By John Lee. Al Qaf Company has won a contract with the International Labour Organization (ILO) for: "Enhancing the Business Capacity of MSMEs through Non-Financial Services under the ILO PROSPECTS Project - Ninewa Phase II." Ref: rfx_4705_HQ. The contract value was not disclosed. According to ILO: "The International Labour Organization (ILO) is seeking qualified Business […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Trade has highlighted plans to support the development of youth-led initiatives into viable economic projects during the first Creative Economy Conference workshop. Trade Minister Atheer Dawood Al-Ghurairi said the ministry is working to adopt and support innovative initiatives that help transform entrepreneurial ideas into practical, market-ready businesses. The conference, […]
By John Lee. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has launched its SME finance and development programmes in Iraq, including the rollout of its flagship Star Venture initiative for high-potential startups. An official event in Baghdad marked the launch, outlining the Bank's strategic priorities and planned projects to strengthen the country's small and medium-sized […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has launched the "Knights" [Al Fursan] programme, a locally-developed initiative aimed at fostering youth entrepreneurship and supporting the private sector's role in national economic development. The launch event, held at the CBI's headquarters on 25 June 2025, was attended by Governor Ali Mohsen Al-Allaq, who emphasised […]
From the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): Developing Tourism Enterprises in Kurdistan Region of Iraq The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipality and Tourism - Board of Tourism of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), proudly announces […]
By John Lee. Iraq's General Directorate for Industrial Development (GDID) has launched a new loan mechanism for small, medium, and micro enterprises (MSMEs). The loans are made in conjunction with the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI), and can be worth up to 20 million Iraqi dinars ($15,000) per loan. Dr. Ali Ibrahim Janaan, Director General […]
By John Lee. A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (KOBIA) of Azerbaijan and the Federation of Iraqi Industries, fostering collaboration in the provision of services to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The agreement was formalized during the 3rd session of the Joint Commission for Economic, Scientific, […]
Bassem Rahmi, CEO of Egypt's Micro- Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA) has emphasized the agency's commitment to implementing the political leadership's directives aimed at enhancing cooperation with relevant entities in the development and advancement of the small business sector in Arab countries. The agency seeks to exchange expertise regarding mechanisms that drive the […]
UNIDO and Government of Japan collaborate on Sustainable Development of the Food Industry in Iraq The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Government of Japan are proud to announce their collaboration on the "Emergency livelihood support to mitigate the food insecurity crisis among vulnerable people in Iraq" project. This project is part of […]
By Timothy Motte, for The Realistic Optimist. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The timid but ambitious Iraqi startup scene Battered by decades of conflict and pervasive reliance on oil, Iraqi founders are trying to break the status quo. Click here to […]
By John Lee. The Private Sector Development Department of the Iraqi Ministry of Trade participated in a workshop organized by the Dutch Spark organization in Erbil to support small and medium-sized companies. The workshop aimed to provide guidance and training to link these companies with banks and find sources of financial support for them. The […]
By Meethak Al-Khatib and Adam Lucente for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. With few job openings, Iraqi youth find work in creative ways As Iraq's economy struggles, Al-Monitor spoke to young Iraqis who are making money via video […]
