For the Purpose of allowing access of International Franchise to Iraq
NIC holds a Conference to Develop Franchise Opportunities in Iraq
NIC in coordination with the International Franchise Association, US Department of State and the American Embassy in Baghdad held the Iraqi- American Conference for Developing Franchise Opportunities in Iraq for the period 17-18,Mar.2014 which was attended by representatives of US departments of State and Commerce, number of NIC officials and representatives of local private sector associations.
Dr. Sami al- Araji, NIC chairman assured in his opening speech that this conference is the first of its kind in Iraq and is considered as a unique opportunity to create strategic partnerships between American companies and the local private sector, adding that this conference comes as a complementary to the first one that was held in the beginning of this year and was devoted to discuss the Iraqi market needs for the American services and the legal and administrative requirements to insert these services to Iraq.
Al- Araji expressed the NIC readiness to submit all facilities and privileges to American companies wishing to enter the Iraqi market and according to the valid Iraqi laws, inviting Iraqi businessmen to invest this opportunity in a well manner to provide the different services to Iraqi families in all provinces.
The US Charge de affairs, Mr. Jan Desrocher expressed his gratitude and appreciation to NIC for hosting this conference which shall reinforce economic relations between the two countries in the way that serve common interests affirming that opening a new market for American goods in Iraq is a goal that the Embassy is working hard to achieve through holding conferences that connect American companies and franchisors with the Iraqi private sector.
Mr. Keith Kurtz, Senior commercial advisor of the US Embassy in Baghdad, in his turn, said that this conference comes according to a business plan developed in coordination with NIC, US Foreign department of commerce and Commercial laws development program and includes three stages starting from specifying potential franchisees by NIC, training the candidates on franchise basics and finally organizing a study tour to prepare the candidates to conduct negotiations to obtain the franchise rights.
Worth mentioning that there are approximately a million franchise company in the United States of America that covers 50% of the sales volume in the American market while it operates 2.6% of the man power in the American private sector and contributes to the US GDP by 4%.