Minister Falah Mustafa Bakir, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations (DFR), said that the private sector is the key to continued development and that the Kurdistan Region can serve as a gateway for investment and trade with the rest of Iraq, thanks to its values, security and stability. He said, “We have held fast to the values of personal and religious liberty, tolerance, peaceful coexistence, human rights, democracy, the rule of law, and the free market.”
Minister Bakir also cited a number of recent positive investment and tourism reports about the Region and commented on the welcoming nature of the people. He asked Spain to upgrade its diplomatic presence by establishing a full consulate in Erbil, which would facilitate relations.
Several other senior KRG officials also spoke at the event, including the Minister for Municipalities and Tourism Samir Akrawi, and the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Jamil Sleiman Haider.
The KRG Representation to Spain helped to organise the conference as a part of the Kurdistan Region’s efforts to promote business ties with the international community and decrease the dependence on the oil and gas sector. Developing local infrastructure in agriculture, energy, industry, and tourism are all vital to the Region’s long-term financial self sufficiency, and it is hoped that the more than 500 business-to-business meetings being held at this conference will bring tangible progress.
ICEX every year holds four business forums, with Erbil being selected this time. ICEX is an agency of the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade and helps Spanish businesses to promote their exports.
(Source: KRG)
Good to help out the Spaniards, they have a weak economy and maybe this will make them stronger. Because they indeed got a high budget deficit.