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Inaugural Small and Medium Enterprises and Entrepreneurship Forum Held in Baghdad

Baghdad, October 5, 2023 – The inaugural Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) and Entrepreneurship Forum was successfully held this Thursday, marking a significant milestone in the collaboration between governmental bodies and private sector entities to bolster SME growth and entrepreneurial initiatives across Iraq.

Watch the key moments from the 2023 SME and Entrepreneurship Forum in Baghdad, a pivotal event driving forward Iraq’s business innovation.

Organized by the Private Sector Development Department of the Ministry of Commerce, in conjunction with the Iraqi Federation of Chambers of Commerce and the Progress Training and Conference Organization Company, the event brought together key stakeholders to discuss and strategize on enhancing the SME sector’s role in the national economy.

The forum commenced with a welcoming address from Mr. Taleb Neama, Director General of the Private Sector Development Department. Keynote speeches were delivered by distinguished guests including Mr. Sattar Al-Jabri, Deputy Minister of Commerce for Administrative Affairs; Mr. Abdul Razzak Al-Zuhairi, President of the Iraqi Federation of Chambers of Commerce; and Dr. Hussein Flamrz, Advisor to the Prime Minister and Head of the Entrepreneurship Initiative. A strategic dialogue from the Central Bank of Iraq was also featured, emphasizing the pivotal role of financial institutions in supporting enterprise development.

The day’s agenda included three critical panel discussions:

  1. The Role of Government Institutions in Supporting SMEs and Entrepreneurship: This session explored current initiatives and future strategies for governmental support of the SME sector.
  2. The Role of Financial Institutions and Business Organizations in Supporting SMEs and Entrepreneurship: Panelists discussed how financial frameworks and business networks can be optimized to facilitate SME growth and innovation.
  3. The Role of International Organizations’ Projects in Developing SMEs and Entrepreneurship: This session highlighted the contributions of international projects to the SME sector and explored potential collaborative opportunities.

The forum concluded with a series of actionable recommendations, which will be forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council to inform policy-making and program development aimed at fostering a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem in Iraq.

For ongoing updates and future events, please follow the hashtag #Entrepreneurship and #SMEandEntrepreneurshipForum.

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