Slemani Summit: President Barzani calls for private-sector growth

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Thursday called for greater investment, economic diversification and a stronger private sector, saying the economies of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region should complement rather than compete with each other.

Speaking at the opening of the Slemani Summit on economic development and investment, Barzani described the private sector as “a key partner in the reconstruction, development and prosperity of the Kurdistan Region.”

“The progress achieved requires further expansion of investment, and it is our responsibility to provide an appropriate environment for investors,” he said.

Barzani said the Kurdistan Region had built a suitable foundation in recent years and should now move toward “a productive, diversified economy” capable of attracting more capital into industry, tourism and local production.

Barzani also called for agreement between Baghdad and Erbil on customs and taxation and for broader economic partnerships, saying Kurdistan Region companies should be able to operate freely in central and southern Iraq just as Iraqi companies operate in the Region.