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Secretary – Generals Message
“Kurdistan - the Commercial gateway to IRAQ”
Welcome to the Kurdish-British Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
I would like to start by sharing the comments of Tobias Ellwood MP for Bournemouth after a Parliamentary trip to Kurdistan.
"In an area about the size of Switzerland, in stark contrast to life in and around Basra or Baghdad, there are no tanks, no green zones, no coalition forces and not a flak jacket in sight. Not a single coalition forces soldier has ever been killed in this region.
Kurdistanis have taken advantage of a decade of stability and have established democratic law, built roads, airports and business parks, and even a stock exchange is expected to open shortly. Despite sacrifices made by Britain's troops and the billions of pounds spent in Iraq, it was sad to observe the absence of UK business in Kurdistan, compared with other European countries. Even Austrian Airlines now offers direct flights to Kurdistan."
We are optimistic that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRP) will continue to demonstrate the considerable dynamism despite the recent financial crises engulfing the rest of the world. As the first Kurdish Chamber of Commerce outside the liberated Kurdish Region of Iraq we are very proud with the KRG’s achievements since 2003, KRG has adopted ambitious reform programmes designed to enable them to compete more effectively in the global economy. They have liberalised trade, sought to strengthen their private sectors and increase the efficiency of production in their drive to promote economic development.
The Chamber is committed to encouraging and promoting Kurdish-British trade. Our board has over 50 years of combined industry experience and we have developed a range of services, and gathered local experience and knowledge which could prove invaluable to your company. Joining the Chamber puts you in contact with a wide business network in the UK and Kurdistan via our strong and productive ties with Regional Government and British Chambers of Commerce and business communities.
Please take time to browse our website thoroughly to see the services that Chamber provides, and review our programme of events.
Opportunity beckons for the British exporter prepared to venture into the Kurdistan region.
We believe in trying to meet the needs of our customers and appreciate your opinions and suggestions to make the service offering of the Chamber even more successful in the promotion of trade between the two regions.
We look forward to welcoming you as a member of the Kurdish-British Chamber of Commerce.
Mr Ali Haydar Ulus
Secretary-General and Chief Executive
Kurdish-British Chamber of Commerce
The High Representative
As the High Representative to the UK, I am glad to have the opportunity to provide a few words of welcome to the KBCCI and to its website.
Kurdistan is a small, fascinating and diverse country that lies across trade routes stretching back centuries. It has a rich commercial heritage as well as vast natural resources. Kurds have enhanced in education, English is their second language, and the private business community is sophisticated and cosmopolitan.
Despite the difficulties rest of Iraq faces, the Kurdish region remains a good market for British products and services. There are good opportunities in the healthcare, agribusiness, infrustructure, engineering, automotive and ICT sectors, as well as the flagship oil, gas and petrochemical industries.
Kurds tend to welcome British business. Many Kurds travel regularly to the UK, and know us very well. British firms have a good reputation for quality products and trustworthiness. But that does not make Kurdistan an easy market. Bureaucracy, cultural differences and sheer hard bargaining are all challenges to be overcome in dealing with Kurdistan.
That is where the Kurdish British Chamber of Commerce and Industry comes in. The advice, contacts and facilitation services they offer can be an invaluable help to companies considering whether to do business in Kurdistan. This website is an excellent starting point for getting in touch with those services.
Finally, let me also make a plug for the services of UK Trade and Investment, including the UKTI team at the Kurdish Development Corporation here in Erbil. We offer advice, facilitate contacts and you can commission us to produce market research. Please see the KDR website (www.kurdistaninvestment.org) or the Embassy website (www.britishembassy.gov.uk/iraq) for more details.
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