Iraq: Investment projects employ nearly one million people

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq's National Investment Commission generated job opportunities for hundreds of thousands of Iraqis through ongoing investment projects nationwide, the commission's head, Haider Makiya, confirmed on Monday.

Speaking to Shafaq News, Makiya stated that the rise in investment opportunities across Iraq would help stabilize the exchange rate, bolster market conditions, and provide employment for both the unemployed and recent graduates.

He noted that the first phase of the Commission's projects had created more than 200,000 jobs for young Iraqis, adding that around 950,000 people are currently working in investment projects across various provinces.

Makiya's remarks were delivered during the Iraq Investment Forum, which concluded this week in Baghdad and also featured a speech by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

In his address, al-Sudani unveiled $450 billion in investment opportunities spanning multiple sectors across Iraq.

He also emphasized the government's youth employment initiative, known as the Riyada (Entrepreneurship) program. "More than 500,000 young men and women have joined the initiative, with 92,000 receiving training," al-Sudani said. "The program has led to the creation of 12,000 new projects funded by loans and has generated 20,000 job opportunities."