Korek Telecom is an Iraqi telecommunications company in Erbil, Kurdistan Region.[2]
In March 2011, France Télécom (now Orange S.A.) acquired a 20% indirect stake in Korek Telecom.[3]
On Jan 1, 2015, Korek launched[4] 3G in Iraq after winning one of the three 3G licenses awarded by Government of Iraq
On Dec 16, 2015, Korek became the first operator in Iraq to launch Free Basics[5] in Iraq in partnership with Internet.org and Facebook.
In March 2023, the company was implicated in a major corruption scandal and found guilty of bribing regulators, self-dealing, diversions of corporate assets, sham loans, and other illegal schemes.[6]
Fraud and corruption
In March 2023, Paris-based International Court of Arbitration found Korek and its founder and controlling shareholder Sirwan Barzani guilty of ‘fraud and corruption’ and awarded $1.65 billion in damages to Iraq Telecom Limited, a joint venture of Kuwaiti company Agility and French Orange Group, and International Holdings.[7]
See also
- Asiacell
- Zain Iraq
- Telephone numbers in Iraq
External links
References
- France Telecom-Orange and Agility to acquire 44% stake in Korek Telecom Agility Press Release retrieved 2016-05-14^
- A new war in Iraq, now between Shia Arabs and Kurds The Economist, 16 October 2017^
- Phil Goldstein. France Telecom invests €175m in Iraqi operator Korek FierceWireless, 2011-03-16, retrieved 2013-08-06^
- Extra G Korek Telecom^
- Free Basics Korek Telecom^
- White & Case secures US$1.65 billion arbitration award for Iraq Telecom Limited White&Case^
- ICC finds Korek liable to pay damages to Iraq Telecom Developing Telecoms^