The British Foreign and commonwealth office has relaxed its advice on travelling to Iraq.

In what is now a more variegated and nuanced approach to advice, the FCDO has reduce the level of risk in significant areas of Iraq, including Baghdad and large areas South of Baghdad, and the Northeast part of the country in Kurdistan along the border with Iran.

IBBC has been consistently lobbying for a relaxation of advice for its businesses, as many members already move freely within Iraq, without threat or risk.

Here is the new advice

The change sees the area in amber move from red – the difference being that red advises against any travel, whereas amber permits necessary travel at the discretion of the person and company.

Christophe Michels, IBBC MD says ‘IBBC has raised the issue of relaxing travel advice with the FCDO, at every opportunity in the last two years especially, as it has not kept pace with the sense of normality in most of Iraq. This has made insurance unnecessarily expensive for our members. We therefore welcome this relaxation as it will make it easier for businesses to travel to Iraq and encourage new companies to consider investment and visits.

Jon Wilks, IBBC advisor and former Ambassador to Iraq says as “this is a careful and welcome step that reflects positive improvements to security as well as increased reconstruction on the ground across Iraq in recent years. This should encourage more UK businesses to visit Iraq to see for themselves the progress that is being made as well as the challenges that remain. I was in Baghdad recently and the progress was clear and encouraging. We at IBBC are always ready to support our members and to welcome new members to take advantage of these improvements”.