Erbil International Fair Ground hosted Project Iraq 2013

Under the auspices of the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Erbil International Fair Ground hosted Project Iraq 2013, the 6th International Exhibition for Construction and Environmental Technology, Materials & Equipment for Iraq from 28 to 31 October; organized by IFP Iraq (International Fairs & Promotions), and held concurrently with Energy Iraq, the 3rd International Exhibition for Electricity, Alternative Energy, Lighting, Water Technology & HVAC; and Real Estate Iraq, the International Real Estate, Investment & Property Development Exhibition for Iraq.

The event was attended by senior dignitaries, business men, diplomats and industry leaders from Iraq and the region’s construction sectors, led by the Minister of Housing and Construction, H.E. Kamaran Ahmed Abdullah, alongside the Minister of Trade and Industry, H.E. Sinan Abdul khalq Ahmed Celebi, Head of Foreign Relations department, Mr. Falah Mustafa Bakir, Deputy of the Electricity Minister Mr. Hoger Shali and the Governor of Erbil, Mr. Nawzad Hadi, who cut the ribbon marking the launch of the show’s greatest edition to date, with the participation of more than 620 exhibitors from 27 countries across 22,000 square meters of exhibition space.

During the opening ceremony, the Minister of Housing and Construction, H.E. Kamaran Ahmed Abdullah, stated that "the inauguration of such annual exhibitions, which is running for the sixth time in the Kurdistan Region, provides an opportunity for the government and private sectors to showcase their products that are relevant to reviving and modernizing Iraq’s construction sector as well as enriching the economic foundation."

In his speech, the Minister of Trade and Industry, H.E. Sinan Abdul Khalq Ahmed Celebi, said "the exhibition provides a good opportunity for local companies to implement joint ventures," noting that "the Kurdistan Regional Government supports such events to take advantage of the latest worldwide techniques and technologies, as well as benefit from job opportunities offered by international companies to the citizens of the Kurdistan Region."

In a detailed look at the companies that participated in the exhibition, it is evident that about 90% of these businesses are international; a ratio comparable to the numbers recorded by the most prestigious international shows. For instance, the event witnessed the largest Asian participation to date with 80 Iranian companies, and Italy led the European participation with 100 companies across 800 square meters of space, while Turkey was represented by the largest national pavilion with an area exceeding 1,700 square meters of exhibition space.

More than 27 countries participated in this year’s show; Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Italy, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UAE, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, and Vietnam; 15 of which were represented by national pavilions, official bodies and organizations from each country, with the attendance of more than 35 supporting bodies and trade agencies.

All these companies chose to participate, hoping that the show will serve as a solid platform to launch new projects, and as a bridge to connect agents, distributors and consumers from all around the world. These businesses chose Project Iraq as their primary destination for marking and strengthening their presence in the Iraqi market, since the show is an effective channel for guiding companies and foreign investments towards the Iraqi construction markets; thanks to the support it receives from the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Ministry of Construction and Housing of Iraq, the Ministry of Construction and Housing in the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity, the Ministry of Electricity in the Kurdistan Regional Government, and the Investment Body in the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Indeed, the show did not disappoint the hopes of the participants throughout the four days, as the exhibition halls held numerous meetings between the various parties involved, with most of the participating countries taking advantage of the occasion to network and meet with various ministries and officials in the Kurdistan Regional Government.

For example, the Minister of Trade and Industry, H.E. Sinan Abdul khalq Ahmed Celebi, Head of Foreign Relations department, Mr. Falah Mustafa Bakir, and a number of officials from the fields of trade and industry in the Kurdistan Region, held a joint session between the Kurdistan Region and Italy, in the presence of the President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce in the Kurdistan region and the Deputy Governor of Suleimaniyah, with the aim of developing the economic and trade relations between the two parties, and implementingvital projects in the region.

To further emphasize this year’s impressive vast international participation, Malaysia doubled its presence at the show, where the Senior Trade Commissioner and the Consulate General of Malaysia in Dubai, Mohammed Mustafa Abdel-Aziz, who participated in the show with 17 Malaysian companies in the oil and gas and construction fields, said "all of the participating companies are here to support the commercial promotion of Malaysia's Ministry of Industry and Trade," pointing out that Malaysia’s participation in the exhibition "began in 2010 with a small platform, then went on to nine participating companies from different sectors in 2011, finally bringing 17 medium-sized oil and gas and construction companies to this year’s show."

IFP Iraq (International Fairs & Promotions) concluded the show by recording more than 18,400 professional visitors, including engineers, entrepreneurs, traders, contractors, and stakeholders. The organizer also announced that the 7th edition of the exhibition will be held next year from 21 to 24 October, 2014.