AmCham Kurdistan aims to bring more American companies to the Kurdistan Region
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The President of the American Chamber of Commerce Kurdistan Region (AmCham Kurdistan), Dori Abouzeid, told Kurdistan 24 on Monday that they aim to bring more American companies to the Kurdistan Region.
Abouzeid spoke to Kurdistan 24 on the sidelines of the first annual networking reception held by AmCham Kurdistan in Erbil, which was created in 2012 to promote economic relations between the United States and the Kurdistan Region.
"This is the first annual event of this magnitude. We had a different event last year, but this is the first event we do for networking, and hopefully, we will do some more (events)," Abouzeid told Kurdistan 24.
He added that the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down AmCham Kurdistan's work. "But since then, we have been pushing through," he said.
He added that AmCham Kurdistan would like to bring more US companies for digitalization and the green economy.
"We would like to inform US companies about Kurdistan, about the business in Kurdistan, the safety in Kurdistan, so we can bring in more investors," he said. "We need support from the KRG (Kurdistan Regional Government). The KRG is doing a fantastic job. They are doing a great job with the reforms. They are doing a good job with the security so that we were able to tell American companies to come to Kurdistan. This is part of what we do."
He also added that as an American who just came from the United States, he feels "very safe" in the Kurdistan Region.
"This is exactly what we promote," he said. "We know the environment here, and we know that the Kurdish Regional Government has done a fantastic job in keeping the security up so that American companies are going to feel more comfortable. So we are promoting that."
"We intend to bring more delegations to Kurdistan, so they can see it themselves."
US companies, he noted, mainly work in the oil sector in the Kurdistan Region. He also pointed out that there are "many local companies investing in different franchises and bringing different products here."
"So we are working very hard on changing or adding different sectors and bringing more American companies to Kurdistan," he concluded.
During the networking event on Monday, US Consul General Robert Palladino underlined the importance of AmCham Kurdistan and thanked it for being a "strong partner to the consulate for so many years."
It was great to attend @AmChamKurdistan's 1st Annual Networking Reception & to see our friends from US & IKR biz communities, & counterparts from KRG. CG Palladino & @USConGenErbil thank AmCham for hosting the event & for connecting U.S. business community with IKR counterparts. pic.twitter.com/VSNmiFdFjA
— U.S. Consulate General Erbil (@USConGenErbil) June 22, 2022
"We believe that it's the private sector that will drive innovation and that will create jobs, and that will create economic prosperity, and it is vital that the private sector lead the way both in the United States and here in the Kurdistan Region," he said
"It's also critical that the government partners with industry to create an investment climate that promotes innovation and growth; laws and regulations that support investment and growth will ensure that the private sector can provide goods and services, create jobs, and increase economic resilience," he added.
Palladino also pointed out that the United States is "building the largest American consulate in the world here in Erbil because we believe that our partnership needs room to grow."
"And I believe now more than ever before that the special bond between the American people and the people of the Kurdistan Region will endure," he said.
"So I look forward to the United States Consulate and AmCham Kurdistan relationship continuing for many, many, many more years because we need a strong private sector."