Dara Rasheed, the acting Minister for Housing, Construction and Municipalities, will attend this year’s IBBC Retreat at Cumberland Lodge. Mr Rasheed is a long term friend and supporter of IBBC and we are delighted that he has taken charge of this new Ministry, created as a consequence of PM Abadi’s reforms merging the Ministry of Housing and Construction with the Ministry of Municipalities.

Keith Ruddock, Visiting Professor of Law at Strathclyde University and immediate past company secretary of the Weir Group, has also confirmed his attendance. Professor Ruddock will be speaking on the topic of creating the necessary legal framework to attract more foreign investment into Iraq.

Ján Kubiš, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq; Robert Bou Jaoude, the World Bank’s Special Representative; Patrick Simonnet, the EU’s Ambassador to Iraq; and Frank Baker OBE, Her Majesty’s Ambassador; have confirmed their participation. The IMF is likely to confirm its participation towards the end of June once its deal for the Iraqi Government has been approved by the IMF Executive Board.

The theme of this year’s retreat is ‘Iraq and her Neighbours’. There will be discussions exploring the wider geopolitical challenges Iraq is facing, the present low oil prices and a way out of Iraq’s economic and financial crisis’.

On Friday evening there will be an address by a senior Home Office official who will give an outline of his ministry’s priorities and will situate Iraq within these. Sir Terence Clarke KBE CMG CVO, a former ambassador to Iraq, will be speaking on Saturday evening. His presentation will focus on the work of the Friends of the Basrah Museum, a project which is to be completed later this year.

Prior to the main sessions the Oil and Gas Sector Table of IBBC will convene, and there will be opportunities to arrange additional useful get-togethers in these peaceful and conducive surroundings. A Council Meeting will take place on Saturday afternoon.

IBBC Member company are very welcome to attend all or parts of the weekend. To register your participation or for further inquiries please email [email protected]