Iraq Trade and Investment Forum continues
with the several UNIDO’s initiatives

Rome, 25th May, 2012.  In the context of the Iraq Trade and Investment Forum, organized by UNIDO and the Italian Foreign Ministry and aimed at presenting business opportunities in Iraq to Italian companies, UNIDO ITPO Italy organized several initiatives for the Iraqi delegation in Rome.

Several important institutional meetings have been successfully organized for the Kurdistan Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry S.E. Sinan Chalabi.

Among them, of particular relevance was the meeting with the Under-Secretary of State to the Minister Presidency, Prof. Antonio Catricalà, who expressed great enthusiasm about the forum, reaffirming that Italy is firmly interested in expanding its economic relations with Iraq. The event, indeed, took place in the “right place and time”, revealing the Iraqi willingness to cooperate with Italy, due to its great expertise in the sectors of infrastructures, constructions, agriculture and agro-industry. 

The meeting with Sen. Barbara Contini assumed great relevance as well. Sen. Contini is the Italian governor of the province of Dhi Qar and President of the Bilateral Parliamentary Section of Friendship between Italy and Iraq, in charge, since several years, of improving the political and institutional relations between the two countries. 

Within that framework, a technical-institutional delegation visited the Ministry of the Economic Development and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation; afterwards, they visited Unioncamere – the Italian confederation of Chambers of commerce, industry, handicraft and agriculture – where they met representatives of Promos Milano, for an information exchange on the projects they have developed in Iraq so far.

Among the Iraqi delegation, a group of institutional representatives, led by Al-Rashid Bank’s Director General and interested in bank services, had a meeting with Italian banks, thanks to the support of ABI (Italian Banks Association). Banks have a paramount role in the reconstruction process; in fact, companies could not take part in development cooperation projects, unless they obtain the necessary funds.

The entrepreneurial delegation had the chance to attend BtoB meetings as well. In the sector of construction and steelwork, UNIDO ITPO Italy organized a visit to the new Italia Congress Centre “Nuvola” (the cloud). The building, designed by Arch. Massimilano Fuksas, is one of the biggest congress centers of Europe and of the Mediterranean Area. The architectonic complex embodies an example of Italian excellence, especially with regard to those technologies which meet the peculiar needs of Developing Countries. Moreover, the design and technological features employed in the construction site are particularly innovative. Among them, the glass-glass PV panels, which allow the passage of the sunlight inside the structure.

Finally, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce of Reggio Emilia, another delegation of entrepreneurs took part in several B2b meetings with local companies. Given the agro-industrial inclination of the area, Iraqi entrepreneurs have shown great interest in sauces, juices and diary products processing machineries, but also in turning and milling machineries.

Other than the 400 BtoB taken place in the forum, Unido ITPO Italy programmed 50 more business meetings, pursuing a “match-making” activity between Italian and Iraqi companies.

The activities organized by UNIDO ITPO Italy for the Iraqi delegation have been a valid instrument to facilitate the dialogue with the Italian entrepreneurs, allowing further concrete actions, such as the achievement of partnerships and agreements for industrial and institutional cooperation.