Recommencement of Technical Exchanges with the Iraqi Ministry of Oil

JCCP invited four executive officers from the Training and Development Directorate of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil to Japan from December 14 to 18, 2009, to discuss the recommencement of training and technical cooperation programs.


1. Background

First Iraqi participant to a JCCP course after the re-establishment of relations with the Iraqi Ministry of Oil Mr. Sale Saeed Abdulla, Technical Manager, North Oil Company (right)

The Iraqi Ministry of Oil and JCCP have engaged in technical exchanges since JCCP was established in 1981. As of the end of fiscal 2008, JCCP had received 360 participants to training courses in Japan and sent 26 Japanese experts to Iraq to hold local technical seminars. Between 1991 and 2003, both the acceptance of participants and dispatch of experts were discontinued due to wars. However, training programs in Japan gradually recommenced in 2003, mainly beginning with courses initiated by JCCP member companies. A technical cooperation project was also launched in 2003 in support of reconstruction efforts in the country.
From this fiscal year on, JCCP is seeking to fully recommence the acceptance of participants to JCCP- initiative courses and to examine opportunities of implementing technical cooperation projects as its
contribution to post-war reconstruction efforts in the oil downstream sector in Iraq. The recent meeting was therefore held to gain mutual understanding of situations in the two countries and to reach an agreement on the requirements for project implementation, toward re-establishing relations between the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and JCCP.


2. Visitors
The Training and Development Directorate of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil is responsible for human resource development and technical development in the entire oil industry in Iraq, and operates four training centers and an oil technology development center. The recent invitation to Japan was extended to four executive officers from the Training and Development Directorate: Mr. Iqdam M. R. Hashim Al Shadeedi, Deputy Director General, Training and Development Directorate (as leader); Mr. Jasim M. Hameed, Manager, Technical Department, Training and Development Directorate; Dr. Kareem Abdulhasan Alwan, Director, Petroleum Research and Development Center; and Mr. Maher B. Antwan, Manager, Petroleum Refining Division, Petroleum Research and Development Center.


3. Main Points of the Discussion
On December 14, the executive officers from the Iraqi Ministry of Oil paid their respects to Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive Director of JCCP, at JCCP Headquarters, and then paid a courtesy visit to the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The Japanese side explained that it wishes to provide post-war reconstruction assistance to the oil industry in Iraq through the implementation of training and technical cooperation programs. The Iraqi side responded by saying that it wishes to re-establish its ties with JCCP and receive JCCP’s cooperation in modernizing the oil industry in Iraq. Through such dialogue, the two sides confirmed their mutual desire to recommence personnel and technical exchanges with each other.
The executive officers then held a meeting with JCCP and visited JCCP member companies to respectively discuss the recommencement of training programs and technical cooperation programs in specific terms. In regard to training programs, a JCCP-initiative course (TR-17: Training Management Course) had actually just begun slightly in advance of this meeting, on November 24, with the attendance of a participant from the Iraqi Ministry of Oil. Both sides therefore agreed to the continued participation of Iraqi personnel in JCCP courses in Japan from fiscal 2010 on, as well. In regard to technical cooperation programs, the JCCP side assured the Iraqi side that it will work to acquire an accurate understanding of local situations concerning technical issues confronting the oil industry in Iraq, and the two sides promised to hold information exchanges on a continuous basis in the future.


4. Future Exchanges

Exchanging of the MOU on the recommencement of exchanges with the Iraqi Ministry of Oil
Mr. Iqdam M. R. Hashim Al Shadeedi, Deputy Director General, Training and Development Directorate (right)
Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive Director of JCCP (left)

The meeting allowed JCCP and the Iraqi Ministry of Oil to deepen their understanding of each other’s situation and to confirm their mutual desire to reestablish friendly relations. In order for Iraq to make steady progress in post-war reconstruction, it is vitally important to help stabilize oil supplies and to provide support in bringing stability to people’s lives and developing the industries. The Ministry of Oil has plans to establish a supply system of oil products by building more refineries and introducing modern equipment, and JCCP is planning on supporting this effort through the implementation of training and technical cooperation programs.


(by Hisayoshi Tanda, Administration Dept.)