitch – subsequently burned down in an intra-tribal dispute

Our donor’s rules stipulated that I had to be transported in a B6 armoured vehicle.’B6 Armoured’ protection refers to the level of protection that your car has against rounds fired by rifles. The ballistic glass used for the windows in the B6 armoured vehicle has an increased thickness and stops the shots fired by an AK-47 and assault rifles. The armoured vehicle doors use protective steel plates to form an armoured capsule around the vehicle.

Since that visit, the projects have continued and the Womens’ Centre is busier than ever as saw on my next visit in 2023.

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Settled by the ancient Sumerians more than 6,000 years ago, historians think that the Erbil Citadel is one of the longest-continuously inhabited sites in the world. The Citadel, located on an archaeological tell rising around 98 ft (30 m) above the plain, is surrounded by a lower town that developed into the modern city of Erbil.

This time (September 2023), a security guard blocked my access to the Citadel because of construction work. Instead, I took a batch of photographs to create a panorama of the imposing outer wall of the citadel.

Not far from the Citadel is Erbil’s souk, which provides shelter from the sun and a respite from the 46C temperature of the open air. Also known as the Qaysari Market or Bazaar, it dates from the Ottoman period. As with most contemporary cities in the Middle East, you can find lunch, socks, underpants, cellphones, carpets, antiques and fresh produce throughout the market.

The last photograph on this page is of a Yezidi shrine.

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The Essian Camp opened on 22/12/2014 as a formal site for internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had settled there. The main area of origin of the resident IDPs is Sinjar, Ninewa Governorate. Now home to just over 14,000 people, the camp is managed by the Duhok Governorate. The Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC)  in the camp is managed for the Duhok Governorate by the AMAR International Charitable Foundation.

Below are photographs of some of the staff who work in the PHCC and some of their patients. AMAR established the PHCC in 2015, and I was amazed to see how well it has lasted.

Donations to AMAR to help them continue to support the PHCC can be made on the AMAR’s Total Giving page.

Here is a link to pictures I took there in 2019.

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In the 1990s, the marshes were drained for political motives, namely to force the Marsh Arabs out of the area and to punish them for their role in the 1991 uprising against Saddam Hussein’s government. However, the government’s stated reasoning was to reclaim land for agriculture and exterminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The displacement of more than 200,000 of the Ma’dan, and the associated state-sponsored campaign of violence against them has led the United States and others to describe the draining of the marshes as ecocide or ethnic cleansing.

The draining of the Mesopotamian Marshes by Sadaam has been described by the United Nations as a “tragic human and environmental catastrophe” on par with the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest and by other observers as one of the worst environmental disasters of the 20th century.

These ancient marshlands have shrunk from 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 square miles) in the early 1990s to 4,000 (1,500 square miles) by the latest estimates – choked by dams on the great rivers upstream in Turkey, Iran and Syria and the soaring temperatures of climate change.

Only a few thousand of the quarter million Ma’adan who lived in the marshes in the early 1990s remain. Most of those who now inhabit these marshes are men who stay to tend their herds of water buffalo. Their families have had to move to nearby towns like Maysan as life in the marshes has become too difficult.

Because of the low water levels, there are not enough fish to support them. Life in the marshes is also hard because of the lack of basic services (fresh water and an electricity supply) in the marshes is also a problem. The farmers told me that only 10% of families still live in the mashes.

Iraq is one of the five countries most touched by some effects of climate change, according to the United Nations. Rainfall is rarer and rarer, and in the next 25 years, the World Bank said the temperature will go up by an average of 2.5 degrees.

As I was taken in a boat through the narrow channels that wind through the reed beds, the air temperature was in excess of 46C. I was taken to a small building made of reeds deep in the marshes to meet some water buffalo farmers. They offered me tea and wanted to know if I could help get the Turks and Iranians to release more water into the marshes. I had to tell them that this request was far beyond my powers of influence. I explained that the reason for my visit was only to gather information about the provision of primary school education for the Ma’adan living in the marshes for the AMAR International Charitable Foundation.

All they can do is hope that one day, the waters will return and bring life back to the marshes.

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I saw many rubbish collection trucks picking rubbish from bins and pavements. Private investment in construction in Basra is ahead of public investment in infrastructure, with shiny new buildings surrounded by half-finished pavements and unpaved roads.

Frequent power cuts have created a thriving market for home generators.

Inside Basra, the roads are crowded, and traffic jams are commonplace. There are a few traffic lights, but many major junctions are managed by a single traffic policeman. The lack of roundabouts means that drivers sometimes have to drive greater distances than needed to get from one place to another.

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The most memorable meal was one that she cooked for us, as it included Injera.

Injera is a sour flatbread used in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine that is thicker than a crepe but thinner than a pancake and has a delightfully sour taste. Vegetable, lentil, or meat dishes are often served on top of the injera, and the food is eaten with your hands, using the injera to scoop up the other dishes.

Traditional injera uses all teff flour, made from the seeds of an annual grass native to the Horn of Africa. Teff is high in protein and fibre and indispensable in Ethiopian cuisine; it also happens to be a gluten-free flour. However, most injera recipes in the United States, like this one, use a combination of teff and all-purpose flour. The flours are mixed with salt and water and left to ferment, giving the injera its pleasant sourdough flavour and spongy texture since the bread is naturally fermented, similar to sourdough, you’ll need to plan ahead. The mixture must sit out and be stirred occasionally for three or four days. Fermenting foods can be tricky, since temperature, timing, and contaminants can all influence the mixture. Look for the telltale bubbles and sour smell when deciding if your batter is ready.

While I was there, Operation Desert Fox started, a major four-day bombing campaign on Iraqi targets from December 16, 1998, to December 19, 1998, by the United States and United Kingdom.

The contemporaneous justification for the strikes was Iraq’s failure to comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions and its interference with United Nations Special Commission inspectors

Photo by Mishaal Zahed on Unsplash

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1. History: Beirut has a long and diverse history that dates back thousands of years. Various civilizations, including Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, and Ottomans, inhabited it.

2. Cultural and Economic Hub: Beirut has historically been a cultural and economic hub in the Middle East. It was often referred to as the “Paris of the Middle East” for its vibrant cultural scene and cosmopolitan atmosphere.

3. Civil War: Beirut went through a devastating civil war that lasted from 1975 to 1990. The war caused extensive damage to the city’s infrastructure and left lasting social and political impacts.

4. Reconstruction: Since the end of the civil war, Beirut has undergone significant reconstruction efforts. The city has worked to rebuild and revitalize its urban areas, with new developments, commercial centers, and cultural institutions.

5. Diverse Architecture: Beirut features a mix of architectural styles reflecting its historical and cultural diversity. You can find ancient Roman ruins, Ottoman-era buildings, and modern skyscrapers in different parts of the city.

6. Cultural Scene: Beirut is known for its vibrant arts and cultural scene, with numerous galleries, theaters, and music venues. The city hosts various cultural events, festivals, and exhibitions throughout the year.

7. Geopolitical Challenges: Lebanon, including Beirut, has faced various geopolitical challenges, including conflicts with neighboring countries and internal political tensions. These challenges have had economic and social implications for the city.

8. Port of Beirut: The Port of Beirut is a key economic and trade gateway for Lebanon. In August 2020, a massive explosion occurred at the port, causing widespread damage and adding to the city’s challenges.

9. Language and Religion: Arabic is the official language in Beirut, and the majority of the population is Arabic-speaking. The city is also characterized by religious diversity, with a mix of Christian and Muslim communities.

Despite the challenges it has faced, Beirut remains a resilient city with a rich cultural heritage and a dynamic population. The city continues to play a crucial role in the region’s history, politics, and economy.

I have had just two short visits to Beirut. One with a hotel sea view (2011) and the other with a view from the back of the hotel (2019). In 2011, the firm sent a Bentley with bulletproof windows to pick me up from the airport. I took a regular taxi back to the airport.

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Jerusalem is a city in Western Asia. Situated on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea, it is one of the oldest cities in the world. It is considered to be a holy city for the three major Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

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I was there as a member of a UK trade mission to Iraq organised by the Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC). At the time was on the IBBC Board.

In much of the world, gas produced during oil production would be processed and then used for power generation or reinjected to force more oil out of the ground. But in some places, a lack of infrastructure means this gas has nowhere to go, and so is set alight or vented into the atmosphere. In Iraq, a country impoverished by conflict, the vast majority of gas produced during oil production is flared.

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