Erbil to Host Kurdistan Region–Saudi Investment Roundtable
The forum aims to expand Saudi investments in the Kurdistan Region and deepen economic partnerships across key sectors.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Erbil will host the Kurdistan Region–Saudi Investment Roundtable on Sunday, at the Rotana Hotel, in a bid to strengthen commercial partnerships and open new avenues for Saudi investment in the Kurdistan Region.
The forum will open with welcoming remarks by Dr. Mohammed Shukri, Chairman of the Kurdistan Region Investment Board, and Azzam Mohammed Abdul Latif, Director of the Trade Representation Office at the Saudi Consulate in Erbil.
The opening session is expected to underscore the depth of bilateral relations and the shared interest in expanding investment cooperation between the two sides.
The agenda includes a flagship presentation under the banner “Invest in Kurdistan,” featuring a short film highlighting the Region’s business environment, followed by a detailed briefing by the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Unit on incentives, regulatory frameworks, and priority sectors with high growth potential.
A government roundtable session will be dedicated to policy and procedural questions, with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) ministries outlining the services, facilitation mechanisms, and reforms designed to support foreign investors and remove obstacles facing large-scale projects.
Officials are expected to address licensing processes, legal protections, public-private partnership models, and aftercare services for investors.
The forum will also allocate significant space for corporate dialogue, enabling Saudi and Kurdistani companies to present their activities and explore partnership opportunities. Particular emphasis will be placed on Saudi firms to outline their interests and expectations in the Kurdistan market. \
Bilateral networking meetings are scheduled to allow participants to exchange project portfolios and pursue direct cooperation.
The event will conclude with closing remarks by Sefin Dizayi, Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations (DFR), who is set to summarize the discussions and outline a roadmap for future economic cooperation.
The roundtable comes amid a broader push by the Kurdistan Region to diversify its economy, attract regional capital, and position itself as a stable investment hub in northern Iraq. In recent years, Erbil has sought to deepen ties with Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia.
For Riyadh, the forum aligns with Vision 2030, which encourages outward investment and regional partnerships in sectors such as energy, infrastructure, agribusiness, and tourism.
Officials say the meeting reflects a mutual recognition of opportunities created by the Kurdistan Region’s relative stability, young workforce, and strategic location, as well as Saudi Arabia’s expanding role as a regional economic powerhouse.