Minister of Trade: Economic reforms are a revolution for joining the WTO
Minister of Trade, Atheer Dawood Al-Ghariri, affirmed that economic reforms in Iraq represent a true revolution paving the way for Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization.
During his participation in a dialogue session in Geneva, the minister said, “Iraq has witnessed a fundamental transformation from a totalitarian socialist economic system to a market economy,” noting that “the past years have witnessed the issuance of numerous laws and legislation that paved the way for this transformation. However, the current phase requires further technical support and capacity building through training, courses, and international cooperation to fulfill the requirements for accession to the World Trade Organization.”
He added, “Iraq has significant opportunities and investments in various sectors, and the success of these projects can only be achieved through full engagement in the multilateral trading system, which enhances the competitiveness and stability of the national economy.” He pointed out that “UNCTAD (the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) has contributed, through its expertise and capabilities, to supporting Iraq through training programs aimed at developing local government competencies and enabling them to manage negotiation processes and keep pace with economic reform paths consistent with World Trade Organization decisions.”
The minister explained that “the committee overseeing Iraq’s accession bid at the WTO described the economic reforms that Iraq has witnessed over the past few years as a revolution for reform, not a simple one,” explaining that “Iraq has launched major strategic investments, including the Grand Faw Port project and the development road, which strengthens its position as a regional and global economic hub.”
Al-Ghariri affirmed that “the Iraqi government aspires to further technical and institutional support to accelerate the process of accession,” emphasizing that “free trade agreements represent Iraq’s gateway to full integration into the global economy, and that it seeks to become an active part of the multilateral trading system as soon as possible.”
Alsabaah.iq