AMMAN (Petra) -- Iraq Procurement 2004 forum and exhibition opened on Monday, providing the opportunity for Iraqi businessmen to meet with representatives of global companies hoping to play a role in the rebuilding of the war-stricken state.
At the opening ceremony, Iraq's interim Electricity Minister Ayham Al Samarrai described the forum as a major opportunity to determine the procurements needed to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure and main sectors, especially the energy, health, transportation and water sectors destroyed or severely damaged during the US-led war on the country.
"As these sectors address citizens' basic needs, their rebuilding will reflect positively on Iraq's stability," Samarrai indicated
According to the minister, Iraq's foremost challenge now is having the donor countries meet their commitments. He attributed the problems to the fact there is not a clear idea on the mechanisms for donor countries' dispensing with the grants to rebuild Iraq.
Ministry of Industry and Trade Secretary General Farouq Hadidi stressed that the Jordanian government has not spared any effort to provide all facilities for foreign and Arab countries seeking to enter the Iraqi market.
In light of its geographical location and its special ties with Iraq, the Kingdom has worked to build a long-range strategic relation with the Iraqi government through signing contracts and visits-exchange, he remarked.
Meanwhile, Iraqi British Business Council Chairman Mostafa Al Bazergan highlighted the forum for providing the chance for the Iraqi private sector to directly meet with their counterparts from different world countries, pointing out that it will save the Iraqis a whole lot of suffering which they had to undergo as a result of working with intermediaries during the time of the food and drug programme.
An exhibition hosting over 50 regional and global companies will be held on the sidelines of the forum, providing the companies with the chance to display their products.
During the three-day event, certain projects in the fields of IT, healthcare, energy production, telecommunications, banking, agriculture, water and sewage system will be presented to foreign investors.
© Jordan Times 2004
