Prime Minister's Advisor: Iraq is moving towards strengthening partnership with foreign companies and stimulating investment, 31 OCT

 Prime Minister's Advisor: Iraq is moving towards strengthening partnership with foreign companies and stimulating investment

The Prime Minister's Representative, Technical Advisor and Head of the Sovereign Loans Initiative, Mohammed Sahib Al-Daraji, confirmed today, Thursday, that the private sector is a fundamental pillar in the government's new economic plan, while pointing to the government's efforts to reduce the transfer of hard currency and support national projects.

Al-Daraji conveyed, in his speech during the first Iraqi Economic Forum, which was attended by the correspondent of the Iraqi News Agency (INA), "the greetings of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and his support for this conference," explaining that "the Iraqi government has begun taking real steps to support the Iraqi economy, as it has changed the philosophy of the economy that suffered from a lack of clarity in the economic vision for more than twenty years."

He pointed out that "the government is working on a new approach that considers the private sector a fundamental pillar and seeks to integrate its outputs into the national product," noting that "the government provides special support to the investment and business environment sectors, as it seeks to separate direct investment and provide an appropriate environment for the private sector to participate in projects. The government also encourages partnerships with foreign companies to demonstrate developments in the customs and tax system, such as unifying taxes and customs tariffs across regions, and exempting foreign companies from some special taxes."

He pointed out that "Iraq has begun to guarantee the private sector before international financial institutions through the Sovereign Guarantees Initiative, and has moved towards establishing an international market for carbon bonds to support project financing."

He pointed out the "three priorities of the Iraqi economy: localizing industries, integrating with global financial institutions, and developing competencies for the public and private sectors," adding that "the Iraqi market is open to global companies, especially in the construction and clean energy sectors, and that there is a trend to support the private sector through new legislation such as laws to protect intellectual property and partnerships between the public and private sectors."

He added, "The government supports the economy based on partnership with the private sector, with a focus on reducing the transfer of hard currency abroad.

He expressed his "hope that these conferences will produce outcomes that support the current government's orientations, which is the most attentive to the private sector and the most involved in decisions," noting "the presence of representatives from the private sector on the Development Fund's Board of Directors and within the Prime Minister's official delegations as a message of support for businessmen  link