Dr Majid Kazemi country economist for the World Bank, gave IBBC an informal update on economic progress in Iraq his views for the outlook for the economy, prior to their Iraq report publication the Iraq economic monitor in April. Professor Frank Gunter of the IBBC Advisory Council made a first series of comments and questions,  which was followed by an hour-long discussion chaired by IBBC MD Christophe Michels with members online, covering topics as wide as training and skills, entrepreneurial start up climate, Iraq’s income and expenditure in the present high oil price environment, and the impact of the war in Ukraine.

With an increasingly positive financial backdrop, the conversation turned to likelihood of structural reforms, investment in infrastructure and human capital.

Dr Majid Kazemi is the country economist for Iraq in the Macroeconomics, Trade, and Investment Global Practice of the World Bank (WB) and is based in Washington DC. Dr Majid currently leads the World Bank engagement with the Government of Iraq on macro-fiscal issues including public debt management, macroeconomic modelling, and other macroeconomic areas of economic reform. He is the lead author of the upcoming biannual World Bank report on Iraq – Iraq Economic Monitor.