Virtual meeting between the chambers of Bulgaria and Iraqi Kurdistan

“Despite the difficulties for the companies at the moment, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry observes a positive response from the business, which keeps looking for new markets and foreign partners”, said the President of the BCCI Tsvetan Simeonov at the opening of a virtual meeting between the Chambers of Bulgaria and Iraqi Kurdistan. The interest on the part of Bulgaria in doing business with partners from Iraqi Kurdistan is constant, especially in the following sectors: trade, pharmaceutical industry, cosmetics industry, information technology and smart solutions, energy, chemical industry, agriculture and food industry.

BCCI and its partners from Iraqi Kurdistan - the CCI of Erbil, the Kurdistan CCI, as well as the Union of Importers and Exporters of Iraqi Kurdistan, have maintained traditional relations since 2011. In 2019, the BCCI hosted two business forums organized with Erbil CCI and Baghdad CCI. During one of the events, a memorandum of understanding was signed, which provides for the renewal and strengthening of cooperation between the chambers of commerce of the two countries in order to facilitate business cooperation.

Mr. Dara Jalil Khayat, President of Erbil CCI, confirmed that the companies from Iraqi Kurdistan also keep up their interest in Bulgaria, as a gateway to Europe, as well as a source of foodstuffs and staple commodities, in view of the fact that Iraqi Kurdistan is extremely dependent on their imports. Dara Khayat invited BCCI and representatives of Bulgarian businesses to visit Erbil when international  travel return to normal in order to deepen the contacts with the local companies.

The main interests of Iraqi companies are focused on trade, foodstuffs, construction materials, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, as well as in the field of tourism. This became clear during the presentation of companies from both countries.

Detailed presentations were made by the Bulgarian Investment Agency and the Investment Board of Iraqi Kurdistan.

Vasil Vasilev, head of the Trade and Economic Affairs Office for Bulgaria in Erbil, actively involved in the event and contributed to its realization. He said that Iraqi Kurdistan offers many business opportunities, not entirely known to Bulgarian companies, and expressed his readiness to assist the businesses from both countries.