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My Kurdistan: Kurdish businessman
21.3.2007
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March 21, 2007
Erbil, Kurdistan region (Iraq), -- Delsoz
Sherwani is the CEO of Zagros Group, which started
life as a construction company 15 years ago. He is
51 and is based in the Kurdish capital, Erbil.
The group has diversified into air travel, bringing
Kurdistan closer to the outside world.
We are in the top three companies in Kurdistan; we
employ 400 people.
Zagros Air was the first airline to be registered in
Kurdistan after the liberation. We registered in
2004, after Erbil International Airport was opened.
We fly direct from here to Dubai, Istanbul and
Vienna several times a week.
Most of the passengers are foreigners coming to do
business in Kurdistan - especially those people
flying from Austria. Or they are Kurdish people
living abroad who are visiting home. |
Delsoz says doing business in Kurdistan is easier
since 2003 BBC |
We started this airline
when we saw Iraqi Airways could not provide what we
wanted.
Foreign investment
It's not been simple; we have invested a lot of time
and money. Actually, many, many companies are now
starting up in Erbil. Some are in partnership with
foreigners. There's a lot of construction - housing
and factories. Lebanese, UAE and American companies
are investing in housing here.
Many start with their HQ in Erbil and then follow up
other activities in other parts of Iraq. They choose
Erbil because of the security and because it is the
governmental capital.
They are also investing in Sulaimaniyah and Dohuk.
It is all growing faster than we imagined, actually.
Back in 1991 we started by helping our regional
Kurdish government in construction projects:
buildings, water projects.
Since 2003 we have diversified into IT, the medical
sector and telecommunications. Before 2003 all
businesses suffered from the banking system - there
wasn't one.
We had to take our currency to neighbouring
countries.
Now, we have an international system which meets
international standards. It's easier for us because
we can operate from Erbil.
People can reach Kurdistan easily now.
So, things are improving here. But we are not happy
because other parts of Iraq are suffering.
We hope every part of Iraq will be secure.
For me, I feel secure in Kurdistan.
BBC
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