As it seeks to create a cadre developed a vision for attracting inward investment

National Investment Commission held a training course for drawing up the country’s image and reputation building for investors

Organized by the National Commission for Investment in Baghdad and in collaboration with the investment in the Middle East and North Africa, the Organization for Cooperation and Economic Development (OECD) and the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, a special training course on an image of the country and build a reputation for investors for the period from 24 – 25.06.2013 in the headquarters of the Commission in order to gain the course participants experience the process of designing and implementing strategies to build and manage the reputation of Iraq as a place and an important site for foreign investment.
Advisor to the Commission, Dr. Abdullah al-Bandar welcomed in a speech opening speech on behalf of the President of the National Investment Commission, Dr. Sami Raouf al-Araji, the participants in the session representing investment bodies in the provinces, as well as the National Investment Commission in the presence of a representative of the Office of the State Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq, stressing The Authority has taken a new approach to building a cadre sophisticated and familiar with international experience to contribute to the reconstruction of Iraq and re-development.
He Bandar The OECD Economic (OECD) played a major role in the work on activating capacity building to attract foreign investments to the country and change the look Investor direction of Iraq from the country struggles to the country of encouraging investment, explaining that he has to take advantage of experiences provided by the organization through a series of meetings and seminars held since 2007 to work with the fact that Iraq is part of the Middle East countries.
Noting that this is the second session held by the organization in Iraq in cooperation with the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, where participants received lectures on new methods to attract investments to the country through sound practices in influencing the decisions of investors for the site, in addition to a plan to build and manage the reputation of Iraq, with the necessity of activating the mechanisms of partnership with the private sector through a program (PPP).
For his part, Mr. Anders Johnson, Project Coordinator for Iraq in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in his speech expressed his pleasure the establishment of this session and previous sessions in Iraq after it was set up by the organization in the neighboring countries, praising the role of the National Investment Commission to create a cadre of well-developed has a clear vision about how to attract investment companies to Iraq and change their outlook as that Iraq has attractive destination for investment to a large extent, where enjoys market consumer strong and prosperous, as well as availability of raw materials and manpower, in addition to helping to improve the reputation of Iraq and make it among the countries most attractive for investment and thus diversity imports and contribute to building the country.

Wasit Investment Commission announced on Monday, opening licenses to more than 180 investment opportunities in the province, including agriculture, industry, health, housing and tourism sectors.
Chairman of Wasit investment Commission Sadiq Howeidi said “The commission has provided between 180 to 200 investment opportunities distributed among various sectors of agricultural, industrial, health, housing, tourism and others,” calling those who wish to invest to address to the commission to obtain the required permits.
Howeidi added that “the commission is in the process of granting licenses for investment in various sectors, but they are still at the stage of legal and technical procedures” pointing out that “next year will witness granting a number of investment licenses to local and foreign investors.”
Wasit investment Commission granted three licenses during the past two months, one in the industrial sector was granted to a UAE company to establish a factory for secondary ceilings, in addition to two licenses in the health sector were being awarded to Iraqi investors for the establishment of two hospitals in the city of Kut, the cost of the first one is six billion and 500 million dinars, and the cost of the second is six million dollars, implementation period was determined to be between 18-22 months
There are 10 investment projects in the province of Wasit covering the sectors of housing, industry, health, refrigeration and air conditioning, the animal production sector. Total investment is of 120 million dinars.
Wasit Investment Commission was founded in October 2007, it is the first commission to be formed in the provinces after Kurdistan Region. It hosted more than one local investment Conference as well as a conference of all provinces and participated in many foreign economic forums.

Aiming at finding successful solutions for Electricity problems in Iraq
NIC Participates in the Conference of the Central Plan of the Ministry of Electricity Held in Istanbul

NIC participated in the works of the conference of the central plan of the Ministry of Electricity through a high level delegation headed by NIC Vice Chairman, Mr. Salar Muhammad Ameen, the conference which was prepared by the Ministry of Electricity in cooperation with Parsons Co. was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Hussein Al- Shahrestani and a big number of companies and figures specialized in energy sector.
Dr. Shahristani referred in his speech to the most important projects being achieved and the Ministry’s plan to rehabilitate the available stations and the importance of solving the electricity problem through investment noting that work to connect Iraq with the regional power grid had started referring to the plan suggested to transfer the Gulf countries excess capacity to European countries through Iraqi Grid.
The Deputy Prime Minister added that Iraq is keen to open doors for investors to build new power stations referring to the new investment opportunity announced to build four power stations to be closed at the end of February.
On the same context, NIC Vice Chairman stressed the commission’s readiness to submit all support, facilities and guaranties mentioned in investment law No. 13 for the year 2006 and its amendments presenting the most important privileges and incentives guaranteed by the law.
Mr. Ameen also referred to the active role of the NIC within the committee in charge of supervising investment activities in the Ministry of electricity saying that the National Investment Commission is giving special attention to investment in energy sector as it forms the fundamental base to develop the Iraqi economic base.
The participating investors showed their willingness to enter the Iraqi market through investing in electricity since it represents a promising sector. Opinions and suggestions were exchanged between the commission’s delegation and the participating companies about ways of developing the vital sector and ending the energy problem in Iraq.

NIC Participates in the Meeting Held by the Ministry of Transport to Discuss Designs submitted to build Iraq Grand Port in Basra

NIC participated in the meeting held in the Ministry of Transport to discuss designs submitted to build Iraq Grand Port in Basra by the Italian company. The meeting was headed by the Minister of Transport Mr. Hadi Al- Amiry and attended by the ministry deputy ministers, a number of the Parliament members on behalf of Basra governorate, the Marine leader assistant, Ministries representatives and experts from the Ministry of Planning.
NIC representative Mr. Abdulla Al- Bander said that the meeting had elaborately discussed the designs submitted by the Italian company to build Iraq Grand Port which shall be considered as the twelfth globally and the first in the Middle East.
He added that the port site, its capacities and economic merits which will benefit Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Jordan through the dry channel was also discussed during the meeting, Mr. Bander assured that NIC in conjunction with the Ministry of Planning will invite the biggest global specialized companies to participate in implementing this huge project referring that the project will be implemented over two stages within 4 years proposed.
Abdullah al- Bander also referred that the project will save costs and time through the dry channel which transport goods to Turkey, Syria, Jordan and the GCC countries in addition to the merits Iraq will gain by providing job opportunities regardless of the huge revenues which will contribute to supporting the general budget beside the oil revenues.

For the Purpose of Establishing Investment Projects that Serves Basra province
Basra Investment Commission continues its Efforts to obtain some Tracts of Lands to be announced as Investment Opportunities

Basra Investment Commission held a meeting to discuss obtaining the required approvals and ways to obtain the largest tracts of lands that belong to the General Directorate for the State Owned properties in order to be announced as investment opportunities.
Haidar Ali, Chairman of Basra Investment Commission said that it was agreed during the meeting to announce some lands as investment opportunities for industrial sector in some of Basra’s areas like (the North Orcaly, Al- Sabach lands, Talha, Khor Al- Zubair) in addition to the empty tracts of the real estate adjacent to the duty free area in Khor Al- Zubair , Mr. Ali also added that Basra Investment Commission had formed a joint team of the General Directorate for State Owned properties in Basra and specialized engineering staff and surveyors in order to make the field survey on the lands allocated and getting assured of its being ready to embrace the industrial projects.
The meeting was also attended by the DG of the General Directorate for State Properties in Basra, Mr. Mazin Hasan Karboon and his assistant Ms. Layla Hameed Madhloom. It is also worth to mention that Basra Investment commission had previously held intensive meetings with the Minister of Municipalities and Public works and the Minister of Planning and the Minister of Finance in addition to a number of other Ministries and other concerned sides in order to establish the investment projects, develop the governorate’s economy and obtain the required approvals so as to grant all facilities important to attract foreign companies to invest in Basra.

With a Cost amount of more than 220 M$
Dyala Investment Commission Grants a License to Construct a Tourists City

Dyala Investment Commission announced licensing the construction of a tourist’s city to a local company to be constructed in the North of Baquba with a total cost amount of 220 million $.
Dyala Investment Commission Chairman, Mr. Mijwel Al- Tae said that the commission had granted one of the local companies a license to construct a tourist’s city in Sad al – Adhem area North to Baquba to be built according to the best international specifications on an area of 20 thousand Dunam.
Al- Tae also added that the total cost of the project is more than 220 Million $ with in an implementation term of 5 years referring that the project will contribute to upgrading the tourism side in the province and reinforcing the local economic growth and providing thousands of job opportunities.

For the Purpose of Attracting International Companies to Invest in Transport Sector
NIC updates the Transport Projects within the Investment Map

NIC in coordination with the Ministry of Transport are preparing to update the transport projects within the investment map since they will be presented as investment opportunities represented by constructing airports, railways in addition to rehabilitating and upgrading the big seaports in Basra.
Faw Grand Port is considered as the most important project in this sector, An NIC reliable source said, which lays in the Faw Peninsula south of Basra and covers an area of 30 KM², the project includes constructing a seaport ready to yearly receive 5000-6000 large ships carrying cargo containers, the project will be implemented in two stages with a total cost amount that exceed 47 Million Euro and hopefully it will be one of the biggest 10 seaports in the world on the Arabian Gulf exploiting the distinguished site of Iraq which connects east Asia, Gulf and Europe.
Regarding the air transport projects announced for investment, the NIC source said that there are two new projects will be announced within the new version of the investment plan, the first is represented by Al- Furat Al- Awsat Airport which aims at facilitating transport within the middle Euphrates area and activating the religious tourism in the holy sites (the area allocated for this purpose is 47km²) while the second project is Al- Mosul International Airport with estimated cost amount of 700 million $.

Aiming at Upgrading the Agricultural Sector in Iraq
NIC Chairman .. Statute No. (7) Facilitates Starting Strategic Agricultural Projects

NIC Chairman, Dr. Sami Al- Araji assured that Statute No. (7) for selling and leasing state owned lands and properties for investment purposes (amended) ensured big support for investors willing to invest in the agricultural sector to establish strategic agricultural projects that can develop this vital sector in the country.
NIC Chairman declared that the statute had classified agricultural lands into two types, the first are the reclaimed lands that have water share where the lease amount will be estimated to receive 20% of the original lease value from investors, while the second type are the non reclaimed lands which do not have water share where only 1% of its original estimated lease value will be received from investors willing to invest in these lands.
Meanwhile, a number of provincial investment commissions had recently held some seminars to promote agricultural investment, for instance Babil Provincial Investment Commission held a seminar through which assured the importance of developing the agricultural investment status in the province in every possible means and showed the readiness to cooperate with Babil Agriculture Directorate in order to show the importance of investment in this sector and its influential role in the economic growth and providing the job opportunities for unemployed graduates and achieving the food safety for Babil province through starting strategic agricultural projects relying on the most modern scientific basis and internationally used technologies in this sector.
On the same context, officials and experts in Dyala seminar discussed the strategy of the agricultural investment map and how to grant licenses for investors in the agricultural sector and results expected out of granting these licenses in addition to explaining the importance of agricultural investment in the province for the purpose of achieving the food safety for people.
All attendees assured that agriculture sector in Iraq is facing big challenges represented by water scarcity and high prices of pesticides and agricultural production requirements stressing that investment is the most successful solution to save the agriculture status in the province and get it back to reoccupy the pose of being Iraq’s food basket.