The delegation of the IFIMES International Institute comprising the Institute's directors Bakhtyar Aljaf and Zijad Bećirović as well as member of the Institute's Council and the U. S. Ambassador Victor Jackovich has just returned from the visit to Iraqi Kurdistan.
On Sunday, 2 November 2008, the delegation was welcomed at the Erbil International Airport by Burhan Jaf, head of the Kurdistan regional government mission (KRG) to EU, who accompanied the delegation throughout the visit.
The delegation attended several meetings during the visit. On Monday, 3 November 2008, they met Dara Jalil Al-Khayat, President of the Kurdistan Federation of Chambers of Commerce who is also Vice-President of the Iraqi Chamber of Commerce. They had talks with the Minister of Sports and Youth Taha Barwary as well as with Hoshang Mohammed and Adwan A. Hassan from the KRG Department of Foreign Relations within the Council of Minister, and met also Vice-President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament Kemal Kerkuki.
On Tuesday, 4 November 2008, the delegation met the KRG Minister of the Interior Karim Sinjari and KRG Minister of Planning Othman I. Shwani.
During the talks the two sides exchanged their positions and experiences, stressing the need for foreign investments, especially in the banking, insurance, construction and pharmaceutical industries. The delegation of IFIMES commended the hosts on the achievements in the field of stability and security in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The hosts informed the delegation of the economic situation, stressing the fact that the leading European, American and Turkish corporations have their offices in Erbil. The connoisseurs are of the opinion that Iraqi Kurdistan represents the door to economic development and foreign investments in Iraq and the region. In Erbil there are also 12 diplomatic missions and consulates, including the missions of the USA, France, Great Britain, Germany, the Czech Republic, Turkey etc.
The delegation concluded its visit to Iraqi Kurdistan on Sunday, 9 November 2008, when it had a meeting with KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, which was also attended by Head of KRG Department of Foreign Relations within the Council of Ministers Falah Mustafa Bakir and Head of the KRG mission to EU Burhan Jaf.
Ljubljana, 10 November 2008
