A delegation of people from businesses across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have visited Hull this week as part of a networking event.
The delegation, made up of 22 businesses, visited the Guildhall on Thursday 27 October. They met with many representatives from Hull, including local businesses.
The aim of the visit was to explore routes to enter the Hull and East Yorkshire business market and an opportunity to expand business relationships further with local businesses here in Hull. Iraqi Kurdistan is an emergent market and the delegates are keen to invest in the UK, import from the UK and vice versa. They are keen to widen their business and relationships and seeking for bilateral trade and investment opportunities across the UK.
The delegation will also be visiting London and Birmingham next month.
Iraqi Kurdistan remains a key business prospect for British businesses, as the Kurdistan Regional Government of Northern Iraq hopes to further develop its infrastructure and trade, with agriculture, tourism, and industry as its priority sectors.
Councillor Paul-Drake Davis, portfolio holder for Economic Development and Regeneration at Hull City Council said: “I’m happy we could welcome the Kurdistan Region of Iraq delegation to our city and I hope they felt at home here during their stay. The event was productive and mutually beneficial for both our visitors and our local partners and businesses. I hope that by facilitating this meeting, we have helped foster some new, important business relationships between our local businesses and the exciting emerging market in Iraqi Kurdistan.”
Nazim Mustafa is Director of Hull-based Business Express Group and previously worked as Senior Trade Adviser for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He helped set up and facilitate the visit. He said: “I, in coordination with Hull City Council, hosted an inward trade and investment mission from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in our city, Hull. Thank you to the council for their positive support, without them this event wouldn’t have happened.
“I have led and succeeded in organising many Iraqi Kurdish inward trade missions to the UK who have explored routes to enter the Hull and East Yorkshire business market, expanding business relationships further for our local businesses and strengthening the business ties between the UK and Iraqi Kurdistan. We aim to take British expertise and qualities to Iraqi Kurdistan through inward and outward missions. We want to use our own business experience, knowledge and connections to matchmake companies who are seeking opportunities and are ready to take the chance to do business in Iraqi Kurdistan and at the same time, support and direct Kurdish companies to invest and trade in the UK.”
