The event was held at the American University in Sulaimani to follow on from the productive outcomes of the Kuwait Conference for Reconstruction of Iraq earlier this year on February 13-14, and included numerous government attendees, notable private sector figures and renowned academics, as well as IBBC’s Managing Director Christophe Michels.

Rasmi Al Jabri, Deputy Chairman of IBBC participated in the second panel entitled: “What will it take for the Private Sector to Participate? Delivering on Kuwait”, where he was joined by IBBC Member GE’s Rasheed Janabi, Saad Hasan, CEO of Qaiwan, Alia Moubayed, Director of Geo-Economics at IISS and Sherwan Anwar Mustafa, Iraq Private Banker’s League (IBPL). The panel discussed in detail the role of public-private partnerships in sparking greater business growth and competition and the need for reforms to encourage further investment, including downsizing the public sector and improving the regulatory environment.*

Other Panels focused on:

• Overcoming the war economy, entitled ‘It Pays to Fight: Moving Beyond the War Economy’

Moderated by Thanassis Cambanis, Fellow at the Century Foundation, the panel included Liam Khatib, Head of Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, Hisham Al Hashimi, Advisor to the Speaker of Parliament (Government of Iraq), Fazel Hawramy, Journalist and Researcher at Al Monitor and Renad Mansour, Fellow at Chatham House and IRIS.

• Growing and integrating local economies, entitled ‘Iraq’s Local Economies: Growth and Integration’

Moderated by Alia Moubayed, Director of Geo-Economics and Strategy Program IISS, the panel included Sherko Jawdat, MP in the Kurdistan Regional Government, Sabah Mushatat, Advisor to the Prime Minister’s Office (Government of Iraq), Dr Jabr Al Jaberi, member of Iraq’s National Investment Commission, Sylvain Dubois, Vice President of the Institute of Governance and Dr Frank Gunter of Lehigh University.

• Mapping a path forward for the federal government of Iraq (GOI) and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), entitled ‘An Economic Path Forward for Iraq & the KRG’

Moderated by Dr Frank Gunter of Lehigh University, the panel included Ahmed Haj Rashid, MP, Vice Chair Finance Committee (Government of Iraq), Sherko Jawdat, MP and Chair of the Oil & Gas Committee in the Kurdistan Regional Government, Sabah Mushatat, Advisor to the PM’s Office (Government of Iraq) and Dr Kamal Field Al Basri, Advisor to the Ministry of Finance (Government of Iraq) and Chairman of the Iraqi Institute of Economic Reform.

A more comprehensive recap of the event can be found here, along with photos and a full livestream video.

*Source: IRIS