|
UK Trade mission to Kurdistan region announced at
London Business briefing
16.3.2007
|
|
|
|
March 16, 2007
London – The Middle East Association (MEA),
which represents the leading British companies
engaged in the Middle East, yesterday announced a
second trade mission to the Kurdistan Region.
The MEA, which held a seminar yesterday titled
‘Doing Business in Kurdsitan’, plans a second visit
to the Region on the back of a successful, high
level trip in November that identified many
opportunities for British and Middle Eastern
companies.
Ms Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman, Kurdistan Regional
Government High Representative to the UK and
Chairman, Kurdistan Development Corporation,
welcomed the proposed visit. “There are companies
and investors from all over the world currently
engaged in activities in Kurdistan. It is important
that British companies are not left behind and we
welcome the MEA’s continued interest in the Region,”
she said.
Ms Abdul Rahman was among a panel of speakers at the
seminar where she presented an overview of the
latest commercial developments in the Region.
In his keynote address at the seminar, Dr Salah Al-Shaikhly,
Iraq’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom , said,
“Despite the challenges, there has been economic
progress in Iraq , for example, last year the
Kurdistan Region increased grain production by 40
per cent. This is not just good news for the Region
but also for the rest of the country.”
Lord Tim Clement-Jones, who led the MEA mission in
November last year, said, “I was struck by the
massive amount of progress since my previous visit
in 2004. There are now direct flights to a new
airport with an even newer, even bigger airport
under construction.” Regarding security, Lord
Clement-Jones said, “the situation was no worse,
actually I would it was even better than on my
previous trip. At no time did we feel threatened”.
Commenting on advances in the legal environment in
the Kurdistan Region, Nick Hills, of Two Rivers
Consultants in Erbil , said, “There is a very good
Regional investment law which is related to projects
rather than companies. The Kurdistan Region is a
very attractive investment location; the Board of
Investment has already issued 17 licences”.
Other speakers included Michael Hodges of HSBC,
which owns 70 per cent of Dar Es Salaam Bank in
Iraq, and Control Risks security company. The
meeting was attended by representatives of companies
from several sectors, including banking, oil and gas
and construction.
After the trade mission in November, the UK Foreign
and Commonwealth Office amended its travel advice to
partially differentiate the areas admistered by the
Kurdistan Regional Government from other parts of
Iraq. However, mission delegates commented that the
change does not go far enough and means that UK
companies may be losing out to international rivals
mainly, from Sweden, Germany , Poland and the GCC
States.
The MEA plans to take a trade mission to the Rebuild
Iraq Conference in Amman between May 8 and 10 and
continue on to Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan
Region.
More information and If you would like to join the
mission please email your details here Visit KDC
kurdistancorporation com
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
® 