Today over 300 people signed up the IBBC Advisory Council’s public discussion on the white paper – Iraq 2020: a country at the crossroads, sponsored by Iraq Business News ( IBBC media partner)  and in conjunction with Chatham House and IRIS at AUIS.

With a full panel of 6 advisors and commentators, including Ms Maya Gebeily of Agence-France Presse, Mr Ahmed Tabaqchali of IRIS at AUIS, and the key advisory panel members led by Professor Frank Gunter of Leigh University, Dr Renad Mansour, Fellow at Chatham House, Mr Hani Akkawi of CCC and Professor Mohammed Al-Uzri, University of Leicester University. Mr Christophe Michels, MD of IBBC chaired the discussion.

The key points were delivered by Professor Gunter, including, the necessity to provide: 1. Strong cross-party political support to GOI for its initiatives; 2. Transparency to build support and trust among the people and to stop corruption up and down the system. 3. GOI acceptance of the limits of its ability to control and centralise economic activity- and afford to make space for the Private sector.

Dr Mansour made critical points about the importance of the political economy and the requirement to listen and understand the needs of the protestors and conversely the protestors ability and requirements of government to make changes, along with the difficulty in enacting reforms while the public sector has too much invested in its continuation.

Mr Hani Akkawi, made an unmissable point about the opportunity for areas of industry to be returned to the private sectors, such as electricity, water, fertiliser and transport, that would not only raise finance, but help efficiency and productivity.

Underpinning the report are 5 key action points and a further 38 recommendations that the GoI may be able to make to address the economic crisis that faces the country, including; business deregulation, inclusion of the informal business sector into legal acceptance, ending subsidies on electricity and water production, am improved banking system with credit for private sector businesses, an anti-corruption drive and dealing with COVID-19 without jeopardising the private sector.

Please see the full webinar here

 

Click below to read the full paper:

Iraq 2020: a country at the crossroads – English

Iraq 2020: a country at the crossroads – Arabic

 

For further information please contact [email protected]

 

WEBINAR PARTNERS: