UAE, Iraq explore strengthening trade partnerships

The Forum was organized by the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry, in cooperation with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce, on the sidelines of the Iraqi trade delegation’s visit to the UAE from May 1 to 2.

The Forum opened with a welcome address delivered by Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Vice Chairman of the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).

He emphasized the commitment of the chambers of commerce, private sector representatives, and companies to supporting and strengthening trade and investment cooperation between the UAE and the Republic of Iraq.

He also highlighted the role of the pioneering “Ma’an (Together)” initiative launched by the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the International Development Bank (IDB)-UAE, as an essential platform facilitating business connectivity and investment flows between the two brotherly countries.

For his part, Dr. Muzaffar Mustafa Al-Jubouri, Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to the UAE, praised the strong ties of fraternity and cooperation between the two countries.

He stressed the need to strengthen economic partnership and expand the horizons of trade and investment cooperation between Iraq and the UAE in an aim to support sustainable development and economic prosperity. He also commended the UAE’s advanced economic environment and its potential as a catalyst for supporting Iraq’s development initiatives.

During the forum, Dr. Khalifa Al Raisi representing the Department of Economic and Commercial Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered an introductory presentation under the theme “Invest in the UAE – Invest in the Future.”

The presentation outlined the key investment incentives and advantages in the UAE, the robust legal and regulatory landscape, and the country's growing diversification across non-oil sectors.

Over 170 leading companies from the UAE and Iraq took part in the forum, during which more than 250 B2B meetings were conducted across a wide range of sectors, including real estate, construction, tourism and hospitality, energy and renewables, logistics, healthcare, and artificial intelligence. The event also featured bilateral meetings between participating chambers of commerce.

In conjunction with the Iraqi trade delegation's visit to the UAE, the UAE-Iraq Business Council convened its first official meeting. The session was co-chaired by Humaid Mohamed Ben Salem, Secretary General of the Federation of UAE Chambers, and Ahmed Waleed Ahmed on behalf of the Iraqi side.

Humaid Ben Salem expressed his pride and warm welcome at the convening of the first meeting of the UAE-Iraq Business Council, which was attended by more than 45 entrepreneurs and business leaders from both the UAE and the Republic of Iraq.