Proposals to activate the investment environment in Iraq

Baghdad / Shukran al-Fatlawi - An expert in investment affairs called for activating Iraq's investment environment promising to have supporting elements to attract capital and foreign investments, as well as national capital that qualifies for the establishment of projects away from borrowing, in addition to the country's availability of natural and human resources and vast areas Of land that contributes mainly to supporting a sound investment climate .

The expert urged Dr. Abdullah Al-Bandar in his speech to the "morning" to take a number of measures to activate the work of that environment in the forefront of activating the role of single outlets in the National Investment Commission, in order to simplify investment procedures, indicating the role of "one window to provide services to the investor from the issuance of approval and grant investment license and the allocation of real estate And the necessary land for the establishment of the investment project, provided that the services provided possible
and practical.

Bandar suggested "increasing the number of representatives of the private sector and their involvement in the administrative process and make them equal to representatives of the public sector to be a factor in the creation of the investment climate," stressing the importance of "addressing the status of free zones in a way to clarify the difference between them and investment areas, National investment to resemble their work in many respects. " He pointed out that "the need to take into account the aspects of social dimension and the protection of the environment and the public interest of the country during the process of granting licenses for the establishment of investment projects, as well as achieve equality in investment opportunities for public and private sectors, regardless of the size of the project.

Weak domestic market


"The weakness of the local market is at the forefront of the challenges, as well as the decline in infrastructure, coupled with poor funding due to the performance of the banking system, which can be described as backward," Bandar said. He pointed out that the conflict of laws with the investment legislation generates mistrust of the investor because of frequent amendments and interpretations and the lack of consistency of laws, which makes the environment of investment environment repellent, accompanied by the lack of data and accurate information, especially in the investment map, which lacks market studies according to supply and demand, And the lack of administrative and technical expertise necessary for the management of projects. "

Market economy system


"The gradual transition to the market economy system and the Investment Law Law No. 13 of 2006 and its amendments, which called for focusing on bringing in technical and scientific expertise and supporting the establishment, expansion and development of investment projects in various economic fields and granting concessions and concessions, Which aims to encourage investments and transfer of modern technologies to contribute to the country's development process, expand its production and service base and diversify it, and encourage the Iraqi and foreign private sector to invest in Iraq through the necessary facilities.

Establishment of investment projects and enhance competitiveness

For projects "Al Bandar called for the establishment of a higher investment council headed by the Prime Minister and the membership of a number of ministers and advisers and experts in the field of investment to be his tasks to take all necessary to create a better climate for investment with the development of the general framework of legislative and administrative reform of the investment environment.

He stressed that this would "facilitate the task of approving policies and investment plan that sets the priorities of investment projects targeted in accordance with the general policy of the State and the plan of economic and social development and investment systems"

Al Bandar pointed to" the need to work on the follow-up of the implementation of the state agencies of plans and programs relating to investment and the development of the work of major economic projects and the position of projects involved with the private sector, as well as follow-up modernization of the investment map and implementation at the level of economic sectors and geographical areas within the framework of the comprehensive development plan, Stressing the importance of following up the development of the classification of Iraq in international reports and indicators on investment to be among the functions of the Council.

Source