In support for the Tourism Sector in Iraq

Baghdad hosts a workshop regarding Hotels Business

NIC hosted on Thursday Mar.14^th. 19 the last day of the workshop specialized for supporting the investment process in Iraq which had lasted for four days, and was prepared in cooperation with the US Department of Commerce and the US Embassy in Baghdad.

The last day of the workshop was dedicated for the tourism sector in general and hotels business in particular with the attendance of the DGs of the five star hotels in Baghdad and other provinces.

Dr. Sami Al- Araji assured, through his speech during the works of the workshop, the big importance of the tourism sector for the GDP of any country and especially in Iraq which owns a big tourism characteristics represented by religious shrines and archeological sites, not to mention the hospitable nature of the Iraqi people, referring that the most important anchor for the Tourism sector in Iraq is hotels which can reflect a positive side of the country.

On the other hand, Dr. Al- Araji showed the importance of what had been discussed of issues that support the ongoing investment process in Iraq during this workshop conveying his gratitude and appreciation for the role played by the US departments of Commerce and State and the US Embassy in Baghdad for making this workshop a success to support the Iraqi Economy.

Discussions were conducted to agree on the ways that can leverage the hotels reality situation in Iraq and raise its position in the international index through providing services that are internationally accredited with the importance of adopting the scientific approaches to find solutions for all obstacles hindering the development of this important sector in Iraq especially what relates to the administrational side.

The meeting was attended by a number of hotels managers from Baghdad and a number of provinces.

During a meeting with the US Department of Commerce and Heads of PICs’

NIC Chairman… Iraqi Provinces are Fertile land for Investment

NIC ended the third day of the workshop of supporting the Investment process in Iraq that was held at the NIC premises in cooperation with the US Embassy in Baghdad.

The second and third days of the workshop were dedicated for discussing the activation of investment in Iraqi provinces with the attendance of the heads of the provincial investment commissions.

Dr. Al- Araji assured through his opening speech that the Iraqi provinces are fertile lands for investment and owns natural and human resources that enable them of making any investment project succeed, referring to the importance of holding such workshops which aim at supporting the investment process in Iraq and discussing creative ideas that can minimize time to develop investment in the country.

NIC Chairman added that “if capitals are looking for secure environment, then Iraq and after the big victories achieved has become a real secure area and ready to receive international companies to participate in the ongoing investment process in cooperation with the Iraqi private sector that is highly supported by the NIC to participate in the reconstruction process under the umbrella of the investment law and the solid legislative environment”.

Ms. Mais Ebosy in her turn, and as a representative of the US Department of Commerce, stated that the role of the US Department of Commerce in this workshop is to enable the PICs to change their local strategies in giving the priorities to the most important economic sector in their provinces through which they can achieve success, in addition to choosing the best investors and provide them with the needed support.

Under the Slogan of “Iraq Trending towards Economic Development through Franchising”

NIC Hosts Franchise Workshop which Aims at Expanding the Activities of International Commercial Brands in Iraq   

NIC, in coordination with the US Department of Commerce and the US Embassy in Baghdad, hosts a Franchise granting workshop over four days for the Iraqi private sector to expand the activities of international commercial brands in Iraq.

 

Dr. Sami AL- Araji, NIC Chairman said in his opening speech that Iraq is in its way for opening up in services sector through providing support to the Iraqi private sector adding that obtaining the licenses of international commercial brands can provide important economic revenues represented by the opening up of the big world companies towards Iraqi Market and creating many job opportunities all over Iraqi provinces.

Dr. Sami assured that NIC, which represents the umbrella for the Iraqi private sector, is determined to organize the required efforts in this field in coordination with the PICs after laying the necessary legal frameworks in a way that grants adding added value for the Iraqi Economy giving his directives to facilitate the visas for brands owners until obtaining the legal approvals to name the whole project as an investment project rather than being named as a commercial one.

The US Counsel in his turn said in his speech that the US Franchisers are looking to Iraq as a unique key market and are willing to reinforce its being an active franchise market in a way that contribute to local job opportunities growth and improving the supply chain which leads to more investments in the end.

Ms. Mays al- Ebosy, the coordinator of the US Department of Commerce and the and the supervisor of the session, invited the attendees to open discussions to listen to the obstacles that face the Iraqi private sector in this file, referring that the second and third days of this workshop will be dedicated for PICs and promoting investment in provinces, while the fourth day will be focusing on polarizing hotel investments to Iraq.

The first day session included in all the opportunities of entering the Iraqi market, the franchise current market, the challenges that might hinder this market and what can be undertaken to provide support this important commercial sector.

With the attendance of the Iraqi and Lebanese Ministers of Telecommunications

NIC and IFC hosts a high level Lebanese Delegation

 

A series of elaborated meetings have started in Baghdad on Sunday 10.03.19 that included the representatives of the elite of the biggest Lebanese companies in various economic fields. the companies representatives arrived to Baghdad within the official delegation that had accompanied the Lebanese Minister of Telecommunications- Dr. Muhamed Shuqair who participated in the event that was attended by the Iraqi Minister of telecommunications- Dr. Naeem Al- Rubaiee, NIC

Chairman- Dr. Sami Al- Araji, Dr. Chairman of the Damaged Areas Reconstruction Fund -Mustafa Al- Heti, and the Head of the IFC office in Iraq- Mr. Ziad Badr.   

Dr. Sami Al- Araji said in his opening speech that the coming five year and ten year economic plans include in their most prominent sides transforming the substantial sectors in Iraq in to productive ones that achieve profits for the state through an investment map previously drawn for this purpose with restructuring Iraqi private sector capable of holding itself by focusing on small and medium size projects in all sectors.  

In addition to the availability of strict and strong financial and monetary administration that depends on the convert of important state financial institutions from the paperwork trading into the electronic system in cooperation with different international institutions in a way that grants minimizing administrational corruption risks and achieving important financial revenues to the State.

Dr. Sami also noted that opening more than 20 border outlets in Iraq can contribute a lot to the economic opening up required and it provides the opportunities for more disciplined borders.  

NIC Chairman also assured that there are important economic achievements that shall inevitably be clear within the (100) day period specified by the Iraqi Government that is subject to direct and detailed follow up by H. E. prime Minster till reaching the desired goals to leverage the Iraqi economy.

The Lebanese Companies were invited to take their role in the Iraqi Market in a way that is consistent with the historical and social relations between the two countries.

Dr. Naeem Al- Rubaiee, Minister of Telecommunications reviewed the most important investment opportunities available in his ministry and investment types and modes that are ready for companies to enter through in the various specializations.

The Minister added that the Ministry has infrastructure projects in addition to the opportunities of establishing the transit companies, mail charging between provinces,

electronic gates projects and others clarifying the possibility of cooperating with the Ministry either directly or through specialized companies in the fields of IT and mailing companies in different investment forms between the public and private sectors .

Dr. Mustafa Al- Heti, Chairman of the Damaged Areas Reconstruction Fund clarified that the Fund is working through the Financial resources provided by the federal budget and loans and grants to reconstruct and rehabilitate the areas damaged by terror acts hoping that the coming 10 days may witness the announcement of more than 440 investment projects in different sectors within the campaign of reconstructing these areas.

Mr. Ziad Badr, Head of IFC office in Iraq stressed the strategy of his institution which complies with the WB strategy that supports the non- oil sector in Iraq through eliminating the obstacles that face the local and foreign private sectors and optimizing the investment environment through agreements made with entities like NIC with concentrating on the development and reconstruction sectors targeting the Iraqi investor inside and outside Iraq.

The Lebanese Ambassador, Mr. Ali Al- Hahab who had attended the event announced his country intention to open the office of the Chamber of Trade and Industry to foster the Iraqi- Lebanese relations and to provide the Lebanese companies with the required information.