By John Lee. Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) Governor Ali Mohsen Al-Alaq has met Bilal Al-Saghir, the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) Resident Representative in Iraq, to discuss strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in training Iraq's banking sector workforce. The parties intend to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the matter in the coming period. They also […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Trade has held discussions with a delegation from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Technology Centre for Entrepreneurship to explore joint mechanisms for empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Iraq. According to the Ministry's media office, Director General of the Private Sector Development […]
By John Lee. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani inaugurated the new 'Construction Basket' initiative on Wednesday, an innovative programme designed to provide citizens with access to building materials at competitive prices and on convenient instalment terms. The centre, located at the newly-opened Cooperation Center for Construction, is a joint venture between the Ministry of […]
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 […]
By John Lee. Under the patronage of Central Bank Governor Ali Mohsen Al-Allaq, a workshop has been launched to support the implementation of the bank's new strategy to increase private sector lending, with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In his opening remarks, Governor Al-Allaq emphasised the bank's commitment to addressing challenges in […]
By John Lee. Iraq's state-owned Al-Rafidain Bank has announced the launch of the second phase of its "Riyada" initiative [Iraqi Riyada Network for Access Development and Advancement, IRADA Network], following the success of the first phase, which it says funded over 8,000 productive projects with a total of more than 107 billion IQD [$82 million]. The […]
From the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Fresh solutions: youth tackle tomato waste in Iraq When Zaid, a veterinarian and university lecturer, decided to enter a hackathon to dream up innovations in agriculture, he turned to […]
By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani has launched the operations of the Permanent Council for the Development of the Private Sector in Iraq. The initiative aims to strengthen the role of the private sector in the national economy and address key legislative and institutional barriers. Prime Minister Al-Sudani highlighted the Council's responsibility to […]
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. The "Riyada" Initiative Conference was held on Saturday in Baghdad under the theme: "Investing in Human Potential to Enhance Iraq's Economy... Toward an Entrepreneurial Society." According to a statement from Prime Minister's office, the event showcased the government's commitment to empowering youth through entrepreneurship as a core pillar of economic development. Prime […]
By John Lee. In 2021 the Ministry of Planning's Central Statistical Organization (CSO) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has conducted a study on Micro, Small, and Medium-Enterprises (MSMEs) in Iraq. The Survey covered the three governorates of Baghdad, Basra, […]
Five One Labs Launches New Business Support Program in Iraq in Partnership with the World Bank Group The World Bank Group and Five One Labs, an international startup incubator with operations in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, are partnering to spearhead initiatives supporting forcibly displaced related startups and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in […]
