At the IBBC Autumn Conference in Basrah (4 December 2025), Business Day – 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟯: 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, chaired by 𝗠𝗿 𝗥𝗮𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮 with 𝗠𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘆, 𝗠𝘀 Catarina Bjorlin Hansen and 𝗠𝗿 Ardil Salem, examined how banking reforms and new financing models are reshaping Iraq’s investment landscape.
The discussion highlighted pivotal themes shaping Iraq’s transition toward a modern, investment-ready financial system, such as:

• 𝗔 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, driven by CBI’s reform pathways—especially after several banks lost USD access and some are expected to surrender their licenses, underlining the scale of the structural change.
• 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, supported by stronger compliance and staff training requirements. An important step designed to restore correspondent banking relations and reduce transfer delays from weeks to next-day settlements.
• 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀, including long-tenor EBRD structures that match grace periods to project timelines—such as multi-years construction phases.
• 𝗦𝗠𝗘 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘀, using the EU threshold of €50m turnover and advisory support that funds energy-efficiency and capability upgrades.
• 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀, supported by proposed 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸-𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝘀 that ease collateral requirements and open the door to technology and AI-driven projects.

 

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The Iraq Britain Business Council (IBBC) brings together business, trade, investment and education partners from the UK, Iraq and beyond to support a free, prosperous and diversified Iraq.

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