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.

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.