Baghdad/Nina/Secretary of Commerce Ether Daoud Al-Ghuriri discussed with the US Chargé d’affaires in Baghdad, Ambassador Daniel Rubinstein, Vice President of the American Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Iraqi-American Business Council Steve Lots, and their accompanying delegation, ways to strengthen economic and trade relations between Iraq and the United States.
The Ministry of Commerce said in a statement that the minister stressed during the meeting Iraq’s keenness to strengthen its economic relations with the United States within the framework of the government’s trends towards approving and implementing economic reforms to improve the business and investment environment.
According to the statement, Al-Ghurairi pointed to the exceptional efforts made by the ministry in coordination with government agencies to hold the third round of negotiations on Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization after a break of 16 years, where Iraq submitted the files of goods and services and reviewed economic reforms, including the legislation of the Intellectual Property Law.
The minister explained: “Iraq seeks to simplify the working procedures of American companies inside the country to support trade and investment between the two countries,” pointing to the self-sufficiency of local wheat during the past two years, while continuing to work with the memorandums of understanding signed with the American side related to the country’s needs.
He called on American companies to hold the “Made in America” exhibition inside Iraq and organize a forum between the Iraqi and American private sectors to review investment opportunities and available projects, and hoped that American companies would be present in the sessions of the Baghdad International Exhibition.
For his part, Ambassador Robinstein expressed his aspiration for more cooperation and openness between the two countries, pointing to the economic reforms witnessed by Iraq to improve the business and investment environment. He also announced the preparation for the visit of a delegation of American businessmen to Iraq next April.
In turn, Steve Lotus thanked the Ministry of Commerce for its support for the work of American companies, praising Iraqi efforts to improve the business environment and encourage investments.
The statement added: “The two parties agreed to enhance cooperation to expand the business base and strengthen economic and trade relations to serve the common interests of the two countries.” / It’s over