By John Lee. A $75 million trade finance facility has been agreed between the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Al Mansour Bank for Investment (MBI), one of Iraq's leading private-sector banks. The facility is provided under the EBRD's Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP) and will offer guarantees and cash advances to support MBI's […]
By John Lee. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has launched the second phase of the Gashanawa [Shine] Project, which will provide financial support of between IQD 1 million ($763) and IQD 150 million ($114,500) to 100 small and medium-sized enterprises in the agricultural and industrial sectors. According to the KRG's Department of Media and Information, […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has announced enhancements to two of its developmental lending initiatives, raising the financing ceiling for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and expanding support for renewable energy projects. According to the CBI, the measures are aligned with the National Banking Lending Strategy (2024-2029) and are intended to […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Planning has held a meeting with representatives of the World Bank to discuss cooperation on supporting entrepreneurship, empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and creating a more efficient and attractive business environment for investment. According to a statement from the Ministry, Sunday's meeting discussed a proposed programme aimed at […]
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. State-owned Rafidain Bank has launched the 59th round of its "Leadership and Excellence" initiative to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to the bank, the new round allocates a total of IQD 1 billion (approximately $763,000) to 93 beneficiaries. The programme forms part of the entrepreneurship financing initiative supported by the Central […]
By John Lee. State-owned Rafidain Bank has announced the launch of the 50th tranche of its Riyada wa Tamayuz (Entrepreneurship and Excellence) initiative to support small and medium-sized enterprises. The tranche totals IQD 1 billion (approximately USD 0.77 million) and will benefit 82 recipients. According to a statement from the bank's media office, the funding is […]
By John Lee. The Ministry of Trade has held talks with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) on launching an integrated business accelerators programme to support small and medium-sized enterprises with high growth potential. GIZ discussed with the Ministry's Private Sector Development Department the proposed framework for designing and implementing the programme, including evaluation […]
By John Lee. The World Bank projects Iraq's economy will shrink by 0.9 percent in 2025, marking a downgrade of 2.3 percentage points from the April forecast. The contraction is mainly attributed to reductions in oil output as Iraq adjusts production to align with OPEC+ commitments. However, economic growth is expected to rebound strongly to […]
From the Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC): IBBC hosts 40 Iraq SMEs at UK Trade conference IBBC team brought over 40 Iraqi SMEs to a bespoke conference in London's Clayton hotel in Chiswick, presenting how to 'Trade with and Invest in the UK ', The IBBC Baghdad team arranged for several high-profile speakers covering all […]
From the International Labour Organization (ILO): Iraq launches business registration guide to promote formalization and decent work The guide is a practical resource for entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), offering a clear, step-by-step process to register their businesses. Iraq's Ministry of Trade, in cooperation with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and with […]
