Iraq: The government has approved a series of recommendations from the Ministerial Economic Council to support the growth of Iraq s cement industry and to ensure that production capacity continues to meet domestic demand. The cabinet approved a loan agreement between the Republic of Iraq and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for an electricity services reconstruction and enhancement project. It also approved a recommendation from the housing consultative group that investors in housing projects need to complete a percentage of the planned building work before they are allowed to own the land.