A visiting delegation from Riyadh agreed with KRG officials to expand economic ties with the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
The Saudi delegation was headed by Sami Bin Abdullah al-Obeidi, head of the Saudi Arabia’s Commerce Chambers and he was accompanied by Saudi ambassador to Iraq, Faysal al-Oteibi, Saudi consul general to the Kurdistan Region, and other officials from the kingdom.
The Saudi delegation, which arrived in the Kurdistan region on Monday, held a meeting with KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani in Erbil on Tuesday.
According to a statement from Barzani's office, the two sides had decided to “set the Kurdistan Region, as a first step, as the center to begin commercial, economic, and investment activities throughout Iraq.”
The statement added the two sides discussed “employment and investment opportunities and the strengthening of economic and trade ties in all areas of the Kurdistan Region.”
The need to establish direct flights between the region's airports and Saudi Arabia was stressed, as was a plan to open a Saudi bank in Iraq, Kurdistan 24 said.
According to Kurdistan 24, the Saudis and Iraqi Kurdistan officials supported the convening of a conference in either the Kurdistan Region or Saudi Arabia, with the participation of investors, businessmen from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and the concerned governmental bodies on both sides.
Barzani also expressed the readiness of his government to provide facilities for investment and operation of Saudi capital in Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
KI/PR
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