Erbil:The Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry organized a significant economic forum on Wednesday, aiming to strengthen trade relations between Iraq and Turkey. The event gathered numerous businesspeople and merchants from both nations to discuss strategies for boosting bilateral trade.

According to Iraqi News Agency, the forum saw the participation of the Turkish Ambassador to Iraq, the Turkish Consul in Erbil, a representative from the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK), and approximately 40 Turkish businesspeople. On the Iraqi side, the attendees included Safeen Dizayee, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG); Aydin Maruf, a KRG minister; Omed Khoshnaw, Governor of Erbil; Sarwar Kamal, Deputy Minister of Trade; and leaders and members of the Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with about 50 local merchants.

The forum featured bilateral business meetings and concluded with a joint press conference. Maruf Harki, Deputy Chairman of the Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry, highlighted that the discussions focused on increasing trade volume and solidifying economic connections. Key topics included the role of businesspeople in creating sustainable strategic partnerships, overcoming current challenges, and enhancing the movement of goods. Additionally, the forum explored the potential of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq serving as a crucial trade corridor, linking goods from Turkey and Europe to the Arabian Gulf.