final report (amended) - ninewa investment facilitation ... - usaid

Submitted on June 14, 2022

IRAQ GOVERNANCE & PERFORMANCE

ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT (IGPA/TAKAMUL)

FINAL REPORT (AMENDED)

NINEWA INVESTMENT FACILITATION

INITIATIVE (NIFI)

APRIL 23, 2019 – JUNE 25, 2022

TASK ORDER 0004 UNDER CLIN 0005

This publication, prepared by DAI, was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. The authors’

views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the

United States Government.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 1

TASK ORDER OBJECTIVES AND TASKS .......................................................................................................... 1

SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS ................................................................................................................. 1

Task Order 4 SNAPSHOT ....................................................................................................................................... 3

Task1: Establish SME Business Development Center ........................................................................................ 4

Task 2: Provide business development services .................................................................................................. 5

Task 3: Conduct Ninewa Investment Forum (NIF) .......................................................................................... 12

Task 4: Develop and support Investment Commissions’ capacity ................................................................ 15

Activity 4.1: Awareness and Coaching Program for the Investment Commission’s Leadership ...... 15

Activity 4.2: General Coaching and Training Program for Commission’s Staff ..................................... 20

Activity 4.3: Facilitate Commission Strategic Planning ................................................................................ 22

Task 5: Develop and implement the strategic plan and programs aimed at improving the business

enabling environment of selected governorates. .............................................................................................. 24

Activity 5.1: Develop Value Chain Analysis and System Maps .................................................................. 24

Activity 5.2: Design and Implement a Firm-Level Technical Assistance Program ................................ 28

Task 6: National Level initiatives ........................................................................................................................... 30

Activity 6.1: Undertake a Review of All Relevant Laws and Regulations Pertaining to Investment . 30

Activity 6.2: Development of Climate Change Funds Aimed at the Private Sector ............................ 32

Task 7: Support SME development through the provision of BDS and referrals to other USAID

programming .............................................................................................................................................................. 32

Activity 7.1: Provision of BDS Programming ................................................................................................. 32

Activity 7.2 Regular Engagement with Other USAID Programs to Enhance Integrated ......................

Support to SMEs ........................................................................................................................... 34

Final Status / Indicators ........................................................................................................................................... 37

Challenges ................................................................................................................................................................... 42

Lessons Learned and Recommendations ............................................................................................................ 44

Vision Going Forward.............................................................................................................................................. 48

Financial Report ........................................................................................................................................................ 50

ANNEXES .................................................................................................................................................................. 51

ACRONYMS ........................................................................................................................................................... 132

This publication, prepared by DAI, was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. The authors’

views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the

United States Government.

ANNEXES

ANNEX 1: List of Reports and Deliverables ................................................................................................. 51

ANNEX 2: Index of Other Reports and Information Products ............................................................... 52

ANNEX 3: List of 460 Enterprises/SMEs/Entrepreneurs Referred to Sources of Finance ................ 56

ANNEX 4: List of 64 SMEs that Secured Financing through IGPA/NIFI Facilitation ........................... 70

ANNEX 5: List of SMEs Featured in the Ninewa Investment Forum ..................................................... 72

ANNEX 6: Capacity Planning Session for the Provincial Investment Commissions ............................ 73

ANNEX 7: List of Ninewa Agribusiness Value Chain Study Interviewees ............................................. 76

ANNEX 8: Investment Promotion and Strategic Planning Training for Six Provincial Investment

Commissions and the National Investment Commission ..................................................... 77

ANNEX 9: SMEs Referred to the Norwegian Grant .................................................................................. 79

ANNEX 10: Funds Facilitated for SMEs ............................................................................................................ 80

ANNEX 11: Awards, Recognitions, and Appreciations ................................................................................ 81

ANNEX 12: Proposed amendments to the Investment Law ...................................................................... 82

USAID.GOV IGPA TASK ORDER 4 FINAL REPORT 1

INTRODUCTION

The USAID IGPA/Takamul’s Task Order 4 (TO4) commenced on April 23, 2019. Task Order 4,

known as the IGPA/Ninewa Investment Facilitation Initiative (IGPA/NIFI), provides business

development services (BDS) in the form of firm-level technical assistance and practical training to

empower entrepreneurs and enable businesses to acquire the knowledge, tools, and financing to

start-up, revitalize, and grow. IGPA/NIFI assists firms of all sizes—from internally displaced persons

(IDP) minority and women-owned micro-enterprises to more extensive and more sophisticated

small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Task Order 4’s end of the performance is June 25, 2022.

TASK ORDER OBJECTIVES AND TASKS

Overall Project Goal: Increased employment through demand-driven private sector-led economic

growth in Iraq, with a major focus on Ninewa Province. In year three, the task order added

investment promotion, facilitation, and attraction and focused on developing the agribusiness sector

to its goals.

Overall Project Purpose: Increased employment through improved business expansion and

investment readiness of the Iraqi private sector with a focus on SMEs and targeted assistance to

funding and investor sources.

Focus Geographic Area: Ninewa Province, with a focus on ethnic and religious minority-owned

businesses. In Year 3, six provinces–Baghdad, Basrah, Anbar, Wasit, Najaf, and Baghdad, were added

as target provinces.

SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

IGPA/NIFI’s summary of key major accomplishments is as follows:

1. Facilitated business financing worth $2,121,374 for 64 SMEs.

2. Referred 460 SME applications to various financing institutions and investors. The estimated

total amount of financing for NIFI’s referred SME applications is $163,391,430 from 19

funding organizations/programs.

3. Provided business development services (BDS) to 473 firms, SMEs, and entrepreneurs in

subject matters such as food safety, digital and social media marketing, company registration,

financial literacy, quality control management, inventory management, and Lean Canvas

business planning, a simplified single-page business model.

4. Conducted 203 BDS activities for 2,080 (1,501 men, 579 women), specifically: 80

workshops and 10 training, 65 technical assistance sessions, 14 assessments, two focused

groups discussions (FGD), one conference, and other activities such as site visits, meetings,

and follow up sessions with Anbar, Basrah, Baghdad, Wasit, Najaf, and Ninewa SMEs,

individual entrepreneurs, and farmers, as well as technical assistance sessions with the

National Investment Commission (NIC) and six targeted Provincial Investment Commissions

(PIC).

5. Conducted five Entrepreneurship Programs for 605 business-inclined students and women

to help them jumpstart their business plans. The program included modules on Iraq business


registration processes, startup financing and inventory management, digital and social media

marketing, pitching to investors and sources of financing, and lean canvas business planning.

As a result of these Entrepreneurship Programs, new successful business ideas emerged and

were referred to several sources of finance.

6. Established the Mosul Business Development Center (BDC), which became the base for

business meetings and SMEs training in Ninewa.

7. Completed the investment environment analysis in collaboration with the public and private

sectors to identify impediments in attracting investments in Iraq. The analysis resulted in

recommendations for both the National and Provincial Investment Commissions, and TO4

delivered technical support to address some of these impediments and respond to the

recommendations in improving the investment environment in Iraq.

8. Launched capacity-building support to the National Investment Commission (NIC) and six

Provincial Investment Commissions (PICs) in Baghdad, Basrah, Najaf, Anbar, Wasit, and

Ninewa. NIFI conducted capacity-building training for 85 staff members (76 men, 9 women)

on Evaluating Feasibility Study, Investment Promotion and Strategic Planning, Investment

Commissions Planning, Website Development, Workshop on Impediments to Investment

Attraction in Iraq, as well as organizational structure revision, investment opportunities

development, and workshop on the investment law and regulations.

9. Completed value chain analyses for tomatoes, dates, and wheat in Ninewa, Baghdad, and

Basrah to identify the impediments facing these sectors and customize the technical support

to increase productivity and revenues.

10. Completed the landmark workshop/conference “Improving the Enabling Environment for

Agricultural Value Chains in Basrah, Baghdad, Wasit, Najaf, Anbar, and Ninewa” with 88 (73

men, 15 women) key agriculture stakeholders. USAID Mission Director John Cardenas

attended the workshop.

11. Provided high-level tailored technical agricultural consulting services to several

agribusinesses in Iraq. NIFI aimed to develop lead firms in certain sectors to create a ripple

development effect and ensure the sustainability of support beyond the project's life.

12. Formed a working group across National and Provincial Investment Commissions and other

GOI entities to review existing investment laws and regulations and recommended

amendments to address legal impediments to improving the business environment of

investing in Iraq.


TASK ORDER 4 SNAPSHOT

1 Task Order 4 Project’s Life extended from April 20, 2019 until June 20, 2022.

2 In TO4, the FY21 annual report total accumulative for Indicator 1 for FY20 was reported as 40; following a DQA by IGPA MEL team, the correct figure for FY20 indicator 1 actual is 35,

which was also reflected in the FY20 annual report.

3 Following MEL’s DQA in June 2022, actuals across FY20-22 were updated for the following reasons: 1) Some firms were assigned more than one unique ID due to the same firm’s name

spelling, which caused a counting duplication. Following the DQA, each firm now has a unique ID and is only counted once. 2) Some business owners/employees were representing more

than one firm. The calculations were erroneously made based on the individual present, not the represented firms. Following the DQA, the MEL data team ensured that IDs were given to

firms, not persons, and each firm has a unique ID and counted only once.

4 TO4 Indicators 3 and 4 were introduced in May 2021 to respond to the TO4 Year 3 work plan activities.

5 MEL found a duplication issue following a DQA in June 2022. Certain participants were counted more than once because of different name sequences when signing sheets. As an example,

writing the first and second names when attending a specific event and then writing their first name and surname when attending another. The MEL team standardized the naming

convention and participants' IDs by comparing names to phone numbers and work details to ensure no duplications occurred. Each participant was assigned a unique ID and counted only

once.

SUMMARY TABLE OF RESULTS

No. INDICATORS

LIFE OF TASK

ORDER TARGET1

FY19-FY22

ACTUAL LIFE OF TASK

ORDER (ACTUAL)

% ACHIEVED

FY19-FY22 FY20 FY21 FY22

1 Number of enterprises that receive commitments to access or mobilize

financing as a result of USG assistance 45 35 10 19 642 142%

2

Number of firms receiving USG-funded technical assistance for

improving business performance (Standard Economic Growth Indicator

5.2.1)3

360 252 93 128 473 131%

3 EG 2.12 Number of private sector enterprises with increased access to

finance due to USG assistance4 10 N/A 2 10 12 120%

4 Number of individuals who receive capacity building training and

technical assistance from USG 200 N/A 715 359 430 215%


TASK1: ESTABLISH SME BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

IGPA/NIFI’s Business Development Center (BDC) was designed as the focal point for SMEs in the

communities. Aside from helping create widespread awareness of the Ninewa Investment Forum

(NIF), the BDC was established to offer free business development services and training to SMEs and

entrepreneurs.

The BDCs functioned as a venue for program outreach to screen applications for business

development services, organize and conduct training workshops and events, conduct firm-level

technical assistance, and provide financial facilitation services. Through the BDC, IGPA developed an

accurate database of SMEs that included their capabilities and requirements to improve enterprise

skills.

IGPA/NIFI established two BDCs to support SMEs in Erbil and Ninewa. NIFI established the Ninewa

BDC in Mosul and co-located it with local partner Mosul Space to facilitate the transfer of NIFI’s

knowledge to the staff and help ensure the sustainability and continuance of business development

services once the Project is concluded.

NIFI developed the capacity of the Mosul Space staff to plan and execute in-person and online

business training. As a result, Mosul Space had capably delivered three modules during NIFI’s

Entrepreneurship Program for Ninewa entrepreneurs.

IGPA/NIFI also set up a BDC booth at the NIF held in December 2019, where 86 Ninewa and

northern Iraq SMEs applied for various business development services. IGPA/NIFI screened the

applications and engaged with these businesses through training workshops and firm-level technical

assistance on a variety of topics such as access to finance, financial literacy, Lean Canvas business

planning, social media marketing, inventory management, barcoding, food safety based on Good

Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and business registration in Iraq.

NIFI opened its Mosul BDC with an in-person Lean Canvas Business Planning Workshop for seven SMEs in Ninewa.

NIFI also reached collaborative agreements with existing BDCs in Erbil, Mosul, and Hamdaniya in the

Ninewa Plains. They subsequently held consultations and training workshops with SMEs at the Erbil

BDC. The workshops included access to finance and marketing.


TASK 2: PROVIDE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

IGPA’s private sector development efforts centered on making SMEs adopt best business practices

to build self-reliance and effectively compete in increasingly competitive domestic and international

markets. Adopting modern business practices is essential for organic growth as well as achieving

bankability and investment readiness, i.e., the ability to access financing and absorb additional capital

to support expansion and growth. To this end, IGPA/NIFI implemented a firm-level technical

assistance program for a select group of SMEs with growth and job creation potential. IGPA/NIFI

undertook a comprehensive business diagnostic gap analysis to pinpoint business owners willing to

share information, embrace change, and cope with the challenges of operating in a severely impaired

business enabling environment.

Training, workshops and firm-level technical assistance program

During the life of the Project, NIFI provided BDS for 473 businesses and entrepreneurs from

Ninewa, Basrah, Baghdad, Wasit, Najaf, Anbar, Erbil, Dahuk, and Sulaimaniya. The assistance included

workshops and firm-level technical support on production and quality management, digital and

Facebook marketing, Lean Canvas business planning, barcoding and inventory management, food

safety based on GMP standards, feasibility studies, and access to financing.

Below is a summary description of NIFI’s training/workshops and firm-level technical assistance and

examples of intended outcomes:

Production and Quality Management

NIFI conducted workshops and firm-level technical assistance on production and quality

management for 11 businesses and 14 entrepreneurs from Ninewa and northern Iraq.

Example of intended outcomes

• NIFI helped Alaela Tahini pinpoint the causes of high oil separation in their tahini product.

The Project and the company conducted multiple tests and analyses of roasting times and

temperatures and other aspects of the production process. The tests determined that the

company needed to adjust the roasting temperature. The tests were well documented, and

the processes will be shared with other tahini production factories in Ninewa so they can

NIFI provides firm-level

technical assistance to

Mosul-based al-Watanya

Dairy Factory to apply for

financing from the Islamic

Bank of Iraq and

implement social media

marketing.


avoid the same mistake. Addressing this issue positively impacted tahini factories’ quality,

sales, and profitability.

“Thank you, NIFI, for the valuable technical assistance. It is true that we’ve been working for 30 to

40 years in this field, and this is the first time we have applied advanced scientific methods, whether

they are chemical or physical methods,” said Alaela Tahini, factory owner Abdulla Naif Darwish

in response to NIFI’s technical assistance.

IGPA/NIFI conducted experiments by roasting tahini at different temperatures to help al-Aela Tahini Factory resolve production

quality issues. The experiments yielded successful outcomes, and the Project shared the experiment results with other tahini

producers in Ninewa.

Digital and Facebook Marketing

NIFI conducted workshops and firm-level technical assistance for businesses and entrepreneurs. In

today’s business world, Facebook presence is essential to increase brand awareness, sales, and

profitability and find and keep customers. This assistance taught business owners to develop a

business page, write and publish posts, respond to messages, set up and launch advertising campaigns

based on demographics, and measure the results.

Example of Intended Outcome

• Noor Ghazal. NIFI created at least five Facebook pages for Ninewa and northern Iraq

businesses. Digital marketing is one of the commonly requested assistance from NIFI,

especially by women entrepreneurs. Noor Ghazal, an administrator of Cosmetics and

Painting Facebook Pages, reached out to NIFI requesting another social media marketing

training for 10 Ninewa-based women entrepreneurs running small enterprises such as

children’s clothing, cooking ingredients, flower shops, embroidery, handicrafts, online

clothing, and medical clinic. Noor was a previous trainee of NIFI, and the positive benefits

she derived for her business, especially from social media marketing training, inspired her to

recommend the training to other women.

“I told my women friends about NIFI’s Facebook marketing workshops. They got excited. I benefited

a lot to the extent that I am applying the knowledge I acquired from NIFI to my freelance work with

several online marketing companies. I am running Facebook pages for such companies now,


handling sponsored Facebook advertising, and designing and scheduling ad posts. Thank you so

much, NIFI, because you are always available to respond to our questions,” said Noor.

Lean Canvas Business Planning

NIFI conducted workshops and firm-level technical assistance sessions for startup businesses in

targeted provinces. Lean Canvas is a one-page business plan template that has gained international

popularity in the start-up and entrepreneurship community. It was adapted from Alex Osterwalder’s

Business Model Canvas, replacing elaborate business plans with a single-page business model. Lean

Canvas has been proven useful for businesses across the entire range of complexity – from beauty

salons to high-tech startups.


• NIFI assisted 22 startup entrepreneurs who graduated from a NIFI Entrepreneurship

Program in Ninewa to create and enhance their business plans using the Lean Canvas model

that NIFI provided. Out of this number, a woman-owned saffron cultivation startup was

referred to a local agricultural investor for a $1,000 in in-kind financing.

Technical assistance and meetings with agribusinesses

NIFI conducted meetings and technical assistance working sessions with 10 agribusinesses from

Ninewa and northern Iraq. The agribusinesses included KH for Trading and Agricultural Investment,

Batam Nuts Factory, Slwan Saka Grape Farm, Dilshad Family Greenhouse Operation, Barani Factory

for Tahini, Askandar Potato Farm, Sangar Multi-Span Greenhouse Operation, Erbil Food Distribution

Center, an olive farm, and a vegetable greenhouse business.

NIFI’s agribusiness adviser met with Slwan Saka grape farm owner in Erbil and suggested a pilot cold storage as a

marketing strategy.



• Out of these 10 agribusinesses, NIFI signed two memoranda of understanding with Slwan

Saka Grape Farm and the Olive Farm in Erbil to develop feasibility studies for establishing

cold storage and processing facilities.

Example of Training Programs

• At the beginning of 2020, NIFI launched its training workshop program to build the business

skills of SME owners and entrepreneurs. One of the training conducted was the

Entrepreneurship Workshop for 20 businesswomen from Mosul using the Lean Canvas

approach. NIFI pioneered the application of the Lean Canvas approach for SMEs and

entrepreneurs in Ninewa and northern Iraq.

In March 2020, in response to the COVID-19-related restrictions on movement and face-to-

face meetings and events, NIFI took immediate mitigating actions signaling USAID’s

continued commitment to the private sector in Ninewa. NIFI remained active and

maintained its pre-pandemic level of support, taking advantage of the extensive reach of the

internet. The Project conducted more frequent small group business workshops, which

proved efficient in delivering firm-level technical assistance. Workshop topics included Lean

Canvas business planning, cash flow management, financial literacy, access to finance,

inventory management and barcoding, risk management for SMEs, and social media

marketing.

SME Credit Training for Iraqi Bankers

In August 2020, in collaboration with the Iraqi Private Banks League (IPBL), NIFI conducted a six-day

SME credit training workshop for 50 credit officers and bank officials to help improve business

financing for SMEs. The training focused on SME credit analysis techniques consistent with

international best practices. Feedback from the participants was positive. One participant stated:

"This was one of the most important lectures that I have attended because it went into detail on SME credit

analysis and loan distribution. I benefited a lot from this training, and I will be honored to participate again in

your training/workshops in the future."

In this training, NIFI encouraged the participants to apply the "Seven C's of Credit" framework, which

clearly delineates the key criteria for making proper credit decisions: Concept, Competency,

Capacity, Character, Collateral, Capital, and Conditions. Special focus was placed on "Capacity" since

learning how to underwrite loans based on cash flow as the primary source of repayment is one of

the keys to reducing the Iraqi banks' overreliance on collateral.

Value Chain Study for Ninewa Agribusiness

NIFI conducted a value chain study of the agribusiness sector in Ninewa, with the following

outcomes:

• Reviewing existing agribusinesses in targeted districts and a list of potential new

agribusinesses and related ancillary businesses.

• Ranking the most promising agribusiness value chain opportunities in Ninewa province based

on criteria including feasibility, location, development impact, scale, competitiveness, the

potential for import substitution and exports, and opportunity to leverage technology to

increase productivity.


• Developing a simple methodology that IGPA can use to monitor the increases in production

and revenues over time of any supported agribusiness SMEs.

• Description of the main constraints to expanding these priority agribusinesses in Ninewa.

• Identifying sources of appropriate improved technology for Ninewa farmers and

agribusinesses.

• Performing summary analysis of the government's overall policies and the results of those

policies on agricultural production and processing.

• Conducting the appraisal of existing harvest, post-harvest, and processing activities in

Ninewa and suggestions on how to improve overall productiveness and product quality.

• Developing recommendations for developing and improving the competitiveness of the most

promising agribusiness value chains and the specific interventions needed to assist SMEs that

are part of the value chain.

Referrals to Financing Sources

IGPA/NIFI actively reached out to sources of financing in Iraq to support SME growth and help its

client enterprises find financing sources. The Project referred 460 funding requests worth more

than $163 million, as shown in the table below. For the complete list, see Annex 3.

Table 1: IGPA Financing referrals

# Funding Institution / Source Financing Application Amount in US$

1 DCEO 36 2,945,000

2 GroFin 54 36,983,250

3 IIB 8 3,718,575

4 IOM 82 2,026,977

5 Marla Fund 4 104,940

6 NBI 26 6,778,575

7 CEWAS 9 1,730,000

8 Institutional Investors (IFC, FinnFund,

Khudairi Group, Northern Gulf Partners

LLC, KH Company, NIF-equity)

21 107,191,000

9 ACF 5 10,500

10 Rawanga Foundation 30 264,886

11 NRC 11 640,000

12 DRC 1 9,000

13 Human Appeal 63 189,000

14 Izdiharona 7 33,600

15 JDA 25 94,952

16 Spark-Grant 9 59,000

17 Tamkeen (Ashur Bank) 42 195,974

18 Top Mountain 13 370,000


Access to Finance and Employment Generation

NIFI secured financing for 64 SMEs and entrepreneurs with a total amount of $ 2,121,374

in loans and grants. These resulted from NIFI’s access to a finance program that included

comprehensive technical training, firm-level technical assistance, and a referral mechanism to

available sources of financing. IGPA/NIFI cultivated strong partnerships with institutions and entities

to provide financing for SMEs, including USAID Durable Communities and Economic Opportunities

(DCEO) project, GroFin, Iraqi Islamic Bank (IIB), International Organization for Migration (IOM),

Marla Fund, National Bank of Iraq (NBI), CEWAS, International Finance Cooperation (IFC),

FinnFund, Khudairi Group, Human Appeal, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Rwanga Foundation,

USAID/Top Mountain, and Izdiharuna. IGPA/NIFI referred a few financing applications to multiple

institutions to secure the best funding arrangement for the SMEs. Annex 4 shows the list of 64

businesses and entrepreneurs that secured financing through IGPA/NIFI’s facilitation.

Examples of intended outcomes

• $12,000 grant for a Ninewa beekeeping enterprise. IGPA helped secure a $12,000

grant for Wael Abid Kristo in al-Qush, Ninewa, to modernize his beehive system, hire six

additional workers, and add another 85 beehives (see photo below). The grant will raise his

honey production by 60 to 70 percent increasing his revenue by 50 percent. IGPA’s tailored

business development services for the enterprise led to securing this grant from the

International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) grants program.

• $41,000 in-kind grant for a specialty grape agribusiness in Erbil. As a result of

IGPA/NIFI’s support, USAID/DCEO approved a $41,000 grant for the Slwan Saka grape farm

in Erbil. IGPA assisted the farm owner in identifying specific technical assistance and financial

needs to increase his farm revenues. The assistance will increase grape harvest from 67,942

to 97,060 kilograms of grape per year and increase the annual revenue from $37,368 to

$53,383. Slwan Saka is an Erbil-based grower of specialty grapes and miscellaneous fruits. He

has introduced modern cultivation practices using improved varieties, overhead trellising,

and drip irrigation.

IGPA/NIFI Business Development Services in Iraqi Media

At the beginning of 2020, IGPA/NIFI’s BDS focused on rolling out a series of training/workshops for

Ninewa and northern Iraq SMEs and entrepreneurs, focusing on women-owned businesses.

IGPA/NIFI gained wide publicity and media coverage for its face-to-face training/workshops by Iraqi

national media.

Example of media coverage of NIFI’s BDS activities:

1. Financial Literacy for Women Entrepreneurs. This training/workshop was covered by Radio al-

Ghad, Rudaw TV, and Kirkuk Now. Below are the links to the media coverage:

https://www.facebook.com/FMalghad/videos/119368569501645/

http://kirkuknow.com/ar/news/61437

https://www.facebook.com/Rudaw.net/videos/193816012022082/

19 Blumont- GIZ 14 46,200

Total 460 163,391,430


2. Lean Canvas One-Page Business Plan for Women Entrepreneurs in Mosul. This training-workshop

was covered by Radio al-Ghad: https://www.facebook.com/FMalghad/videos/1142381656093620/

3. Joint IGPA/NIFI Workshop with Iraq Private Banks League (IPBL) to introduce the Central

Bank of Iraq’s (CBI) Tamkeen Zero Interest Rate Loan Program. Ezidi24 and KirkukNow

covered the workshop:

https://kirkuknow.com/ku/news/61622?fbclid=IwAR1rxRYtR66q0nsprlulFsolN3hJ51ZpkZzzf%20K6Qid

wWfxUHdWg9R0uMBOg

https://www.facebook.com/Ezidi24.news/videos/864885980620193/ https://ezidi24.com/ar/?p=27042

4. Two IGPA/NIFI Businesswomen Trainees Featured in Media. The feature reports were

produced and published by Radio al-Ghad:

Zahra al-Aarajee, who owns Maria Complex for Women in Mosul. She attended IGPA/NIFI

Financial Literacy workshop for Women Entrepreneurs.

https://youtu.be/O8KKOSsW3Iw

Haneen, a talented painter from Mosul who attended IGPA/NIFI Financial Literacy workshop

for Women Entrepreneurs,



TASK 3: CONDUCT NINEWA INVESTMENT FORUM (NIF)

Above, US Ambassador to Iraq Matthew Tueller

reads a letter from Vice President Michael

Pence addressed to NIF participants. At right,

USAID Mission Dana Mansuri recapped the

results of the three-day event during the closing

program.

The Ninewa Investment Forum

(NIF), held in Erbil on December 3-

5, 2019, shone the light on Ninewa

as an investment destination worthy

of consideration. Over 350

investors, fund managers, and

business executives from the United

States, Europe, and the Middle East participated in the high-level event. NIF featured 19 small and

medium enterprises (SMEs) as potential investment partners. More than 100 SMEs from Ninewa

province and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) participated. International investors expressing

interest in the investment opportunities engaged with local SMEs in 31 matchmaking meetings. Eight-

panel sessions were convened to highlight the opportunities and challenges of investing in Ninewa. In

addition, four local and international media organizations provided extensive coverage, generating

43,000 views on social media.

The 19 SMEs featured at the NIF represented a variety of financing needs in terms of amounts and

business focus. Financing needs ranged from $100,000 to $50 million. Ten of the 19 featured SMEs

represented greenfield projects. One investment arrangement originating from the matchmaking

meetings was successfully concluded, a $475,000 deal between Northern Gulf Partners and Lezzoo.

The lack of investment deals largely reflects the deteriorated investment condition of the country

and the high-risk profile of the businesses. NIFI referred seven other featured SMEs to other

financing sources. The complete report on the NIF was submitted to USAID on January 5, 2020.

As summarized below, the NIF led to several significant positive results and outcomes despite the

increasingly challenging environment.


Lezzoo

NIFI assisted Lezzoo in securing a

$475,000 investment deal from Northern

Gulf Partners, representing roughly half of

their seed funding requirement. This was

the largest funding for an Iraqi Kurdish

startup. Lezzoo used the funds for market

expansion in Iraq and bolstered its

workforce with up to 30 new

employees. NIFI worked with Lezzoo to

prepare its pitch deck and financial model,

not to mention highlighting the company

to a wide range of investors at NIF.

Lezzoo is the first Iraqi company selected for Silicon Valley’s Y Combinator, the world’s

most famous seed money startup accelerator that has launched some of the most successful

tech companies, including Stripe, Airbnb, DoorDash, Dropbox, and Twitch.

Lezzoo provides a range of on-demand delivery services through its mobile app and online

marketplace. Its latest initiatives include two new services: a digital wallet called Lezzoo Pay

and a peer-to-peer delivery service called Lezzoo Send. Commenting on NIFI’s support,

Lezzoo CEO and co-founder Yadgar Mirani said, “I am thankful for the support and considering

me as part of your organization.” He added that they look forward to USAID NIFI’s continued

support to start-ups and entrepreneurs in Iraq and the KRI. “Lezzoo’s success story can be

repeated. I would like to be part of the story to change the approach and methodology for launching

new brands in Iraq,” said Mirani.

Erbil Delivery

Erbil Delivery, a start-up online grocery delivery platform that was also featured at the NIF

was acquired by Lezzoo. The two entrepreneurs first initiated discussions at the NIF which

eventually led to the decision by both parties to combine under the Lezzoo brand. The

synergies resulting from the acquisition will enable Lezzoo to cover a larger customer base

in Iraq, including Ninewa, Basrah, Baghdad, and the KRI. The expansion will enable Lezzoo to

hire more staff and strengthen its position in the market. Regarding the acquisition, Erbil

Delivery founder Dana Sabah said: “When we engaged with Lezzoo, we found we shared the

same vision for grocery delivery business in the region. We are excited about this merger and look

forward to further growth. I think we have started a positive trend in Iraq's start-up ecosystem.”

Erbil Delivery started in 2018 and was the first mobile application for grocery delivery in

northern Iraq.

Women’s enterprises

NIFI invited four women-owned enterprises to be featured in the SME Marketplace to

showcase their products and engage investors and participants. The women-owned

enterprises included: Hopeful Hands, Lala Candles, R.J. World of Fabrics, and CM Sewing

Workshop. The participation of these women entrepreneurs highlighted USAID’s

commitment to helping women-owned businesses. One of the businesswomen, Nour Adil,

founder of Hopeful Hands, participated in NIF’s entrepreneurship panel. Hopeful Hands is a


sewing project that helps Syrian refugees and internally displaced Iraqi women to learn new

livelihood skills.

Originally from Tal Kayf in the Ninewa

Plains, Caroline (photo at right) fled her

beloved home in Mosul due to sectarian

violence. Her family took refuge in Erbil,

where Caroline established CM Sewing

Workshop to support her family and help

other women refugees. At the NIF,

Caroline learned that her small enterprise

could benefit from exposure to a wider

market and access to financing.

Subsequently, she attended NIFI’s

Financial Literacy and Lean Canvas business

planning. She applied for a grant from IOM

and received $14,300, which she used to

expand her business. “Without your support

in developing a business plan and loan application and constantly following up with the funder, I

wouldn’t be able to do anything,” said Caroline.

Support to other SMEs

NIFI supported seven SMEs featured at the NIF, referring SMEs with high investment potential to

GroFin. These SMEs include Al-Ghazal Dairy, Al-Layth, Al-Sahel Al-Akhdar Hotel, Alaela Tahini, Gajo

Company, Samim Tahina, and TeamMart. These transactions were still under consideration by

GroFin as of the date of this report.

Support to Iraqi SMEs that participated in NIF

NIFI provided business development services to 62 of more than 100 SMEs that attended NIF,

including access to finance, business planning, social media marketing, inventory management, and

business risk management. With NIFI’s assistance, five of these SMEs accessed financing in the

aggregate amount of almost $250,000, creating 55 new jobs.

In summary, the NIF enabled the USG to reaffirm its commitment to support the people of Ninewa

and Iraq as a whole, created broader awareness of investment opportunities in the Ninewa within

the region and around the world, facilitated matchmaking meetings between featured SMEs and

investors, which served as a valuable gauge of international investor appetite for Ninewa, and led to

a number of success stories for SMEs that attended the event. The list of 19 SMEs featured at NIF is

included in Annex 5.

IGPA/Takamul’s Task Order 4, the Ninewa Investment Facilitation Initiative (NIFI), aims to increase

employment through demand-driven private sector-led economic growth in Iraq, with a major focus

on Ninewa Province. This is to be achieved by providing firm-level technical assistance and practical

training to help businesses acquire the knowledge, tools, and financing to start-up, revitalize, and

grow. Special attention is given to assisting ethnic and religious minority-owned businesses. The

graphic below captures NIFI’s Year 2 Work Plan approach.


TASK 4: DEVELOP AND SUPPORT INVESTMENT COMMISSIONS’

CAPACITY

IGPA/NIFI conducted an organizational and programmatic assessment of the Provincial Investment

Commissions (PIC) of six targeted governorates, namely Baghdad, Ninewa, Basrah, Anbar, Najaf, and

Wasit. The objective of the assessment was to design a capacity-building program for the officials

and staff. The Project also completed the economic profiles for the six target provinces. The profiles

included economic indicators, governorate, and provincial resources, business sectors, gross

domestic product (GDP), competitive advantages, sectoral investment opportunities, infrastructure,

and public utilities.

Upon completion of the processing and encoding of the human resources and institutional data of

the six PICs, NIFI engaged an investment advisor to lead the technical support package, which

includes data analysis, identification of gaps in the PICs’ institutional and human resources functions,

and design of a capacity-building program.

ACTIVITY 4.1: AWARENESS AND COACHING PROGRAM FOR INVESTMENT

COMMISSION’S LEADERSHIP

This task was designed to train the senior and key staff of the six targeted investment commissions

in investment promotion best practice approaches, strategic planning, investment facilitation, and the

importance of improving the business enabling environment. The sessions aimed to create

confidence and consensus around strategies.


Capacity Building Planning Session for the Provincial Investment Commissions

After a year of extensive research and individual consultations with the PICs of Baghdad, Basrah

Anbar, Najaf, Wasit, and Ninewa, the NIFI team presented its findings concerning the human

resources and institutional capacity status of the PICs during a two-day strategic planning session

event held in Erbil on June 30 - July 1, 2021 (see photo below).

The PICs also shared ideas on how to develop their institutional and staff capacity throughout the

interactive sessions. The planning session aimed to introduce NIFI’s human resources and

institutional capacity assessment results; introduce a general capacity building program concept

developed by NIFI; and jointly plan a capacity building program with input from the six PICs.

Through this investment promotion capacity-building program, IGPA/NIFI will enhance the capacity

of the investment commissions in the targeted provinces to improve the inward investment flow

from both domestic and international investors.

The major topics of the session consisted of the results of the institutional and human resources

capacity assessments; existing national investment laws and regulations and their impact on the

business enabling environment; the concept and role of investment promotion in identifying

opportunities and attracting investment; the importance of strategic planning; economic profile

design, structure, and updated plan; the concept of one-stop-shop; and NIFI’s strategic focus on the

agribusiness sector.

At the planning session, IGPA/NIFI introduced its new programmatic focus, which was identifying

and analyzing the most impactful agricultural commodities for development in each of the six

provinces. NIFI explained to the participants the concept of value chain assessment and its

importance and enlisted the help of each PIC in identifying the agricultural commodities with the

greatest competitive advantage to potential investors, as well as in identifying the most prospective

individual agribusinesses per province for assessment as possible recipients of NIFI’s technical


assistance. All the PICs voiced their agreement and willingness to support the value chain

assessment.

Outcome Example

The PICs reached a consensus on the need to amend certain national investment laws and

regulations. The capacity-building program designed by NIFI was partly informed by the Strengths,

Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis that was done by the PICs. The PICs are

committed to updating their provincial economic profile on a yearly basis and will strive to revise

and update key sections.

All the PICs will support IGPA/NIFI’s new programmatic focus to develop an agribusiness value chain

around agricultural commodities that show great potential for growth. (Refer to Annex 6 for further

information on the proceedings of the planning sessions.)

Impediments to Attracting Investments to Iraq

IGPA/NIFI conducted preparatory meetings with PIC heads of Ninewa, Wasit, Najaf, and the One-

Stop-Shop Department of Anbar PIC to discuss the causes of the lack of investment inflows to the

provinces leading up to the investment roundtable and workshops in December 6-8, 2021. The team

organized a round table session with private-sector financial companies to determine the root

causes of Iraq’s poor investment status. The team also conducted a workshop with heads of the six

target PICs, representatives from NIC, and the head of Dhi Qar PIC to get their inputs on the

investment flow barriers, share the initial root causes from the round table, and explore

recommended and feasible solutions. IGPA/NIFI used the results of these individual meetings in the

next general workshop.

Roundtable discussions

On December 6, NIFI conducted a roundtable discussion with businesspeople, investors, private

sector representatives, and financing entities to identify the impediments to attracting investments to

Iraq. The group identified a list of crucial challenges; the top 10 challenges are listed below.

1. Lack of competence of the staff and officials of investment commissions.

2. The Iraqi banking sector does not meet international or regional banking standards.

Fifteen members of the PICs of Baghdad, Basrah, Najaf, Wasit, Anbar, and Ninewa, and

three representatives from the NIC participated in IGPA/NIFI’s two-day workshop on

impediments to investment attraction in Iraq.


3. Lack of legal protection for investors.

4. Incorrect implementation of the Iraq Investment Law.

5. Lack of access to finance for investors.

6. Restrictive Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) regulations and excessive fines imposed on banks.

7. Very high incidence of tax evasion (90 percent).

8. Government mistrust of investors.

9. Expensive electricity supply.

10. Lack of a skilled workforce.

The investors and bankers offered the following recommendations:

1. Establish an Iraqi body to research, monitor, and accurately evaluate investment successes

and failures so that investors can have credible and dependable numbers and information.

2. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) should establish a sovereign fund for Iraq, like Kuwait and

the United Arab Emirates. This fund can help the private sector to maintain revenue streams

and profitability during crises. This should become a goal of CBI.

3. CBI needs to change its penalty schemes and shift toward performing the role of guiding the

private sector. CBI should adopt an auditing and guidance role instead of just imposing fines.

4. Work on establishing a credit reporting system

5. The public banks’ complicated routine processes should be reformed and made more

efficient like the private banks.

Workshop

After the roundtable with private investors and bankers, IGPA conducted a workshop on December

6-7, 2021, with the six targeted PICs in addition to the Dhi Qar PIC. The workshop's objectives

were to: present and deliberate the initial assessment of the investment attraction impediments;

address the policy and regulatory impediments to attracting investments; and form working groups

across the PICs and other GOI entities to review existing national investment laws and regulations.

IGPA/NIFI also delivered a presentation on feasibility studies for investment decision-making and

investment promotion best practices. The PICs identified the following major impediments:

1. The NIC lacks specialized expertise in finance, logistics, public relations, conference

management, and administrative support.

2. The Iraqi banking sector is outmoded, making it difficult to attract foreign investors.

3. The PICs lack investment promotion expertise.

4. Relevant government bodies have conflicting regulations.

5. The PICs lack proper investment maps.

6. The government/NIC/PICs do not have a central body, or a one-stop-shop, related to

investments. Services are dispersed, requiring separate transactions with multiple entities.

7. Some feasibility studies are poorly developed and unreliable.


After the workshop, NIFI gathered an updated list of impediments to attracting investments, and the

group agreed on the following actions steps:

• Orienting the Iraqi and Integrity Committee judges on the Investment Law.

• Developing detailed guidelines on investment regulations through the NIC that include

procedures, timeframes, and requirements.

• Establishing a common platform for PICs to coordinate and share their experiences.

• Activating the grievance system at the PIC level.

• Training the PICs and NIC on assessing and reviewing feasibility studies and promoting

investment opportunities to foreign investors.

The following graphics show the investment impediments expressed by the private and public

sectors resulting from IGPA’s two stages of work. The first graph shows the feedback from several

private-sector investors' meetings in December 2021. The second graph lists high-level government

officials' feedback gathered from the Provincial and National Investment Commissions.

PRIVATE SECTOR PUBLIC SECTOR


ACTIVITY 4.2: GENERAL COACHING AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR

COMMISSION’S STAFF

After approval of the TO4 no-cost extension and year three work plan, IGPA/NIFI initiated capacity-

building activities and events for the targeted PICs. To date, IGPA/NIFI has conducted capacity-

building training for 79 (70 men, 9 women) staff members of the six targeted PICs and NIC in Iraq.

This program was designed to educate and inform the staff from the six targeted Investment

Commissions about their roles and responsibilities and investment promotion strategies and provide

a basic introduction to the key functions of the investment commission. The sessions included

presentations on the key findings of the initial assessments conducted by the project, discussions of

the challenges facing them in their mandate, and confidence-building activities. These sessions also

served to finalize the initial investment commission assessment, identify data gaps and research


needs, and enable staff to participate in designing the capacity-building program IGPA has been

implementing.

Capacity Building for the Provincial Investment Commissions

Ninewa PIC. NIFI developed and shared an investment opportunity template with the PIC staff.

The session discussed how to update the Ninewa PIC’s current investment opportunities database

and prepare better investment opportunity profiles in the future. As a result of this training, the PIC

adopted the recommended template and applied the suggested improvements.

Najaf PIC. NIFI delivered a technical assistance session to develop a human resources structure. As

a result of the training, the commission developed its human resources manual and created

descriptions for each job category, creating a more efficient distribution of roles and responsibilities

to compensate for the lack of staff in some departments.

Baghdad PIC. IGPA/NIFI conducted a capacity-building session with the Baghdad Investment

Commission. The technical assistance included an introduction to the concept of an effective

organization structure, approaches for developing a functional structure, and the importance of job

descriptions and clearly defined roles and responsibilities. The technical assistance also covered the

importance of forming a committee to develop a coherent investment attraction and facilitation plan

with promotional materials.

Anbar and Wasit PIC. IGPA/NIFI’s technical assistance sessions to Anbar and Wasit Investment

Commissions covered the introduction to the concept of effective organizational structure,

approaches for developing a functional structure, and the importance of job descriptions and clearly

defined roles and responsibilities. The technical assistance also included the importance of forming a

committee to develop job descriptions, developing a human resources manual, a coherent

investment attraction strategy, and an investor database, all intended to improve inward investment

flow into Anbar and Wasit Provinces.

Basrah PIC. IGPA/NIFI conducted a meeting with the Basrah PIC leadership and proposed four

opportunities for agricultural investment:

1. Establishment of a small-scale (10,000-20,000 ton) tomato processing factory.

2. Importing and distributing saline water treatment systems technology for small-scale

application to tomato/vegetables/date palm production enterprises.

3. Establishment of medium-scale hydroponic production systems, materials, technology, and

advisory business to produce high-value off-season specialty produce such as cherry

tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and eggplant for the local and regional market.

4. Establishment of a palm date added-value packing plant with al-Zaibari branded dates for the

local, regional, and international market using innovative packaging.

Project feasibility studies review and evaluation. Based on demand from NIC, on March 26-

28, 2022, IGPA/NIFI completed the Evaluating Feasibility Study training in Baghdad for 28 staff

members of the NIC and the PICs of Baghdad, Basrah, Wasit, Najaf, Anbar, and Ninewa. This

training aimed to improve the staff’s capacity to evaluate feasibility studies submitted by investors.

The activity also set the scene for a series of actions to deepen the participants’ understanding of

how a feasibility study process works and develop practical and on-the-job feasibility study evaluation


using an IGPA-developed checklist. Furthermore, the participants learned to understand the different

components of the feasibility study reports and other formats. They developed adequate know-how

to review the feasibility study component and checklists, which are essential to ascertain the success

prospects of a new project.

Following the training on reviewing and evaluating feasibility studies, IGPA developed review

guidelines and a checklist in Arabic and shared them with the NIC and PICs management. During the

follow-up session with the commissions, IGPA found that some of them, including the NIC, have

started using the guidelines and checklist in actual feasibility studies.

ACTIVITY 4.3: FACILITATE COMMISSION STRATEGIC PLANNING

Through this activity, IGPA/NIFI assisted the Investment Commissions in developing investment

promotion and facilitation strategies learned from the capacity-building training described above (4.1

and 4.2). This strategy included targeting the most competitive industries for promotion and

investment attraction. IGPA/NIFI and Investment Commissions identified the geographic areas with

the most investment potential, and the optimal promotional approaches were used to select high-

potential firms. As part of this work, a suitable investment promotion organizational structure will

be suggested to the PICs to fit their circumstances. Promotional costs and potential funding sources

will also be considered when working with the Investment Commissions to formulate their

respective investment promotion strategies.

Investment Promotion and Strategic Planning for NIC and PICs

IGPA/NIFI completed a six-day training program on Investment Promotion and Strategic Planning for

28 officials of the PICs of Anbar, Baghdad, Basrah, Ninewa, Najaf, and Wasit and a participant from

the NIC.

The first part of the training was held in Baghdad on February 28-March 2, 2022, while the second

part was conducted in Sulaimaniya on March 15-17, 2022. The training covered an overview of the

best practices of investment promotion agencies and investment trends in the region and around the

world. The training also included modules on the challenges of economic transformation, strategic

Investment Promotion and Strategic Planning Training for PICs staff from

Baghdad, Basrah, Najaf, Wasit, Anbar, and Ninewa, with representatives from

the NIC at the training Held in Baghdad on February 28 – March 2, 2022.


vision and planning development, advocacy for an enabling environment, business and marketing,

investor after-service care, capacity building, and monitoring and evaluation.

The six-day training elaborated on incentive schemes, business upgrading, value-added services,

industrial zone development, and investment licensing. (See Annex 8 for key findings from the

workshops.)

Investment promotion website

Following the training on Investment Promotion and Strategic Planning for NIC and PICs, IGPA/NIFI

produced guidelines for investment promotion website development and shared the Arabic version

with the NIC management for consideration. IGPA reviewed 27 Investment Promotion Agency

websites and developed over 12 criteria leading to a list of generic guidelines for website design.

IGPA also studied the website of the NIC and formulated recommendations for improvements.

The PICs and NIC agreed that the essential points of the USAID IGPA capacity-building program

facilitated fruitful discussions among all the six PICs and NIC by bringing them together. Members of

the investment commissions did not have the previous opportunity to meet and understand each

other's challenges and find a platform to address them.

"I attended the USAID's workshop on the Investment Law to meet with the other legal teams from

the six PICs and heard and discussed their issues. This was a great opportunity for discussion that will

support the NIC's efforts to have a better investment and enabled business environment in Iraq,"

Abbas Al-Saedi, NIC Legal Department

"USAID IGPA was the only project that supported us during the past years and kept following up with

investment commissions' progress. IGPA provided use with the needed capacity-building training and

workshops that left a positive impact on our abilities."

Baghdad PIC deputy head

"I would like to thank USAID IGPA. The feasibility study training was extremely helpful. I hope that

there will be more of this assistance from USAID. Indeed, the workshops were useful, and we

benefited from the information gained. We applied the checklist proposed by IGPA to actual strategic

investment projects and the results were astounding. We decided that this checklist will be one of the

scientific tools used in evaluating any feasibility study submitted to the NIC."

Mr. Ammar, NIC Economic Studies Department Head


TASK 5: DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND

PROGRAMS AIMED AT IMPROVING THE BUSINESS ENABLING

ENVIRONMENT OF SELECTED GOVERNORATES.

ACTIVITY 5.1: DEVELOP VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS AND SYSTEM MAPS

IGPA/NIFI conducted a series of site visits and meetings to support studies on selected agricultural

value chains in Baghdad, Basrah, and Ninewa. The value chain analysis (VCA) informed the design and

implementation of NIFI’s firm-level technical assistance program for select agribusinesses.

To collect information for the VCA, the team visited various agribusinesses, including Farhan Farm in

Bsmaia Village in Baghdad, table tomato farmers in Safwan in Basrah, Hassan Jazie’s table tomato and

date palm in Basrah, Al-Zubair Association of Small-Scale Growers in Basrah, Al- Ghazal Dairy in

Hamdaniya District in the Ninewa Plain, Al Aseel Agricultural Machinery Spare Parts & Seed

Cleaning enterprise in Hamdaniya District, in the Ninewa Plain, Twaya Family wheat, barley, and

seed cleaning and treatment agro-enterprise in Hamdaniya District in the Ninewa Plain.

Additionally, NIFI collected information from the Ministry of Agriculture, chambers of commerce,

farmers' associations, investment commissions, and other relevant institutions to identify the most

promising agribusinesses. The Project also identified the most prospective agricultural commodities

in the provinces, which was a key consideration in selecting the areas for value chain analysis.

Outcome Example

IGPA/NIFI has completed the Value Chain Analysis studies of tomatoes, dates, and wheat and

commenced providing technical assistance to select actors in the value chains.

Farhan Farm in Bsmaia Village in Baghdad.

Ninewa Agribusiness Value Chain Study

During the reporting period, NIFI completed close to 30 interviews with key stakeholders such as

business owners, local officials, and academics (see Annex 8 for the list of interviewees). The final

report included a list of the most promising types of agricultural products in terms of potential for

economic impact and an analysis of the primary constraints faced by these agribusiness sectors.


The final report also provided recommendations to address value chain constraints pertaining to

policy-related obstacles and firm-level constraints and weaknesses. Consistent with study

recommendations, NIFI engaged with several agribusiness firms through firm-level technical

assistance that was identified using the business opportunity and diagnostic gap analyses. NIFI’s

agribusiness pipeline included processing and production of tahini, flour, olive oil, and potato

products, fish breeding, and agricultural spare parts manufacturing.

NIFI staff visited Gardi Olive Plantation in Erbil to discuss the farm’s technical assistance needs to establish a large-scale olive oil

processing facility.

AVC report presented at Ninewa Governorate strategic planning

NIFI presented its Agriculture Value Chain diagnostic report as part of the Ninewa Governorate’s

Vision 2025 Strategic Planning Workshop. The workshop focused on agribusiness value chain

development, service sectors, investments, and public policies. USAID, through IGPA, continued

supporting Ninewa to improve service delivery to citizens, develop its agribusiness sector, and

provide financial access facilitation for SMEs. NIFI presented the findings, existing gaps, and

recommendations to enhance and develop the agriculture sector and agribusinesses in Ninewa and

attract agribusiness investments.

Following up on agriculture value chain analysis, IGPA/NIFI met with the Agriculture Directorates in

Baghdad (al-Rusafa), Anbar, Najaf, Basrah, and Wasit, the Rural Women’s Division in those

provinces, and farmer associations to assess the Ministry of Agriculture’s support to farmers and

identify farmers’ needs.

All groups complained about the very limited help by the government and the absence of an effective

and lasting solution to the water scarcity problem. The groups mentioned a host of issues, among

them: soil salinity; the reduction of seed and fertilizer supply to farmers from 50 kilos per acre to 5

kilos per acre; the expensive prices of farm inputs and veterinary medicines and supplies; and the


need to amend relevant laws, especially the Agrarian Reform Law. All the farmers requested training

sessions in modern agricultural methods.

Furthermore, IGPA/NIFI conducted assessments of the GOI support to the agribusiness sector

(farmers and agribusinesses), as part of the larger effort to determine the root causes of those

deficiencies, including laws and regulations. The survey aimed to identify better ways to support the

development of the agricultural sector by pinpointing shortfalls in GOI support and by developing

action plans to address and mitigate these deficiencies. IGPA/NIFI also used the information for its

value chain analysis and systems mapping.

Enabling Environment for Agricultural Value Chains

IGPA/NIFI conducted a major workshop on Improving the Enabling Environment for Agricultural

Value Chains in Basrah, Baghdad, Wasit, Najaf, Anbar, and Ninewa on March 29-30, 2022.

c

growth and stability. USAID works with the Ministry of Agriculture and the private sector to revitalize the

agricultural sector and strengthen its role in Iraq's economic development. Our collaboration helps

agribusinesses flourish by implementing reform initiatives to generate long-term employment and enhance

the livelihoods of Iraqis across the country." Mr. Cardenas was the keynote speaker at the opening of

IGPA/Takamul's event to improve enabling environment for Iraq's agricultural value chains held in

Baghdad on March 29, attended by 88 (73 men, 15 women) stakeholders.


(Left) A participant poses a question at the workshop. (Right) Mission Director John Cardenas interacts with IGPA/Takamul staff.

Two major outcomes of the IGPA/NIFI workshop on Improving the Enabling Environment for Iraq's

Agricultural Value Chains were identifying the top seven priority agricultural sector impediments to

be resolved and setting up a nine-member steering committee consisting of the Iraqi farmers,

representatives of the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), Ministry of Water,

KRG MOA, and input suppliers. Details of the two outcomes are summarized below:

Priority impediments to be resolved

1. Unification of the agricultural calendar between the central government and the Kurdistan

Regional Government

2. The optimal use of water through rationalizing consumption and activating the work of the

strategic study for the investment of water resources and the supervisory role over its

implementation.

3. Improving agricultural extension services by providing the necessary funding for extension

centers and taking care of rural women seriously.

4. Holding a workshop with the supervisory authorities (the Supreme Judicial Council, Integrity

and Financial Audit, relevant ministries, and the General Secretariat of the Council of

Ministers) to solve the problems facing the agricultural investment

5. Activating the role of the Central Bank of Iraq to ensure the financing of agricultural projects

through private banks

6. Establishment of the Higher Agricultural Council

7. Activating the agricultural initiative (providing loans to the farmers).

Agricultural Steering Committee

Twenty-two nominees were submitted, and nine individuals have accepted and confirmed their

membership in the steering committee. This core group is charged with the important task of

ensuring that the priority impediments are addressed and monitoring the implementation of

activities. After the workshop, the steering committee met virtually every week and approved the

committee's internal bylaws in the first meeting. The list of committee members is found in Annex 8.


ACTIVITY 5.2: DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT A FIRM-LEVEL TECHNICAL

ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Using the approaches employed during the first two years of IGPA/NIFI, as well as the results of the

value chains described above, the Project implemented a firm-level technical assistance program for a

select group of agribusiness SMEs with potential for growth and job creation.

Potato production training

On March 1-2, 2022, NIFI conducted a training at the Dahuk Agricultural Research and Extension

Office on Improved Agricultural Practices for Potato Production in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

(KRI), in collaboration with the International KH Company for potato production (see photo below).

The seminar was attended by 26 persons: four female students, two female agricultural engineers

from the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), eight farmers, and 12

agriculturists from the ministry.

After the classroom session on the first day, NIFI conducted a field training at the International KH

Company farm in Rovia District, Dahuk, for the same participants. NIFI’s agribusiness consultant

discussed potato planting, proper equipment, and fertilizing and provided practical planting

instructions. The seminar was featured on the Facebook page of the Dahuk Governorate’s

Directorate-General for Agriculture and a Dahuk TV channel.

“I’d like to sincerely express my gratitude for the amazing two-day training you conducted. The quality of the

training, informational material, and training arrangements were really impressive. I received good feedback

from all trainees. Once again, thank you very much for your hard work. “I look forward to seeing you for the

next potential training session at the time when potatoes are growing and close to harvesting,” said Jabbar

Tahi, one of the partners in KH International Company.

Basrah tomato value chain. On January 18, 2022, IGPA/NIFI conducted an FGD with ten tomato

farmers from Zubair and Safwan and six agriculturists from the Basrah Directorate of Agriculture.

The FGD focused on the effects of climate change on tomato production and the need to innovate

and adapt to water scarcity and salinity. IGPA also discussed tomato cultivation topics such as

selecting tolerant varieties, fertilizing, harvesting and post-harvesting techniques, and added-value

processing to utilize rejected tomato produce. The farmers and agricultural officials identified

priority actions, including lobbying for a stronger government involved in improving market access,

import controls, and investigating price manipulation of wholesalers, among others.

Basrah dates value chain. On January 19, 2022, the team conducted an FGD with 16 farmers and

agriculturists from the Basrah Agriculture Directorate to understand the current situation and

challenges of date producers. The discussion topics included improved plant materials and

government assistance, date palm cultivation under saline soil and water conditions, and disease and

pest control. The participants agreed to pursue two main areas:

• Closer collaboration with government agencies for better technical and financial support

needs

• Amending pertinent laws to promote better support to farmers, including leaseholder

farmers.


Improved potato production training. On January 26, 2022, IGPA/NIFI conducted a training

workshop on Improved Potato Production Practices with 18 farmers from the Abu Ghraib and Al

Madaen areas in Baghdad and five representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture Extension

Department. The training focused on land selection, seed type, size, fertilizer, pest control,

irrigation, and climate-smart practices. NIFI also conducted an FGD to learn about the farmers’

constraints, particularly productivity and marketing.

Improving potato production. On January 31 and February 1, 2022, IGPA conducted a workshop

on improved agriculture practices for potato production in Baghdad with 27 participants. The

participants were from the MOA Extension Department and 15 farmers from the Anbar, Wasit, and

Najaf Provinces (see photo below). The participants appreciated the training design and workshop

materials and were appreciative of the opportunity to share challenges and experiences with farmers

from provinces experiencing the same challenges. In addition to increasing productivity, another big

concern for the farmers was product marketing.

Cow breeding and dairy production in Ninewa. On February 7, 2022, IGPA held a workshop for

22 cow breeders and milk producers in Ninewa Plains’ Hamdaniya District to improve agriculture

practices for dairy production. The participants benefited from the assistance, which included

guidance on the basics of dairy production and processing in Iraq, the best breeds of dairy cows, the

appropriate breeding of cows to improve the herd's productivity, and the importance of producing

clean milk. The workshop also taught the farmers cleanliness and ventilation, milk storage methods,

and marketing processes.

Wheat production in Ninewa. On February 8, 2022, IGPA conducted another workshop to

improve wheat production in the Hamdaniya District for 17 wheat and barley farmers. The

workshop provided guidelines and presented principles for improving wheat cultivation in Iraq


according to modern methods. IGPA presented wheat’s agricultural value chain starting with seeds

and their varieties, soil preparation, seed dispersal, modern plant fertilization, combating insects,

treating plant diseases, all the way to harvesting, storage, and marketing.

TASK 6: NATIONAL LEVEL INITIATIVES

ACTIVITY 6.1: UNDERTAKE A REVIEW OF ALL RELEVANT LAWS AND

REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO INVESTMENT

Proposing amendments to Iraq’s Investment Law

With the support and guidance of IGPA/NIFI, Baghdad, Ninewa, Basrah, Wasit, Najaf, and Ninewa,

PICs formed working groups to review and recommend revisions to the Iraq Investment Law and

related regulations. During consultation meetings, the PIC senior officials and legal experts discussed

addressing obstacles and updating investment regulations related to the Investment Law. The PIC

members pointed out several issues to address in the current law, specifically:

1. Legal and management or administrative problems, including conflict of authorities between

the federal government and the province.

2. Lack of clear understanding of the Investment Law and its instructions, orders, and

regulations for citizens and auditing and investigative bodies, causing an unhealthy

environment for investments and investors.

3. Problems related to auditing and investigation by non-competent authorities. Many cases are

open before the courts due to the lack of understanding of the investigative auditing bodies,

which confuses PICs.

4. Rethinking the PIC’s monitoring tasks and legal authorities

5. Problems specific to the investment projects, including withdrawn projects, and how to deal

with Investment Law’s Article 28 and legal appeals to investment issues are administrative

issues and not subject to the Penal Code.

6. Knowledgeable legal authorities should clarify issues in obtaining approvals from the

governorate’s relevant authorities. Even though some projects do not need approvals from

some sectoral authorities, investors are still required to obtain approvals from all sectors,

which slows down the process for the investors and government agencies.

7. The issue of transferring administrative powers to governorates according to the latest

amendment. Some transferred authorities require ministerial approvals for investors’

requests leading to further confusion.

8. Lengthy and complicated procedures for issuing investment licenses.

9. It is recommended to review provisions on imposing investor fines and naming a specific

office to sign investment contracts.

Addressing the legal impediments to investment in Iraq

IGPA conducted a two-day workshop to discuss the legal impediments in the Iraq Investment Law

and recommend measures to address these obstacles. Fourteen members of the Legal Department

of the Provincial Investment Commissions (PICs) of Basrah, Najaf, Wasit, Baghdad, Anbar, and


Ninewa and the National Investment Commission (NIC). See photo below. The workshop also

aimed at developing a draft amendment to the Investment Law and deliberating on a swift legal

mechanism to enact the amendments. In the end, the PICs and NIC participants came up with the

following outcomes:

1. The first draft of amendments to articles in the Investment Law addresses obstacles to the

PICs and NIC goals. See Annex 12 Proposed amendments to the Investment Law agreed

upon by the participants.

2. Forming an Investment Legal Revisions Steering Committee representing all PICs to 1)

submit the draft amendment to the relevant government bodies in consultation with the

NIC and 2) conduct periodic meetings to discuss issues hindering this process.

3. Creation of an online WhatsApp group messaging platform to maintain constant

communication and coordination.

4. The participants elected a Basrah PIC representative as the committee chairperson, and a

Najaf PIC member was elected as his deputy. The workshop participants will submit the

proposed amendments through the formal channels beginning at the NIC.

The Investment Law Revision Steering Committee members agreed to meet every two to three

weeks and discuss action points related to the workshop's outcomes regarding the Investment Law

and its regulations.


ACTIVITY 6.2: DEVELOPMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE FUNDS AIMED AT THE

PRIVATE SECTOR

IGPA incorporated this activity into IGPA Task Order 6: Climate Change Governance Activity.

TASK 7: SUPPORT SME DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE PROVISION

OF BDS AND REFERRALS TO OTHER USAID PROGRAMMING

ACTIVITY 7.1: PROVISION OF BDS PROGRAMMING

NIFI Entrepreneurship Program

IGPA/NIFI designed an Entrepreneurship Program in response to the Ninewa Governor’s call to

spur business development in the province during the Vision 2025 development planning workshop

conducted in coordination with IGPA in 2019. The first training was conducted in person but was

subsequently conducted online because of the coronavirus pandemic restrictions. Seeing the positive

results of the program in Ninewa, IGPA/NIFI expanded the reach of the program to students and

businesswomen in other provinces. The four Entrepreneurship Programs are shown below.

• November 2020, Ninewa – University of Mosul students and alumni, 365 participants (262

men, 103 women)

• February 2021, Ninewa – Northern Technical University students and alumni, 136

participants (100 men, 36 women)

• November 2021, Najaf – Al-Furat Al-Awsat University students and alumni, 59 participants

(39 men, 20 women)

• January 2022 – 29 businesswomen from Wasit and Baghdad (18 from Wasit and 11 from

Baghdad)

• May 22-23, Anbar – entrepreneurs, 14 participants (9 men, 5 women)

Entrepreneurship Program in two Mosul universities

NIFI conducted entrepreneurship programs with two leading universities in Ninewa—the University

of Mosul for 365 students and alumni (262 men, 103 women) and Northern Technical University

(NTU) for 136 students and alumni (100 men, 36 women) in November 2020 and February 2021

respectively. The program covered ten important topics for entrepreneurs planning to launch a

start-up or are running an early-stage start-up. The workshop provided practical and actionable

knowledge and tools suitable for Iraqi situations and environments rather than theoretical and

academic lessons.

The curriculum included business registration in Iraq, start-up financing, digital and social media

marketing, selecting co-founders and stakeholders, and Lean Canvas business planning. Participants

with the most unique and feasible ideas were referred to financing institutions and economic

development projects. IGPA/NIFI secured grants for 11 Ninewa entrepreneurs who graduated from

the Entrepreneurship Program.

Outcome Example

After completing the Entrepreneurship Program with University of Mosul graduates and

alumni, NIFI conducted one-on-one technical assistance sessions with 18 shortlisted


entrepreneurs. NIFI reviewed business plans to ensure they contained all the information for

financing assessment before they were submitted to funding institutions. Among the 18

entrepreneurs, NIFI referred one woman-owned saffron startup project to Erbil-based KH

International Investment Company to receive $1,000 worth of fertilizer and equipment. NIFI

conducted the business planning sessions at its BDC in Mosul, with partner Mosul Space

leading the training.

Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University in Najaf

On November 29-30, 2021, IGPA/NIFI conducted the Entrepreneurship Program for 54 (20 women,

34 men) alumni and students from Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University in Najaf. The

Entrepreneurship Program is designed for individuals with existing projects and start-ups. The

founder of Wasla, a transportation application from Ninewa and one of the successful graduates of

NIFI’s program, spoke about pitch deck presentations to the trainees. NIFI provided the participants

with the tools to acquire knowledge and source financing. It also adopted a sustainable approach by

training three university staff to become future trainers at the career development center using

NIFI’s modules. The team conducted one-on-one technical assistance sessions with selected

participants with viable business ideas to review and prepare their business plans for financing.

Outcome Example

IGPA finalized and referred seven business plans to the Izdeharona Organization grant

program, which offers up to $3,000 grant to start-ups in central and southern Iraq.

Entrepreneurship program for Baghdad and Wasit businesswomen

IGPA/NIFI conducted an entrepreneurship program for 29 businesswomen from Wasit and Baghdad

(18 from Wasit and 11 from Baghdad) in Erbil on January 23-25, 2022. NIFI trained the

businesswomen on the modern tools of doing business and launching start-ups through modules on

business registration in Iraq, start-up financing, presenting a pitch deck, Facebook marketing,

selecting partners, inventory management, and Lean Canvas business planning. Most businesswomen

are helping disadvantaged women in their communities. Other outcomes of the program are

summarized below:

All participants developed their business plans. The NIFI team further developed the most promising

business plans to secure funds for expansion. One business, a clothing store, plans to expand her

factory and employ 60 divorced women from her community.

NIFI shared the MS Excel-based inventory management system with the participants who were all

interested in digitalizing their inventories.

Outcome Example

Wasit lady entrepreneur launches digital marketing. The owner of Wasit-based Bayt Al-

Khyata sewing and fashion designs enterprise, Saleema Shwael, launched her business

Facebook page and generated more advertising posts increasing the business's reach to new

clients. This action came from her participation in the IGPA NIFI Entrepreneurship Program

for Wasit and Baghdad businesswomen and entrepreneurs conducted in January. She

recently expanded her business and celebrated the opening of her new business address.


ACTIVITY 7.2 REGULAR ENGAGEMENT WITH OTHER USAID PROGRAMS TO

ENHANCE INTEGRATED SUPPORT TO SMES

IGPA/NIFI initiated regular consultations and coordination meetings with other USAID programs to

support SMEs and entrepreneurs in Ninewa and throughout Iraq. This activity aimed for NIFI to

refer prepared and assessed SMEs from its pipeline to these USAID-funded programs such as

DCEO, Top Mountain, and GroFin.

USAID/Iraq Durable Communities and Economic Opportunities Project (DCEO) grants

NIFI developed a strong partnership with USAID/DCEO Project in supporting SMEs access grant

funding, referring 36 SMEs for grants amounting to $2,945,000. Out of total referrals to DCEO, NIFI

assisted 15 agribusinesses from Basrah, Baghdad, and Erbil to refer them to USAID/DCEO’s grant

program. The financing will help these agribusinesses purchase equipment for water desalination,

irrigation upgrades, solar power systems, packaging lines, cold storage facilities, tomato processing

facilities, and broiler breeding expansion. IGPA/NIFI provided technical assistance to all these firms,

preparing them to qualify for the grants. The Project continually communicated with DCEO to

introduce the SME owners and follow through on the submitted applications.

USAID DCEO/Tahfeez. IGPA/NIFI attended a workshop on the Challenges and Opportunities in

the Iraqi Microfinance Sector conducted by DCEO/Tahfeez on December 6 and 7, 2021. The

workshop discussed challenges and opportunities facing Iraq microfinance, particularly regarding

governance, technology, social-cultural aspects, human resources, the impact of COVID-19, and

financial inclusion. IGPA/NIFI explained its SME portfolio and the obstacles and challenges faced by

the Project during the workshop.

The Tahfeez project started coordinating with USAID implementing partners to support SMEs and

large businesses through financial assistance from $1.5 million to $5 million for each qualified

business. Tahfeez also has a small finance grant for business start-ups from $1,000 to $6,000.

GroFin loan applications

IGPA/NIFI referred 48 SMEs to the Grofin Murabaha loan program amounting to $36,433,250

throughout the life of the project. IGPA/NIFI organized site visits and meetings between GroFin and

NIFI-assisted SMEs applying for Islamic loans.

Outcome Examples:

• IGPA/NIFI and GroFin conducted meetings with two SMEs, Family Company Food

Production and Lade Dairy, to discuss the Murabaha loan requirements, application criteria,

repayment terms, and required guarantees and collaterals. IGPA/NIFI assisted both SMEs in

collecting and preparing their official accounting documents, tax records, and collateral

documentation.

• IGPA/NIFI facilitated a second meeting between GroFin and Haji Osman Pickles to discuss

its Murabaha Islamic loan application for $300,000. IGPA/NIFI assisted Haji Osman in

preparing its income statement and balance sheets for the past three years and its official

registration. GroFin and the SME agreed to proceed with a four-year Murabaha contract.

• IGPA/NIFI and GroFin conducted a joint site visit to Beirut-Erbil Potato Chips Company

earlier referred by the Project for a $2 million loan. NIFI and GroFin inspected the

company’s production line and cold stores to verify its financing needs.


• IGPA/NIFI and GroFin jointly visited Alen Food Processing and Packaging Company, UniMart

Company, and Umi Dairy to evaluate the financial condition of these SMEs. GroFin reviewed

the net profit, overall financial accounts for the last three years, risk management, the

pandemic’s effects on the business, and the optimal use of loans to increase production and

employment.

• IGPA/NIFI and GroFin inspected the facilities of Alen Food Processing and Packaging Factory

(left) and Umi Dairy Factory (right) to verify their financing needs.

IGPA/NIFI and GroFin inspected the facilities of Alen Food Processing and Packaging Factory (left) and Umi Dairy Factory (right) to

verify their financing needs.

Top Mountain grants

IGPA referred 13 Erbil-based agribusinesses to the USAID/Top Mountain’s micro agribusiness grant

program following an extensive business diagnostic analysis. The assistance included explaining the

grantor’s criteria, filling out the online grant applications, and expressing the types of needs. When

approved, the grants will assist the agribusiness in meeting their needs, such as higher capital for

production inputs, procurement of distribution vehicles, tractors, mills, and purchase of additional

seedlings, irrigation systems, and generators. The in-kind grant amounts range from $10,000 to

$50,000. Top Mountain conducted site visits to some referred SMEs, such as Zahoor Al-Badiya Dairy,

Lade Dairy, and Haji Osman Pickle.

Other Financing Facilitation Activities

The Project coordinated with other international development programs to expand the SMEs'

sources of financing.

• Human Appeal’s FIKRA business development grants program. NIFI identified and

selected 63 entrepreneurs from the graduates of the Entrepreneurship Program with two

Ninewa universities, the University of Mosul and the Northern Technical University (NTU),

to recommend to Human Appeal’s FIKRA grants program based on its grant criteria. NIFI

assisted and guided the 63 entrepreneurs through the application process. Out of the 63

entrepreneurs, IGPA/NIFI secured grants for 11 projects. The grant consists of in-kind

assistance to help the enterprises set up or improve their business. Each entrepreneur

received $3,000 worth of materials or goods to support their business idea.


• Rwanga Foundation. IGPA/NIFI referred to the Rwanga Foundation 30 business projects

developed by IGPA/NIFI’s Entrepreneurship Program graduates from the University of Mosul

and the Northern Technical University. The grant amount is up to $2,000 per business. The

business projects include printing shops, retail clothing outlets, mobile phone applications,

restaurants, cosmetics shops, solar power component sellers, and internet service providers.

• Norwegian grants program. IGPA referred 11 agricultural businesses based in Basrah to

the Norwegian Refugee Council’s (NRC) grants program. IGPA worked with these

agribusinesses and identified access to finance as an impediment in helping them expand or

modernize their technology that will lead to improved performance and profitability. NRC

provides a livelihood grant program for agribusinesses in Anbar, Basrah, and Baghdad for up

to $20,000, provided the applicants have attended a business training program. A list of the

11 businesses referred to NCR is included in Annex10.

• Corus International. IGPA/NIFI met with Corus International, a division of Lutheran

World Relief, to discuss their investment and financing programs. Corus International is

looking at major value chains as potential areas for investment. The team gave a full

presentation of Ninewa’s agribusiness value chain and the important businesses within this

value chain. The two parties agreed to collaborate further.

• One Trillion Dinar Central Bank Initiative. NIFI assisted Mosul-based Hadbaa Solar

Power Company to access the One Trillion Dinar Central Bank Initiative. The financing will

enable Hadbaa Company to provide solar power systems and solutions to agribusinesses in

Ninewa. NIFI developed a feasibility study for this company and supported it in getting a

business license from the Industrial Development Authority and the Ministry of Industry,

both of which are needed to secure a loan.

• National Bank of Iraq and Iraqi Islamic Bank. IGPA/NIFI developed a business

diagnostic gap analysis for Modern Hamasat School in Baghdad, operating a high school and a

kindergarten. The SME is seeking IQD500 million in financing to upgrade its facilities. NIFI

referred the loan application to the National Bank of Iraq and Iraqi Islamic Bank.

This indicator is a further step after indicator 1, which calculates SMEs that have received approvals.

The below figure is expected to rise once the actual receipt of funds is confirmed. NIFI facilitated

development loans and grants for the following 12 SMEs from its pipeline during the life of the

project, accomplishing 120 percent of the Project goal.

Table 2: SMEs receiving development loans and grants during the Project’s life

# SME/Firm Gender Location Amount $ Type Financial

Source

Employment

Impact

1 CM-Sewing Female Erbil 14,300 Services IOM 5

2 Ihsan Optical

Clinic

Male Dahuk 410,000 Medical NBI 2

3 Siraj Painting Male Ninewa 72,000 Paint

production

DCEO 10

4 Al Akhwaen Trshi

Factory

Male Ninewa

Plains

25,000 Food Industry DCEO 6

5 Mini Market Male Ninewa 3,000 Services Human

Appeal

1


6 Dr. Volt Male Ninewa 3,000 Renewable

energy

Human

Appeal

2

7 Wasla Male Ninewa 3,000 Services-

Transportation

Human

Appeal

4

8 Electrical

Installation

Materials Store

Male Ninewa 3,000 Industry-

electrical

equipment

Human

Appeal

2

9 Al-Kotaji for

Mobile Car Wash

Male Ninewa 3,000 Services- Car

Wash

Human

Appeal

2

10 Queen Store Female Ninewa 3,000 Services-

Sewing

Human

Appeal

4

11 Al -Talaba library Male Ninewa 3,000 Education Human

Appeal

1

12 Zohoor Al-Badia

Dairy Factory

Male Erbil 19,500 Food

Production-

Dairy Factory

Top

Mountain

2

TOTAL 561,800 41

FINAL STATUS / INDICATORS

IGPA/NIFI has met and/or exceeded all the targeted indicators. Indicators 3 and 4 were added to

TO4’s set of indicators starting in Year 3. Progress towards NIFI’s four approved indicators over the

reporting period is summarized below.

Indicator 1: Number of enterprises that receive commitments to access or mobilize

financing as a result of USG assistance. NIFI mobilized financing to 64 enterprises,

accomplishing 142 percent of the Project goal.

Male Female Male Female

Minority Not Minority

Total 29 9 21 5

29

9

21

5

Enterprise owners by gender and ethnicity


Indicator 2: EG 5.2.1 Number of firms receiving USG-funded technical assistance for

improving business performance. NIFI provided technical assistance to 473 firms with 2,080 (1,501 men, 579 women) participants during LOP, meeting 131 percent of the Project goal.

314

159

Firms owners by gender

Male Female


Indicator 3: EG 2.12 Number of private sector enterprises with increased access to

finance due to USG assistance. This indicator is a further step after indicator 1, which calculates

SMEs that have actually received financial support after being approved in indicator 1. NIFI facilitated

development loans and grants for the following 12 SMEs from its pipeline during the life of the

project, accomplishing 120 percent of the Project goal. See Annex 10.

1836

16 18

46

1 2

301

1025

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Firms by province


Indicator 4: Number of people receiving capacity-building training. During the reporting

period, NIFI provided capacity building to 430 individuals from six Iraqi PICs and NICs as well as the

KRI’s Board of Investment, in addition to the individuals who attended NIFI’s other BDS activities.

This brings the total number of individuals that received capacity building to 430 people, meeting

215 percent of the Project goal.

45

79

2531

83

111

56

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Anbar Baghdad Basrah Erbil Najaf Ninewa Wasit

Trained individuals by province

Total

339

91

Trained individuals by gender

Male

Female


CHALLENGES

The growth of Iraq’s private sector is the key to creating jobs, promoting sustainable growth, and

reducing dependency on oil exports. However, the development and growth of Iraq’s private sector

is constrained by a number of factors.

1. Iraq suffers from a very weak business enabling environment:

• Iraq is ranked 172nd out of 190 countries in the World Bank’s Doing Business 2020

report, down from 171st place the previous year.

• Iraq ranks 154th in ease of starting a business,

• Iraq ranks 131st in obtaining electricity services, and

• Iraq ranks 147th in enforcing contracts.

2. Trade barriers, mainly regulatory and bureaucratic practices, restrict the level of trade and

investment.

3. Lack of infrastructure, mainly inadequate power supply and weak transport networks, has

been identified as a major constraint to private sector growth. As cited above, getting

electricity is a major obstacle to doing business in Iraq. In addition, an estimated 40 percent

of the total electricity generated is lost in the distribution network.

4. The inefficient and bloated public sector is the predominant employer in Iraq. Non-oil

private firms struggle against being crowded out by state-owned enterprises (SOEs), which

the government keeps alive due to fear of significant layoffs and social costs of closure or

downsizing.

5. The long-standing lack of trade policies has made it difficult, if not impossible, for

entrepreneurs to compete against what amounts to dumping by Iran, Turkey, Jordan, and

China. This is especially the case for agricultural products, consumer goods, manufactured

products, and medicines, Iraq’s main imports.

6. The financial sector in Iraq is relatively small and dominated by the state, making it

uncompetitive and unable to meet the needs of the private sector. The World Bank Doing

Business 2020 report ranks Iraq 186th in ‘getting credit,’ revealing a severe lack of access to

finance for both established businesses and new entrepreneurs. The amount of credit

provided to the private sector amounts to less than 7 percent of GDP. A deficient collateral

system means that banks over-collateralize loans, typically requiring 140 percent collateral

for an SME loan.

7. The Iraqi private sector suffers from a shortage of skilled labor due to the continuing brain

drain and the failure of the educational system to provide the skills and training needed to

compete in the global knowledge economy. The last World Bank Systems Approach for

Better Education Results (SABER) workforce development assessment conducted in 2013

rated Iraq at the latent stage. The damage and disruption caused by ISIS have exacerbated

the situation. The private sector also struggles to attract talent because of the greater appeal

of public sector jobs with their higher benefits and pensions.

8. Women’s participation in Iraq’s labor market is estimated at only 19 percent, and female

business ownership may be as little as 7 percent. Iraq is missing out on the benefits of higher

rates of female inclusion in the private sector economy. Economies with greater gender


equality tend to grow faster and more equitably, and women generally devote more of the

household budget to education, health, and nutrition than men.

9. Finally, widespread bribery and corruption are a real economic and financial cost to doing

business in Iraq. Iraq is ranked 168th out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s

Corruption Perceptions Index.

All of the factors mentioned above, combined with the legacy of conflict and instability,

contribute to Iraq’s high-risk profile that deters foreign investors.

The deterioration of security in Iraq, including in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in January 2020,

pushed away investors who had developed some interest in the country’s investment scene during

NIFI’s Ninewa Investment Forum held in December 2019.

Investors became more cautious and tighter in their investment policies and outlook toward Iraq.

For instance, the IFC has limited its financing to debt instruments 100% collateral-based, including

movable and immovable assets. FinnFund has expressed a careful approach to Iraq by saying, “We

have just recently updated our strategy for fragile states and presently we have higher requirements on

development impact aspects than previously. This means that we will be even more selective in our

approach, especially in more developed countries, like Iraq.”

Entrepreneurs and established businesses not only face the challenge of recovering from the

destruction caused by ISIS but are also operating in one of the weakest business-enabling

environments. The recent political and security-related events in Iraq have further negatively

impacted the perceived risk of investing and doing business in Ninewa and the rest of Iraq, with the

exception of the KRI.

Despite these obstacles, entrepreneurs and businesses in Iraq are highly resilient and resourceful.

The Ninewa Investment Forum (NIF) demonstrated that entrepreneurs are starting new businesses,

and established business owners are expanding their businesses despite the many obstacles they face.

They see opportunities where others only see risks.

IGPA/NIFI activities were designed to capitalize on the optimism in the business community by

empowering entrepreneurs through firm-level technical assistance and practical training that would

enable their businesses to acquire the knowledge, tools, and financing to start up, revitalize, and

grow. IGPA/NIFI helped firms of all sizes—from IDP minority and women-owned micro-enterprises

to large and sophisticated SMEs. IGPA/NIFI continued to follow up on the NIF matchmaking and

focused on matchmaking with active debt financing and grants sources.

On the other hand, due to COVID-19 restrictions, NIFI faced challenges in conducting its in-person

activities, including training workshops and firm-level technical assistance to SMEs in Ninewa during

the first half of the 2020 fiscal year. NIFI responded to the challenges by rapidly pivoting to a

program of more frequent remote technical assistance workshops and focusing its financial

facilitation efforts on sources of financing currently active on the ground, facilitating funding for SMEs

that were negatively impacted by the pandemic.

NIFI successfully secured two COVID-19 Relief Fund contributions from GroFin for two SMEs from

its pipeline. In addition, NIFI ramped up its social media marketing workshops to help businesses

leverage the internet to promote their products and remain connected to their customers remotely.


Starting in September 2020, with the lifting of the COVID-19 travel restrictions and the willingness

of staff and business owners to meet face-to-face, NIFI has steadily built up its pipeline of SMEs

receiving technical assistance and financial facilitation services aimed at helping them realize growth

opportunities.

While the supply side of SME finance remains weak given Iraq’s risk profile and the continuing impact

of COVID-19, NIFI built the self-reliance of SMEs at the firm level to help them survive the COVID-

19 pandemic and prepare for better times ahead and, in some cases, realize growth. NIFI helped

SMEs adopt best business practices essential to competing in increasingly competitive markets and

achieving organic growth as well as becoming bankable or investment-ready (i.e., the ability to access

financing and absorb additional capital to support expansion and growth).

Further lockdowns and travel restrictions due to the spread of the new strains of COVID-19 in Iraq

delayed some program activities focused on providing firm-level technical assistance.

Other general challenges that NIFI identified during the life of the project include:

1. The challenges and impediments to private sector growth that existed before COVID-19

remain. In the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rankings for 2020, Iraq ranked 172nd

out of 190 countries. It ranked 186th in “getting credit,” revealing a severe lack of access to

finance for both established businesses and new entrepreneurs. Iraq ranks 153rd out of 174

countries in the Euromoney Country Risk investment rankings.

2. Other impediments include a lack of infrastructure, inefficient and bloated public sector,

inadequate trade policies, a shortage of skilled labor, the low rate of participation of women

in Iraq’s labor market, and high levels of corruption that are a real economic and financial

cost to doing business in Iraq.

LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Post-NIF: Making an Impact During COVID-19

Following the attacks on the U.S. Embassy and the escalating violence in Iraq in January 2020 and

onward, NIFI noted that almost all the investors that participated in matchmaking meetings at the

NIF paused considering investing in Iraq. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a

devastating impact on the SME sector and the economy.

In response to these developments, which could be considered major lessons learned during the

implementation of this Project, NIFI took immediate mitigating actions signaling USAID’s continued

commitment to the private sector. NIFI remained one of the most active business development

services providers in Ninewa during the COVID lockdowns and travel restrictions imposed by GOI

and KRI.

Several ideas and suggestions were discussed among the NIFI team members during the pandemic.

One suggestion was the most viable among all others:

• NIFI designed and launched a remote program of frequent but smaller group business

training workshops, creating an efficient mechanism for delivering firm-level technical

assistance. Remote training workshops conducted during this period included: Lean Canvas


Business Planning, Cash Flow Management, Financial Literacy, Access to Finance, Inventory

Management and Bar Coding, Risk Management for SMEs, and Social Media Marketing.

• 2020 was the most challenging year for the implementation of NIFI programming.

Nonetheless, NIFI assisted a total of 257 firms through the newly launched remote BDS

programming mentioned above. The accomplishment was short of only three for its target

of 260.

• NIFI conducted 41 training workshops on essential business skills with a total attendance of

441, of which 216 were women participants. In addition, NIFI conducted 136 firm-level

technical assistance engagements. This included assisting the 19 SMEs featured at the NIF

prepare their profiles and pitches, helping 64 businesses apply for financing, and assisting 53

firms with social media marketing, inventory management, and barcoding.

• The table below summarizes the results of an impact survey of 97 participants that clearly

demonstrates the very practical nature of NIFI’s technical assistance and capacity-building

program and the positive impact of NIFI’s assistance in terms of helping business owners

cope with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and manage their businesses more

effectively:

Impact % Responses

Positive

Did training help you cope with the COVID pandemic? 88%

Did you gain the knowledge and tools you are now using to make financing

decisions?

100%

Did you learn how to create a business Facebook page and use it to promote

your business?

100%

Did you learn new methods of inventory management? Are you using them

now?

100%

Did the business planning training help you better understand your business

and the market?

96%

Did you gain financial knowledge and tools you are using for better financial

management?

100%

Did you gain the knowledge and tools you are using now for better risk

management?

100%

Have you improved your cash flow management and actual results as a result

of the training?

80%

• On financial facilitation and as a mitigating tool to address the obstacles caused by the spread

of COVID-19, NIFI focused on identifying active sources of financing that could respond to

the immediate financing needs of SMEs. Referral relationships were established and

strengthened with GroFin, the International Organization of Migration (IOM), Central Bank

of Iraq’s (CBI) Tamkeen zero-interest loan program, SPARK COVID-19 grants, and Joint

Development Associates (JDA).

For the program year ending September 30, 2020, which was the most challenging year for

implementation, NIFI facilitated and secured $918,274 in financing commitments for 35 firms,

exceeding NIFI’s annual performance indicator target of 30 firms assisted in accessing financing. The

grants or loans enabled the firms to preserve 256 jobs and create 129 additional positions.


These results are especially significant given an IOM study of SMEs in Iraq which found that 86

percent of SMEs were experiencing temporary shutdowns and 34 percent of the SMEs still operating

had to let go of employees.

Finally, in addition to supporting SMEs and facilitating access to finance, NIFI collaborated with Iraq

Private Banks League (IPBL) to conduct a six-day SME Credit training workshop for 50 bankers,

mostly credit officers. The training focused on SME credit analysis techniques consistent with

international best practices. The training was part of NIFI's strategic approach to facilitate SME

access to finance from the private sector.

Private Sector’s Contribution to the Economy of Iraq

The public sector in Iraq is the dominant economic drive. The oil sector alone accounts for over 65

percent of GDP, 90 percent of central government revenue, nearly 100 percent of the country’s

exports, but only 1 percent of the total labor force.

This means that the non-oil economy is 35 percent of GDP, and after subtracting out the

contribution of non-oil SOEs, the private sector’s contribution is less than 35 percent. However,

there are promising sectors where NIFI has worked. Sectors that offer the greatest potential for

growth and job creation include construction, retail services, agri-business, tourism, and transport

and logistics.

Largely due to reconstruction needs, the construction is the single largest employer in the private

sector and one of the largest sectors for jobs in the entire economy. Because of reconstruction

activities, the sector also has a large potential to grow in the near term.

More broadly, conflict and insecurity have severely diminished agriculture and agri-business but offer

significant growth potential if revitalized. This sector has historically been a large employer of

women. NIFI conducted a two-day workshop in Baghdad on March 29-30 on Improving the Enabling

Environment for Iraq Agricultural Value Chains in Anbar, Baghdad, Basrah, Najaf, Ninewa, and Wasit.

The major outcomes of the workshop were identifying the most pressing impediments to

agricultural growth in Iraq and setting up a steering committee consisting of relevant GOI and six

major value chain farmers to start working on solving these impediments. Tourism, religious

tourism, in particular, is the largest non-oil export sector. Transportation, freight, and logistics

remain dominated by the state, but the growth of SMEs in this sector is increasing.

Expanding IGPA NIFI’s Private Sector Revitalization Mandate

The USAID IGPA NIFI’s private sector revitalization mandate can be expanded in scope and

geographic reach by:

1. Adding further related business development tasks and activities

2. Adding a grant element to the Project workplan to strengthen access to finance and

complete the Project’s BDS programming, and

3. Realizing synergies with IGPA’s reform components to expand NIFI’s footprint and address

key business enabling environment constraints.

The overall goal will be to increase employment through demand-driven private sector-led economic

growth in Iraq. Additional tasks and activities are summarized below:


Improve Business Enabling Environment

In conjunction with IGPA Components 1 and 2, IGPA/NIFI can address key business enabling

environment impediments. IGPA/NIFI will leverage the Project’s existing operations through regional

offices in Baghdad, Basrah, Mosul, and Erbil and utilize IGPA advisors embedded at ministries in

Baghdad and the KRG to facilitate government support for initiatives aimed at improving the

business enabling environment.

• Assist with Public-Private Sector Dialogue to discuss ways to improve the general

investment and private sector business climate.

• Support Private Sector Advocacy to lobby government and non-government stakeholders to

adopt regulations and/or legislation that make the private sector attractive, leading to easing

a bloated public sector payroll.

Through the above synergies, IGPA/NIFI attempted to drive the implementation of the following

initiatives, which will reflect positively on the private sector and SMEs investment climate in Iraq:

1. Assist with liberalizing Iraq Investment Law to reduce barriers to foreign and national

investment. The current Iraq Investment Law lacks competitive selling points, including full

foreign investor ownership, free flow of capital, and an attractive registration process.

2. Help with developing a credit registry to utilize SMEs’ movable assets and resources to be

prime collateral against loans and financial sources.

3. Facilitate reinstating land registry (mortgage registry) at government offices in areas affected

by Daesh to enable financial institutions to lend and collect loans in these areas.

4. Initiate dialogue with the Central Bank of Iraq to develop incentive packages for banks to

lend to SMEs. Such incentive packages can include lower provision requirements for banks’

SMEs portfolio and fewer capital requirements for banks with SMEs portfolio.

Public-Private Partnerships

IGPA Supported the revision and amendment of Iraq’s draft Public Private Partnership Law. Based on

that, IGPA/NIFI will work closely with the different related stakeholders, including the government,

to identify and prepare the concept of most potential PPP investment opportunities and present it to

potential private sector partners.

Improve Access to Finance

One of the barriers to access to finance in Iraq is the readiness and capacity of the financial

institutions to lend to SMEs based on the actual SME circumstances and cash flow lending.

Based on that, IGPA/NIFI recommends working closely with the supply side of SME lending (financial

institutions) and through the below initiatives to improve access to finance:

1. Assist in the design of a Development Finance Corporation SME loan guarantee facility. If

such a facility is established, NIFI would build a pipeline of bankable deals and provide

capacity building to both the SMEs and bankers in cash flow management and credit

underwriting best practices based on cash flow analysis.

2. Promote to banks the establishment of dedicated SME Finance Units or develop the existing

SME finance policy and practices.


3. Contribute to developing SMEs' credit products and promote them to banks and financial

institutions.

4. Train banks and other financial institutions on SME finance and best practices, including cash

flow-based lending.

5. Launch Workforce Development and Placement Program for Women and Youth.

6. Launch workforce development apprenticeship training and placement programs for women

and youth focused on skills needed for targeted SMEs, startups, and selected value chains.

VISION GOING FORWARD

IGPA/NIFI recommends building on its successes during the short life of the Task Order to foster

private sector self-reliance in Ninewa, Baghdad, Basrah, Wasit, Anbar, and Wasit, focusing on the

SME sector, which is the backbone of Iraq’s economy. While it was beyond IGPA/NIFI’s scope to

tackle all the elements necessary for a self-reliant private sector, the Project recommends the

following key outcomes that are essential for private sector self-reliance:

Increase Firm-level Self-reliance

SMEs in Iraq must adopt best business practices to effectively compete in increasingly competitive

domestic and international markets. Adopting modern business practices is essential for organic

growth as well as becoming bankable or investment-ready, i.e., able to access financing and absorb

additional capital to support expansion and growth.

Through its business development services such as firm-level technical assistance, financial

facilitation, and capacity building, IGPA/NIFI transferred knowledge, skills, and best practices that

would result in permanent changes in the way businesses operate and will be passed down to the

next generation of managers. In this manner, IGPA/NIFI business development services are building

the self-reliance of Iraqi SMEs at the firm level.

Sustainable Business Development Services

The business development services currently provided to SMEs by IGPA/NIFI will be sustained after

Task Order 4 ends. This is being accomplished through the establishment of IGPA/NIFI’s Mosul

Business Development Center within Mosul Space, a business center and incubator located in Mosul.

IGPA/NIFI migrated its business development services to Mosul Space through its partnership with

Mosul Space. IGPA/NIFI trained and mentored the organization’s staff to take over the responsibility

of managing IGPA/NIFI’s business development services program.

Properly Functioning Investment Commissions

Properly functioning Investment Commissions are an essential component to achieving private

sector self-reliance. With technical assistance and capacity building provided by IGPA/NIFI and the

IGPA/Takamul Public Finance Management (PFM) team, the six targeted PICs and NIC were

capacitated to know and assume their proper roles in promoting and facilitating investments into the

private sector. However, the NIC and PICs need fundamental changes in vision, strategies,

structure, rules, regulations, systems, styles, staffing, and value systems. This will require focus and

dedication and embedded advisors and experts to address work with a national steering committee

to address many root causes to build legitimacy and functionality of NIC and PICs.


Furthermore, IGPA/NIFI referred private sector investment opportunities from its SME pipeline to

the Ninewa Investment Commission. This learning-by-doing opportunity will not only enable the

Investment Commission to become self-reliant in investment promotion and facilitation but will also

bring to light obstacles to attracting investments. Identifying these obstacles enabled the design of

further interventions that included instituting reforms to the legal and regulatory framework for

investment and conducting intensive training on investment promotion and strategic planning, as well

as evaluating private sector feasibility studies.

SME Credit Culture in Banks Consistent with Best Practices

The World Bank Doing Business 2020 report ranks Iraq 186th in ‘getting credit,’ revealing a severe

lack of access to finance for both established businesses and new entrepreneurs. A deficient

collateral system means that banks over-collateralize loans.

Improving access to commercial bank finance for SMEs will require the overhaul of banking and

commercial laws and regulations. When these changes come about, banks need to be ready to

underwrite loans in accordance with international best practices. However, even under the current

deficient legal and regulatory framework, the application of SME credit best practices benefits both

banks and borrowers by reducing the frequency of defaults and collateral calls.

IGPA/NIFI’s initiative to build the capacity of commercial banks in SME credit best practices was an

important step toward enabling banks to take on their proper roles as financial intermediaries and

important sources of credit for SMEs.


FINANCIAL REPORT


ANNEXES

ANNEX 1: List of Reports and Deliverables

Title Submission Date Acceptance/Approval Date

NIFI Progress Reports Weekly USAID approval not needed

NIFI Monthly Reports Monthly up to

April 2021 USAID approval not needed

NIFI Semi-Annual Reports Semi-Annual USAID approval not needed

Rapid Mobilization Plan May 14, 2019 March 17, 2022

Work Plan 1 (Apr 2019 - Oct 2019) March 1, 2019 March 17, 2022

Work Plan FY2020 September 5, 2019 October 12, 2019

Work Plan FY2021 July 6, 2020 July 14, 2020

NCE Work Plan (May 2021 - End of

Task Order) June 10, 2021 June 19, 2021

Semi-Annual Progress Report 1 (Oct

2019 - Feb 2020) February 26, 2020 March 17, 2022

Semi-Annual Progress Report 2 (Oct

2020 - Feb 2021) March 4, 2021 March 17, 2022

Annual Report FY2020 October 30, 2020 November 19, 2020

Annual Report FY2021 October 30, 2021 January 6, 2022

Final Ninewa Investment Forum

Report January 5, 2020 March 17, 2022

(Draft) Final Report for USAID

comments April 26, 2022 May 30, 2022

Amended Final Report 15 calendar days after receipt

of comments June 14, 2022


ANNEX 2: Index of Other Reports and Information Products

Technical Reports

No. Report Title

1 Minorities in the Ninewa Plains

2 Sector Profile – Dairy, Ninewa

3 Sector Profile – Poultry, Ninewa

4 Sector Profile – Tahini, Ninewa

5 Sector Profile – Livestock, Ninewa

6 Economic Profile – Anbar Province

7 Economic Profile – Baghdad Province

8 Economic Profile – Basrah Province

9 Economic Profile – Najaf Province

10 Economic Profile – Ninewa Province

11 Economic Profile – Wasit Province

12 Anbar - Investment Commission and Investment Climate Assessment (Initial Report)

13 Baghdad - Investment Commission and Investment Climate Assessment (Initial Report)

14 Basrah - Investment Commission and Investment Climate Assessment (Initial Report)

15 Najaf - Investment Commission and Investment Climate Assessment (Initial Report)

16 Ninewa - Investment Commission and Investment Climate Assessment (Initial Report)

17 Wasit - Investment Commission and Investment Climate Assessment (Initial Report)

18 Iraq - Investment Commission and Investment Climate Assessment (Initial Report)

19 Investment Law Workshop Report

20 Investment Law Expert – Final Mission Report

21 Potato Production in Kurdistan Training Manual

22 Agricultural Value Chain Diagnostic Report – Baghdad, Basrah, and Ninewa

23 Impediments to Investments in Iraq

24 Merit-Based Investment Incentives Regime for Iraq

25 Industrial Targeting and Policy Options for Iraq

26 Feasibility Study Workshop for Iraqi Investment Commissions

27 Strategic Plans and Programs to Improve the Business Enabling Environment for Selected

Governorates – Agribusiness Value Chain

28 Driving Toward Economic Diversification of Iraq

29 Proposed Capacity-Building for Iraqi Investment Commissions

30 Feasibility Study Reports for Iraqi Investment Commissions

31 Investment Promotion Strategic Plan for Iraqi Investment Commissions

Link to technical reports: IGPA TO4 Technical Reports


Success Stories

No Title Publication date

1 Specialty local grapes for Erbil consumers (Slwan Saka grapes) FY22 Q-2 Report

2 The sweetest of trades thrives (Kristo’s honeybees) FY22 Q-2 Report

3 A safe ride home (Wasla transport app) FY21 Q-4 Report

4 Iraq’s small business loans support health services to disadvantaged

communities (Ihsan Optical)

FY21 Q-3 Report

5 The future looks bright for Siraj Paints FY21 Q-3 Report

6 A community staple survives COVID-19 lockdowns (Yazidi-owned

business)

FY21 Q-2 Report

7 Financial grant supercharges a start-up IT company (woman-owned

company)

FY21 Q-2 Report

8 Financing keeps fast food restaurant afloat during pandemic (Baghdadi Fast

Food)

FY21 Q-2 Report

9 Solving production issues to boost sales (Tahini factory) FY21 Q-1 Report

10 Entrepreneurship program sparks creative ideas (Mosul University) FY21 Q-1 Report

11 Nuts factory girds for more market shares FY21 Annual Report

12 Revitalizing the potato industry FY21 Annual Report

13 Helping women refugees grow their businesses and earn a living (CM

Sewing)

FY20 Q-3 Report

14 Lezzoo: A business relevant to the times FY20 Q-3 Report

15 Revitalizing Hamdaniya FY20 Q-1 Report

16 Restoring a Mosul landmark (Al-Sahel Al-Akhdar Hotel) FY20 Q-1 Report

17 Bringing education to the forefront of development efforts (Brilliant

Academy)

FY20 Q-1 Report

18 A business idea that empowers women (kindergarten) FY20 Annual Report

19 Financing rebuilds a construction company (Ain al-Sayyad) FY20 Annual Report

20 Tile factory gets back on its feet with financing (al-Dar al-Baidhaa Tile

Factory)

FY20 Annual Report

Link to success stories: IGPA TO4 Success Stories

Videos

NIF Videos

Day 1

• Keynote Speech highlights

• Panel highlights part 1 and part 2

Day 2

• Full speech videos opening and closing

• Interview highlights

• Sector overview videos

• Ninewa Investment Environment Agriculture Sector

• Services Sector

• Entrepreneurship and Tech Sector Manufacturing Sector

• Overview Videos of Ninewa Investment Forum (NIF)


• NIF Video 4 Minutes - English

https://youtu.be/TTmO3PDBBJg

• NIF Video 4 Minutes – Arabic

https://youtu.be/oylUUMeJCmo

• NIF Video 4 Minutes (without title cards) – Arabic

https://youtu.be/lSLXpnW6Qhg

• NIF Video 10 minutes – English

https://youtu.be/63qwC8xeIm8

• NIF Video10 minutes – Arabic

https://youtu.be/1sisEZ539_Q

General NIF Videos

• Ninewa Investment Forum - English Live Stream

https://youtu.be/VYNGJNrSGgw

• Ninewa Investment Forum Day 2 - English Live Stream

https://youtu.be/WTlsX7Qh9W8

• Ninewa Investment Forum Keynote highlights

https://youtu.be/aobttbn2kyw

• U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Matthew Tueller delivers opening remarks at NIF

https://youtu.be/5GNWJGPW8XA

• Ninewa is Open for Business

https://youtu.be/v5d53cQMNyA

• Bringing Ninewa's Factories Back to Life

https://youtu.be/2wDSEGbsPRA

• Ninewa Investment Forum Day 1 Panel Discussion

https://youtu.be/TnAASXarrEA

• Ninewa Investment Forum Discussion Highlights - Day 1

https://youtu.be/TD2RX_Jq7hs

• Director of Hopeful Hands Noor Adil

https://youtu.be/S-g6Y4kp0h4

• Co-Founder and CEO of Lezzoo

https://youtu.be/1pB6vEtVSn8

Other Videos

• Financial Literacy for Women Entrepreneurs. This training-workshop was covered by Radio

al-Ghad, Rudaw TV, and KirkukNow. Below are the links to the media coverage:


http://kirkuknow.com/ar/news/61437

https://www.facebook.com/Rudaw.net/videos/193816012022082/

• Lean Canvas One-Page Business Plan for Women Entrepreneurs in Mosul: This training-

workshop was covered by Radio al-Ghad:


• Joint IGPA/NIFI Workshop with Iraq Private Banks League (IPBL) to Introduce Central Bank

of Iraq’s (CBI) Tamkeen Zero Interest Rate Loan Program. Ezidi24 and KirkukNow covered

the workshop:

http://kirkuknow.com/ku/news/61622?fbclid=IwAR1rxRYtR66q0nsprlulFsolN3hJ51Z

pkZzzf K6QidwWfxUHdWg9R0uMBOg

https://www.facebook.com/Ezidi24.news/videos/864885980620193/

https://ezidi24.com/ar/?p=27042

• Two IGPA/NIFI Businesswomen Trainees Featured in Media. The feature reports were

produced and published by Radio al-Ghad:


Zahraa Al-Aaraji, Founder of Maria Complex for Women who benefited from NIFI’s

Advanced Financial Literacy Training and she is assisted to get

financing: https://youtu.be/O8KKOSsW3Iw

Natalia – Owner of Dress Rental Business in Al-Qush. NIFI assisted her to get a

grant: https://youtu.be/khuURiQ2ldE

• Lean Canvas One-Page Business Planning Workshop for Women in Mosul

https://youtu.be/rYAxKtatp6g

• Hopeful Hands Director Noor Adil, speaker at Ninewa Investment

Forum: https://youtu.be/S-g6Y4kp0h4

• Haneen, artist-businesswoman from Mosul showcased at NIF Marketplace and one of the

participants of NIFI training

https://youtu.be/bgUtjHD1idY

• Lezzoo CEO Yadgar Mirani, speaker at NIF; supported by NIFI to raise more than one-half

of its $1 million seed funding requirement: https://youtu.be/1pB6vEtVSn8

• Interview with Lezzoo Founder on NIFI’s support to secure seed

funding: https://youtu.be/cYi0aMo6S64

• NIF Video – An Overview of the NIF: https://youtu.be/63qwC8xeIm8

• NIFI Remote Workshops Video – English

https://youtu.be/gOY_c8AeOSU

• Van Royal General Manager who attended Advanced Financial Literacy Training for Women

Entrepreneur in June 202:

https://www.facebook.com/344712329302371/videos/3049546198489119/

• CEO of Al-Layth Company for Electrical Appliances and attended NIFI’s workshops:

https://www.facebook.com/344712329302371/videos/835376000202728/

• Zahra, who runs her online accessories business, attended NIFI’s Facebook Marketing

workshop: https://www.facebook.com/344712329302371/videos/288911115568704/

• US Women’s Month Conclusion Video – Iraqi Women’s Contribution to Economic

Development https://www.facebook.com/344712329302371/videos/912468702525907/


ANNEX 3: List of 460 enterprises/SMEs/entrepreneurs referred to sources of finance

# Owner’s full name Name of SME or Project

Gender Location Financing Source Amount Applied (USD)

1. Ghada Faris Abdullah Cozmy and More Female Mosul ACF 1500

2. Haneen Nashwan

Waleed Glass Etching Female Mosul ACF 1000

3. Khansa Hazim Cakes and Sweets Female Mosul/Duhok ACF 3000

4. Nibras Salim Ibrahim

Nabataty- Planting

Inside Glass

Cans/Bottles

Female Mosul ACF 2000

5. Safa Akram Younis Um Al-Rabeeain

Bazar for Handcrafts Female Mosul ACF 3000

6. Hamid Sultan Saeed Al Ameen Dairy Male Mosul CEWAS NGO grants 300000

7. Dergham Mahmoud

Al-Azzawi

Al Wataniya Dairy

Factory Male Mosul CEWAS NGO grants 300000

8. Shwan Aziz

Mohammed

Shad Group

Company Male Erbil CEWAS NGO grants 300000

9. Qaisar Owraha

Warda Yulia Poultry Farm Male Duhok WE4F (CEWAS) 50000

10. Jabbar Othman Jutiar Potato

Processing Facility Male Duhok WE4F (CEWAS) 50000

11. Khalid Aziz Kaniya Senji

Company Male Duhok WE4F (CEWAS) 60000

12. Karwan Ibrahim Saed Sarwar Wheat Flour

Factory Male Duhok WE4F (CEWAS) 50000

13. Khaled Khdr Hasan Qalat Alshahbaa

Tahini Factory Male Erbil WE4F (CEWAS) 120000

14. Mohammed Awla

Yassin Batam Factory Male Erbil WE4F (CEWAS) 500000

15. Ahmed Ismael Siraj Painting Male Tal Kayf DCEO 350000

16. Zainab Haji Naef Al-Kubba Al-Sharqia Female Erbil DCEO 40000

17. Rabee Elias Bahnam Al-Ghazal Factory Male Hamdaniya DCEO 360000

18. Hamid Sultan Saeed Al Ameen Dairy Male Mosul DCEO 200000

19. Najeeb Roeal Hanna Al Nab'a Factory Male Tal Kayf DCEO 25000

20. Salam Hassan Noon Al Akhwaen Trshi

Factory Male Bashiqa DCEO 20000

21. Wisam Rasheed Hasan Al Rasheed Tahini


22. George Khaleel

Gergees

Al-Omara for food

production Male Bashiqa DCEO 90000

23. Mohammed Awla

Yassin Batam Factory Male Erbil DCEO 500000


Tahini Factory Male Erbil DCEO 120000

25. Karwan Ibrahim Saed Sarwar Wheat Flour

Factory Male Duhok DCEO 50000

26. Salam Khder Sliman

Barany Barany Co/ Factory Male Duhok DCEO 15000

27. Zeyad Abdalwahab

Thanon

Zeyad Abdalwahab

Thanon Tahini

Factory

Male Erbil DCEO 15000

28. Abdulla Naif Darwish Al Aela Tahini Male Erbil-Bashiqa DCEO 15000

29. Wisam Rasheed Hasan Al Rasheed Tahini


30. Amar Mohammed

Salih

Al Adeeb Tahini

Factory Male Mosul DCEO 15000


Tahini Factory Male Erbil DCEO 15000

32. Khalid Aziz Kaniya Senji

Company Male Duhok DCEO 60000


33. Slwan Sardar Saka Slwan Saka Graper

and Fruit Farm Male Erbil DCEO 50000

34. Qaisar Owraha

Warda Yulia Poultry Farm Male Duhok DCEO 50000

35. Jabbar Othman Jutiar Potato

Processing Facility Male Duhok DCEO 50000

36. Falih Mohsin Farhan Farhan Farm in

Bsmaia Village Male Baghdad DCEO 60000

37. Sinan Hasso Kajo Al Noor Al Alam

Company Male Ninewa DCEO 50000

38. Noah Twaya Twaya Family wheat,

barley Male Ninewa DCEO 60000

39. First Hassan Paska Farm Poultry

Business Male Erbil DCEO 50000

40. Abdulridha Mushin

Karim

Table tomato farmers

in the Um Qasir-

Safwan Road

Male Basrah DCEO 30000

41. Hadi Mohsin Karim


in the Um Qasir-

Safwan Road


42. Jafar Sahi Jabir


in the Um Qasir-

Safwan Road


43. Raad Sahee Sabir


in the Um Qasir-

Safwan Road


44. Naem Mzaal Jather


in the Um Qasir-

Safwan Road


45. Raheem Selman

Shnishel


in the Um Qasir-

Safwan Road


46. Hassan Jazie Hassan Jazie Farm Male Basrah DCEO 30000

47. Shaker Salman Kadim Shaker Salman Farm Male Basrah DCEO 70000

48. Khaled Karkan Obaid Khaled Karkan Farm Male Basrah DCEO 30000

49. Ghazi Salem Yasser Ghazi Salem Farm Male Basrah DCEO 30000

50. Riyadh Al-Faris

Director of the Al-

Zaibar Association

for Farmers

N/A Basrah DCEO 300000

51. Maryam Duraid

Mohamad

Al-Princesa for

Sewing Female Mosul

Crowdfunding

Platform-Rwanga 10000

52. Nibras Salim Ibrahim Nabataty Female Mosul Crowdfunding


53. Shahad AbdulDaym

AbdulHafiz Mandala Female Mosul

Crowdfunding


54. Marwa Omar Naef Accessories,

Handicrafts Female Mosul

Crowdfunding


55. Huwayda Hameed

Dawood

Al-Karam shop for

handicrafts and hand-

made

Female Mosul Crowdfunding


56. Qloob Isaa Jarjes Sweets and Bakery

project Female Mosul

Crowdfunding


57. Manal Matti Solaqa Christina Salon Female Hamdaniya-

Ninewa Plains

Crowdfunding


58. Khansa Hazim Bakery of cakes and

sweets Female Duhok/ Mosul

Crowdfunding


59. Noor Namer Al-

Taweel Pearl Dental Center Female Erbil

Crowdfunding


60. Mahya Adham Yousif Mathaq Al-Mosul

Restaurant Female Mosul

Crowdfunding


61. Fadi Ishaq Shamoon Al-Asdiqaa Hall Male Bartela-Ninewa

Plains

Crowdfunding


62. Manal Mohammed

Khair Decorations, ornate Female Mosul

Crowdfunding



63. Marlin Hasan Abdal

A comprehensive

physical therapy

center

Female Mosul Crowdfunding


64. Sahera Saleh Sharef Saffron Cultivation Female Mosul Crowdfunding


65. Omar Sinan Ziauddin

Wasla -

Transportation

Project

Male Mosul Crowdfunding


66. Sayed Saad Salem ISP - Internet

SERVICES Male Mosul

Crowdfunding


67. Manal Mohammed

Khair Sheit Decorations Female Mosul Rwanga Foundation 3000

68. Amira Khudaida Abdo Photocopy and

banners printing Female Ninewa Plains Rawanga Foundation 3000

69. Hiba Al Sabhan Clothes Designs Female Mosul Rawanga Foundation 3000

70. Marina Sherwan

Hassan

Children's Music

School Female Ninewa Plains Rawanga Foundation 3000

71. Rita Khalid Matti Library Female Ninewa Plains Rawanga Foundation 3000

72. Shahad Khalid Shaikh

Mousa Queen Store Female Mosul Rawanga Foundation 3000

73. Sura Asad Mohammed Cosmetics Female Mosul Rawanga Foundation 3000

74. Qasem Yarob Qasem Solar institute Male Mosul Rawanga Foundation 3000

75. Ahmed Kamalaldeen Jasem

Electrical installations Male Mosul Rawanga Foundation 3000

76. Omar Sinan Wasla Male Mosul Rawanga Foundation 3000

77. Saif Saad Salim internet Service

provider Male Mosul Rawanga Foundation 3000

78. Ali Salim Qadori Safari Male Mosul Rawanga Foundation 3000

79. Mdyen Ahmed 3D Maker Male Mosul Rawanga Foundation 3000

80. Sakar Maan Dalal Restaurant for

traditional food Male Mosul Rawanga Foundation 3000

81. Dahi Huthaifa

Mahmood – Kefah

Mohammed

Vatrina - Waad

Factory Male Mosul DRC 9000

82. Ahmed Ismael Siraj Painting Male Tal Kayf Grofin 350000

83. Hamid Sultan Saeed Al Ammen Dairy Male Mosul Grofin 400000

84. Raghib Younis Al

Qahwaji

Al Andalus Company

for the Electrical and

Household Industries

Male Mosul Grofin 500000

85. George Gergees Al Omaraa for Food

Production Male Bashiqa Grofin 100000

86. Ahmad Saeed Suliman Hizheer Resturant Male Sinjar Grofin 60000

87. Musaab Maneea

Alshmry

Wahaj Al Taj

Company-Al TaJ

Hatcher

Male Wasit GroFin 500000

88. Haleem Hamadi Issa Maraee Dejlah Dairy

Factory Male Wasit GroFin 200000

89. Zana Othman Aziz Haji Othman Pickles

Factory Male Erbil GroFin 30000

90. Ahmed Ali Khalaf

Beirut Erbil

Company: ( B.E.P.P

CO)

Male Erbil Grofin 2000000

91. Rabah Mhedi Saleh Al Ruha flour

production plant Male Anbar Grofin 1000000

92. Rahman Hasan Ali AlKut cold store Male Wasit Grofin 400000

93. Mohammed Tariq

Mohammed Ali Al Dhaher Co., LTD Male Mosul city Grofin 15000000

94. Naosherwan Kanabi

Jamal

Alen Food Processing

and Packing Factory Male Erbil Grofin 2000000

95. Aso Ameen UniMart Company Male Erbil Grofin 1000000

96. Issa Mohammed

Ameen Umi Dairy Factory Male Erbil Grofin 500000


97. Rebin Khalid Taha

(CEO) Agora Co Male Erbil Grofin 1000000

98. Ammar Jamal Abas

(CEO) Al Qema Co Male Erbil Grofin 1000000

99. Khalid Taha Hassan

(CEO) Green Co Male Erbil Grofin 1000000

100. Rabar Khalid Taha

(CEO) Rozalia Co Male Erbil Grofin 1000000

101. Huda Hafidh Ahmed

Al Safaat Factory for

Washing and Stuffing

Dates

Female Baghdad GroFin 30000

102. Aras Rasoul

Mohammed

Zahoor Al Badiya

Dairy Factory Male Erbil GroFin 30000

103. Umar Hazim Shaker Tourist Village Male Mosul Grofin-COVID 19

Loan 95000

104. Abdulla Naif Darwish Al Aela Tahini Male Bashiqa Grofin-COVID 19

Loan 80000

105. Khiri Dakhil Sleman Samim Tahini Male Bashiqa Grofin-COVID 19

Loan 80000

106. Qusay Hashim Al A'arajy

Al-Layth Co. Male Mosul Grofin-COVID 19 Loan

100000

107. Bashar Yousif Jomoo

Al-Nahrain

Association for

Agriculture

Male Alqush Grofin-COVID 19

Loan 60000

108. Zainab Haji Naef Al-Kubba Al-Sharqia Female Erbil Grofin-COVID 19

Loan 100000

109. Zahra Abdulkmalik

Alarajee

Maria Complex for

Women Female Mosul

Grofin-COVID 19

Loan 100000

110. Luaay Sabah Jaboor

Kheder

Bashiqa Chicken Eggs

Factory Male Mosul

Grofin-COVID 19

Loan 88000

111. Thaer Saphan

Mahmod Al-Dar Albadaá Male Mosul

Grofin-COVID 19

Loan 100000

112. Shwan Aziz

Mohammed Shad Company Male Erbil

Grofin-COVID 19

Loan 100000

113. Yousif Abdullah

Yaseen

Al Mosul Mechanical

Company Male Mosul

Grofin-COVID 19

Loan 100000

114. Mohammed Najib

Yahya

Al-Mobdioon Private

School Male Mosul

Grofin-COVID 19

Loan 97250

115. Mohmmed Ali Qanbar

Ain Al Sayad

Company for General

Contract LTD

Male Mosul Grofin-COVID 19 Loan

90000

116. Ahmed Shingaly Hazheer Restaurant Male Mosul Grofin-COVID 19

Loan 50000

117. Zahra abdulkmalik

Alarajee

Maria Complex for

Women Female Mosul Grofin-Normal Loan 100000

118. Zainab Haji Naef Al-Kubba Al-Sharqia Female Erbil Grofin-Normal Loan 100000

119. Bashar Yousif Jomoo

Al-Nahrain

Association for

Agriculture

Male Alqush Grofin-Normal Loan 750000

120. Mohammed Ismeil TeamMart Male Erbil Grofin-Normal Loan 2000000

121. Khiri Dakhil Sleman Samim Tahini Male Bashiqa Grofin-Normal Loan 504000

122. Abdulla Naif Darwish,

Mowafaq Naif and

Majd Abdullah

Al Aela Tahini Male Bashiqa Grofin-Normal Loan 600000

123. Rabee Elias Bahnam Al-Ghazal Factory Male Hamdaniya Grofin-Normal Loan 600000

124. Mohammed Mahfouz

Kheiraddine

Al Sahel Al Akhdar

Hotel Male Mosul Grofin-Normal Loan 1019000

125. Karam Hasso Gajo Gajo Co. Male Qaraqosh-

Hamdaniya Grofin-Normal Loan 240000

126. Ahmad Shaher Findi Brilliant Academy

Kindergarten Male Ninewa Grofin-Normal Loan 530000

127. Dana Sabah Qadir Erbil Delivery Male Erbil Grofin-Normal Loan 150000

128. Zainab Haji Naef Al-Kubba Al-Sharqia Female Erbil Grofin-Normal Loan 100000


129. Haider Dawood Al

Darraji

Al Wadiq Mushroom

Farm Male Baghdad Grofin 400000

130. Tenya Othman Aziz

Haji Othman Pickles

Factory Male Erbil

GroFin COVID-19

relief 2022 100000

131. Abbas Mohammed

Omer Lade Dairy Factory Male Erbil

GroFin COVID-19

relief 2022 100000

132. Shwan Aziz

Mohammed

Shad Group

Company Male Erbil

GroFin COVID-19

relief 2022 100000

133. Aras Rasoul

Mohammed

Zahoor Al Badiya

Dairy Factory Male Erbil

GroFin COVID-19

relief 2022 100000

134. Ameera Ahmed

Younis Mena Sewing Factory Female Mosul

GroFin COVID-19

relief 2022 50000

135. Hamid Sultan Saeed

Al Ameen Dairy Male Mosul GroFin COVID-19

relief 2022 100000

136. Hamid Sultan Saeed Al Ameen Dairy Male Mosul IIB 400000

137. Dergham Mahmoud

Al-Azzawi

Al Wataniya Dairy

Factory Male Mosul IIB

500000

138. Mohammed Awla

Yassin Batam factory Male Erbil IIB

500000

139. Mohammed Najeeb

Yahya

AL-Mubdioon

Primary Private

School

Male Mosul IIB 1000000

140. Savan Sarwar Osman

Sarwar Manufacturing

factory for flour

production

Male Duhok IIB 600000

141. Mohammed Salem

Mahmoud

Burj Dubai Ice Cream

Factory Male Mosul IIB

68575.42

142. Uday Emad Al Deen

Saeed

Ain Dejlah for

Refreshment and

Bottled Water

Male Ninewa IIB 300000

143. Ahmed Ismael Siraj Painting Male Tal Kayf IIB 350000

144. Carolin William

Meyiah CM-Group Female Erbil IOM

16000

145. Dilgash Saleem Shamo Beekeeping and

Greenhouses Male Sharya IOM

30470

146. Nadhim Abid Hurmiz Greenhouses and

Beekeeping project Male Alqush IOM

25000

147. Ann Sabri Elyas Baby Care Nursery

Project- Women Female Alqush IOM

22527

148. Salah Abbosh Daboul Al-Ekhwan Shops Male Qaraqosh-

Hamdaniya IOM 25000

149. Revan Butrus Mosa Elsa Women’s Gym Male Alqush IOM 15000

150. Wael Abed Cristo Abed Cristo

Beekeeping Project Male Ninewa Plain IOM 15000

151. Zahraa Fuad Salim Handcrafts Female Mosul IOM 5833

152. Zainab Muhamed

Rathwan Decorat Attractive Female Mosul IOM 2803

153. Maysam Abdullah

Gutran

Women's

Hairdressing Salon Female Mosul IOM 4166

154. Rahma Nazeh Salih Photography Project Female Mosul IOM 4430

155. Ghayda Abdul Satar

Majeed

Sewing, Leather

Sewing Female Mosul IOM 2000

156. Wasan Hazim Qasim

Women Salon and

Boutique for

Accessories

Female Mosul IOM 4166


Handmade Female Mosul IOM 2000

158. Ismael Qerani Ismael Qerani Music

Band Male

Zakho (cham

mishko IDP

camp), Duhok

IOM 4470

159. Khansa Hazim Cakes and Sweets Female Mosul/Duhok IOM 1000


160. Mariam Duraid

Muhamed Ali

Al-Princesa for


161. Nibras Salim Ibrahim Nabataty Female Mosul IOM 5000

162. Shahad AbdulDaym

AbdulHafiz Mandala Art/Drawing Female Mosul IOM 1500

163. Zahraa Fuad Salim Handcrafts Female Mosul IOM 583

164. Zainab Muhamed

Rathwan Decorat Attractive Female Mosul IOM 2809


Majeed

Sewing, Leather


166. Marwa Omar Naef

Handicrafts.

Accessories,

Handmade

Female Mosul IOM 600

167. Abbas Khalaf Hantosh Al Qema Dairy

Factory Male Wasit IOM 30000

168. Haider Dawood Al

Darraji

Al Wadiq Mushroom

Farm Male Baghdad IOM 400000

169. Zahraa Abdalgafoor

Ahmed

Maryia Mousliya Food

Supplier Factory Female Ninewa IOM 30000

170. Zana Othman Aziz Haji Othman Pickles

Factory Male Erbil IOM 30000

171. Walid Abdul-Jabbar Ayoub

Al Mouj For Plastic Recycling Factory

Male Ninewa IOM 30000

172. Abed Mahmood

Abdullah

Al Sham Tahini

Factory Sole

Proprietorship


173. Saeb Abdelkader

Abdalwahab

Al Thuraya For

Kibbeh Al Mousliya Male Ninewa IOM 30000

174. Omer Mahammed

Wafi

Al Thiqa factory for

shredding plastic

waste


175. Dured Mohammed

Sharif

Ain Al Saqer Factory

for Plastic Goods Male Ninewa IOM 30000

176. Ahmed Mohammed

Wafi

Al-Wafi Factory for

the production of

granules (plastic

recycling


177. Qusay Emadaldeen

Saeed

Al Fajer factory for

juices Male Ninewa IOM 30000

178. Ammar Mohammed

Wafi

Oscar Factory for

Nylon Bag Recycling Male Ninewa IOM 30000

179. Dawood luqman

Dawood

Nas Al Mosul

Cultural Center Male Ninewa IOM 30000

180. Yasser Aboo Hassan Al Akhwan Tahini

Factory Male Ninewa IOM 30000

181. Uday Emad Al Deen

Saeed

Ain Dejlah for

Refreshment and

Bottled Water


182. Naktel Abd Al-Haq

Ahmed

Al Najah Factory for

refreshments Male Ninewa IOM 30000

183. Bashar Saleh Ismael Al Ryan Factory Male Ninewa IOM 30000

184. Mohammed

Abdalbaree Saeed

Al Ezdehar

Embroidery Factory Male Ninewa IOM 30000

185. Abdaljabbar Radeef

Jasim

Al Fahad food

supplier Male Ninewa IOM 30000

186. Razaq Nori Ali Delgash Poultry farm Male Erbil IOM 30000

187. Huda Hafidh Ahmed

Al Safaat Factory for

Washing and Stuffing

Dates

Female Baghdad IOM 30000

188. Abbas Mohammed

Omer Lade Dairy Factory Male Erbil IOM 30000

189. Lubna Badre hurmiz

Al-Qush for Food

Supplying, Local Food

Production

Female Alqush- Ninewa IOM (edf-w) 25000


190. Sandi Naser Mikha Iraqi Woman Farm Female Alqush- Ninewa IOM (edf-w) 30000

191. Natalia Nadem Yousif Rental shop for bride

clothes Female

Ninewa Plain-

Alqush IOM (edf-w) 17370

192. Sally Basim Zora Silvy Salon Female Ninewa Plain-

Alqush IOM (edf-w) 15500

193. Sozan Safar Ismael Bakery for Bread -

Mitra Bakery Female Duhok-Sharya IOM (edf-w) 12000

194. Kkalida Barakat Khalaf

Beauty salon for

women - Lamis Salon

from Sinjar

Female Duhok-Sharya IOM (edf-w) 10000

195. Zainab Husamuldeen

Ismael

Janat Adan

Kindergarten Female Mosul IOM (edf-w) 30000

196. Laila Hassan Michael Al Maraa Al Mutija

Workshop Female Mosul IOM (edf-w) 30000

197. Dania Salim Younis Rehana for Flower

Shop Female Mosul IOM (edf-w) 30000

198. Varsin Tahsin Fadil

Vejan Beauty Centre

(Cosmetic Service

and Hairdressing)

Female Duhok-Zakho-

Badera IOM (edf-w) 20000

199. Maryam Duraid

Mohamad

Al-Princesa for

Sewing Female Mosul IOM (edf-w) 7000

200. Zainab Muhamed

Rathwan Decorate Attractive Female Mosul IOM (edf-w) 6000


Majeed Sewing Female Mosul IOM (edf-w) 5000


Handicrafts Female Mosul IOM (edf-w) 5000

203. Sabreen Raoof

Muhamed

Accessories,


204. Khansa Hazim

Bakery of cakes and

sweets that have

unique and modern

presentation, shape

and look that is based

on British and

Swedish courses.

Female

Located in

Duhok after

displacement.

Main customers

in Mosul.

IOM (edf-w) 6000

205. Zahraa Fuad Salim Accessories,


206. Hala Khaleel Ibrahim Salon Female Mosul IOM (edf-w) 20000

207. Nibras Salim Ibrahim Nabataty Female Mosul IOM (edf-w) 12000

208. Manal Matti Solaqa Christina Salon Female Hamdaniya-

Ninewa Plains IOM (edf-w) 15000

209. Laylan Ameer Attar Dada Babysitting App Female Sulaimaniya IOM- EDFI 30000

210. Randi Rahbar Ibrahim

(Barznji) ShopYoBrand Female Sulaimaniya IOM- EDFI 30000

211. Tara A. Mohammed Black Ace Company Female Sulaimaniya IOM- EDFI 28800

212. Awaz Shikhi Experto App Male Erbil IOM- EDFI 30000

213. Sausan Qadir Teachy Female Erbil IOM- EDFI 19000

214. Amer Nafee Butrus

Malan

Internet Network

Development Male Ninewa IOM- EDFI 30000

215. Waysi S. Hasan STER Technologies Male Duhok IOM- EDFI 26950

216. Farhan Rahman

Khader Delgash Poultry Farm Male Erbil IOM 30000

217. Shwan Aziz

Mohammed

Shad Group

Company Male Erbil IOM 30000

218. Tahsin Yassin Wes Tarjan Fish Farm Male Erbil IOM 30000

219. Aras Rasoul

Mohammed

Zahoor Al Badiya

Dairy Factory Male Erbil IOM 30000

220. Redwan Abu Baker

Ibrahim Potato’s Farm Male Erbil IOM 30000

221. Issa Mohammed Amin Baryati Factory Male Erbil IOM 30000

222. Edris Abdalrazaq Sadiq Pak Company for

Detergents Male Erbil IOM 30000


223. Noora Qusay Abbas Veterinary clinic Female Erbil IOM 30000

224. Abbas Mohammed

Omer Lade Dairy Factory Male Erbil IOM 30000

225. Mariam Akoob Krikor Rawa Al Sayyad for

Food Product Female Erbil IOM 30000

226. Shaymaa Mohammed

Ebadi English is my life Female Najaf Izdiharona Org. 4000

227. Hanan Jbr Abdluhusain charcoal production Female Najaf Izdiharona Org. 8000

228. Sajad Mohammed

Hasan

Safety suit production

workshop Male Najaf Izdiharona Org. 6600

229. Ahmed Wesam Salih Tulabi Male Basrah Izdiharona Org. 8000

230. Aleaa Lafta Alewi Marselen Female Diwanea Izdiharona Org. 6000

231. Banen Husain Abbas Sewing workshop Female Babel Izdiharona Org. 1000

232. Ali Fadel Hasan Changed his idea –

will share it Male Najaf Izdiharona Org. 8000

233. Rayan Farge Butrus Al-rayan Photocopies

shop Male Ninewa Plain JDA Organization 1100

234. Azad Ghanim Eissa Handcraft Male Ninewa Plain JDA Organization 1100

235. Seinaz Basim Zora Hair Dressing Female Ninewa Plain JDA Organization 1100

236. Diyar Manoel Beno Al-Qush Antiques

Store Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

237. Najim Seenu Khaddar Altahani Photography Male Khattara Tamkeen & JDA 4166

238. Zekra Noel Youssef Clothing Shop Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

239. Dhiaa Jamel Yalda Potato Chips Factory Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

240. Hitlar Ibrahim Bebo

Ali Beekeeping Business Male

Sheikka

Complex Tamkeen & JDA 4166

241. Khairi Shamo Hajji Plastic Factory Male Bozan Tamkeen & JDA 4166

242. Adel Sami Hermes Dry Clean-laundry Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

243. Emad Aziz Yago Dry Clean-laundry Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

244. Nagham Salim Hermes Clothes Boutique Female Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

245. Vergin Chamoun

Soliman

Women Hair

Dressing Salon Female Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

246. Nahla Hamed Hanani Asal Salon Female Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

247. Aqbal Jamel Dawod Grocery Store Female Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

248. Noah Marouki Nemo Ard-al Ebdaá Supermarket/Grocery

Store

Male Telsquf Tamkeen & JDA 4166

249. Thabet Safar Faraj Grocery Shop Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

250. Butros Hamid Betty Grocery Shop Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

251. Salem Hermes Yousef Accessory Store Male Telsquf Tamkeen & JDA 4166

252. Anwar Sliman

Dawood Blacksmith Shop Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

253. Fadi Abdulrazaaq Matti Fadi Food Resturant Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

254. Danny Karam Sliwa Paint Shop Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

255. Saber Eido Abu Zaid Construction and

Maintenance Material Male Khattara Tamkeen & JDA 4166

256. Latif Youssef Toma Repair Shop for

Electronics Male Telsquf Tamkeen & JDA 4166


clothes Female

Ninewa Plain-

Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

258. Khansa Hazim Cakes and Sweets Female Mosul/Duhok Tamkeen 1000

259. Ann Qutaiba Sharef Ann Al-Awan for

Events Planning Female Mosul Tamkeen 20000

260. Salah Salim Sony Tailor Shop Male Qaraqosh-

Hamdaniya Tamkeen 4166

261. Sinan Hasso Ishaq Clothes Shop Male Qaraqosh-



262. Habib Bahnam Kajo Coffee Shop Male Qaraqosh-


263. Ahmed Najwan

Tawfeeq Online Shoping Male Ninewa Tamkeen 4166

264. Sahar Ahmed Shaker Fatera and Chai

Resturant Female Ninewa Tamkeen 4166

265. Faisal Shukri Asaad Agriculture Male Ninewa Tamkeen 4166

266. Hussain Ali Tawfeeq Dhya Antiques Male Ninewa Plain Tamkeen 4166

267. Qaidar Hasan Jomaa Beekeeping Male Bashiqa Tamkeen 4166

268. Diana Ziad Askar Spice Shop Female Bashiqa Tamkeen 4166

269. Najdat Canon Jrot Beekeeping Male Bashiqa Tamkeen 4166

270. Awas Sliman Rashid Flowershop Male Bashiqa Tamkeen 4166

271. Marlin Hassan Abdel Women Gym Female Bashiqa Tamkeen 4166

272. Kashan Jondi Ali Bozan Restaurant Male Bozan Tamkeen 4166

273. Artin Shawkat Habib Barber Shop Male Alqush Tamkeen 4166

274. Diyar Miskin Khadr Barber Shop Male Bozan Tamkeen 4166

275. Dhafer Suleiman

Hanna Barber Shop Male Alqush Tamkeen 4166

276. Lubna Badre hurmiz

Alqush for food

suppling local food

production

Female Alqush Tamkeen 8333

277. Balsm Hurmiz

Dawood Anjila For Win Female Alqush Tamkeen 8333

278. Diyar Manoel Beno Al-Qush Antiques

Store Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

279. Najim Seenu Khaddar Altahani Photography Male Khattara Tamkeen & JDA 4166

280. Zekra Noel Youssef Clothing Shop Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

281. Dhiaa Jamel Yalda Potato Chips Factory Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

282. Hitlar Ibrahim Bebo

Ali Beekeeping Business Male

Sheikka

Complex Tamkeen & JDA 4166

283. Khairi Shamo Hajji Plastic Factory Male Bozan Tamkeen & JDA 4166

284. Adel Sami Hermes Dry Clean-laundry Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

285. Emad Aziz Yago Dry Clean-laundry Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

286. Nagham Salim Hermes Clothes Boutique Female Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

287. Vergin Chamoun

Soliman

Women Hair

Dressing Salon Female Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

288. Nahla Hamed Hanani Asal Salon Female Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

289. Aqbal Jamel Dawod Grocery Store Female Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

290. Noah Marouki Nemo

Ard-al Ebdaá

Supermarket/Grocery

Store

Male Telsquf Tamkeen & JDA 4166

291. Thabet Safar Faraj Grocery Shop Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

292. Butros Hamid Betty Grocery Shop Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

293. Salem Hermes Yousef Accessory Store Male Telsquf Tamkeen & JDA 4166

294. Anwar Sliman

Dawood Blacksmith Shop Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

295. Fadi Abdulrazaaq Matti Fadi Food Resturant Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

296. Danny Karam Sliwa Paint Shop Male Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

297. Saber Eido Abu Zaid Construction and

Maintenance Material Male Khattara Tamkeen & JDA 4166

298. Latif Youssef Toma Repair Shop for

Electronics Male Telsquf Tamkeen & JDA 4166


clothes Female

Ninewa Plain-

Alqush Tamkeen & JDA 4166

300. Dilgash saleem Shamo Beekeeping and

Greenhouses Male

Sharia -

Duhook Marla Fund 30470


301. Masod Qreaqus Banee Reconstruction of a

Farm Field Male

Qaraqosh-

Hamdaniya Marla Fund 30000

302. Ismael Qerani Ismael Qerani Music

Band Male

Zahko

District/Duhok Marla Fund 4470

303. Nather Aleshaaa

Oraha

Cultivation, Calves

and Sheep Breeding,

Greenhouses, and

Beekeeping

Male Batnaya / Tal

Kayf District Marla Fund 40000

304. Mohammed

Abdulghafoor Ahmed

Altan

Mohammed

Abdulghafoor

pharmacy

Male Mosul NBI Bank 80000

305. Mofiq Khalil Hasan Orkida Medical

Laboratory Male Mosul NBI Bank 80000

306. Mustafa Mehsen

Younus Shli Gul pharmacy Male Erbil NBI Bank 80000

307. Ilham Hsan Ibrahim Iham Pharmacy Female Erbil NBI Bank 80000

308. Dler Nzar Haje Kaspen Cafe and

Library Male Zakho- Duhok NBI Bank 30000

309. Araz Ismael Saleh Araz Sharfane Male Duhok NBI Bank 30000

310. Nabeb Shiba Barcha

Solar Power and

Water Materials

Show

Male Duhok NBI Bank 40000

311. Shekak Safar Ahmed Dodova Motel Male Amadya -

Duhok NBI Bank 40000

312. Omer Mohammed

Hasan

Remo Reklam

Printing Services Male Duhok NBI Bank 30000

313. Abdulla Naif Darwish Al Aela Tahini Male Bashiqa NBI Bank 1000000

314. Rabee Elias Bahnam Al-Ghazal Factory Male Hamdaniya NBI Bank 600000

315. Qusay Hashim

AlA'arajy Al-Layth Co. Male Mosul NBI Bank 2000000

316. Ahmed Ismael Siraj Painting Male Tal Kayf NBI Bank 350000

317. Hamid Sultan Saeed Al Ammen Dairy Male Mosul NBI Bank 400000

318. Raghib Younis Al

Qahwaji

AL Andalus Company

for the Electrical and

Household Industries

Male Mosul NBI Bank 500000

319. George Gergees Al Omaraa for Food

Production Male Bashiqa NBI Bank 100000

320. Basema Ahmed

Abdullah

AL-Madina

Laboratory Female Mosul NBI Bank 80000

321. Evan Tawar Dankha Evan Dental clinic Male Duhok / Sumel NBI Bank 80000

322. Ihsan Ismael Abo Ihsan Optical clinic Male Duhok / Sumel NBI Bank 80000

323. Emad Hadi Ali Emad Joints and

rheumatoid Clinic Male Duhok / Sumel NBI Bank 80000

324. Diyar Husen Hasan Shefaa Laboratory Male Mosul/ Alqosh/

Khatara NBI Bank 40000

325. Najla Kamel Salih Najla Dental clinic Female Duhok /

Bardarash NBI Bank 40000

326. Fared Wahed

Abdulazez Help Laboratory Male Duhok / Sumel NBI Bank 20000

327. Emad Edo Hussian Emad Aido Hussian

Pickles Factory Male Bashiqa NBI Bank 200000

328. Khalid Aziz Omer Kaniya Senji

Company Male Duhok NBI Bank 650000

329. Qaisar Owraha

Warda Yulia Poultry Farm Male Duhok NBI Bank 68575.42

330. Abdulridha Mushin

Karim Table tomato farming Male Basrah NRC 30000

331. Hadi Mohsin Karim Table tomato farming Male Basrah NRC 30000

332. Jafar Sahi Jabir Table tomato farming Male Basrah NRC 30000

333. Raad Sahee Sabir Table tomato farming Male Basrah NRC 30000

334. Naem Mzaal Jather Table tomato farming Male Basrah NRC 30000


335. Raheem Selman

Shnishel Table tomato farming Male Basrah NRC 30000

336. Ghazi Salem Yasser Date palm grower Male Basrah NRC 30000

337. Hassan Jazie Table tomato and

date palm grower Male Basrah NRC 30000

338. Khaled Karkan Obaid Date palm grower Male Basrah NRC 30000

339. Shaker Salman Kadim

Date palm, fish cages,

alfalfa, and a

hydroponic

laboratory for barley

forage production,

poultry halls

Male Basrah NRC 70000

340. Riyadh Al-Faris

Director of the Al-

Zaibar Association

for Farmers

Basrah NRC 300000

341. Dan Ihsan Yousif La Montana Coffee

and Restaurant Male Alqush Spark-Grant 5000

342. Ragheed Khalil Haji

Axl Printing House

for Advertisement

Printings

Male Bashiqa Spark-Grant 7000

343. Melad Matti Polus Baghdad Fast Food Male Erbil Spark-Grant 5000

344. Dana Sabah Qadir Erbil Delivery Male Erbil Spark-Grant 7000

345. Srwa Jalal Zywar Sultana Boutique Male Erbil Spark-Grant 7000

346. Ravan Jaafar Al-Taie The Book Café Female Erbil Spark-Grant 7000

347. Triska Ehssan Yassen Balla Academy Complex

Female Erbil Spark-Grant 7000

348. Talal Abed Khatab

Egg Production Farm

(exciting and in

operation)

Male Mosul Spark-Grant 7000

349. Yousif Alneamy

Dakakenna

Application (exciting

and in operation)

Male Mosul Spark-Grant 7000

350. Freez Eggs and Poultry

Farm Safeen Rafat Ismail Male Erbil Top Mountain 50000

351. Reyou Mashroom

Farm

Zaradisht Nori

Ibrahim Male Erbil Top Mountain 50000

352. Al Bariz Mill Miran Hemdad

Anwar Male Erbil Top Mountain 50000

353. Grape grove Kosrat Azizi Pirdaud Male Erbil Top Mountain 50000

354. Maweran Poultry farm Mohammed Ali Salish Male Erbil Top Mountain 50000

355. Zainab Haji Naef Al-Kubba Al-Sharqia Female Erbil

Top

Mountain/Business

Accelerator Project

15000

356. Tenya Othman Aziz Haji Othman Pickles

Factory Male Erbil

Top

Mountain/Business

Accelerator Project

15000

357. Abbas Mohammed Omer

Lade Dairy Factory Male Erbil

Top

Mountain/Business

Accelerator Project

15000

358. Shwan Aziz

Mohammed

Shad Group

Company Male Erbil

Top

Mountain/Business

Accelerator Project

15000

359. Aras Rasoul

Mohammed

Zahoor Al Badiya

Dairy Factory Male Erbil

Top

Mountain/Business

Accelerator Project

15000

360. Zeyad Abdalwahab

Thanon

Al Jawhara Tahini

Factory Male Erbil

Top

Mountain/Business

Accelerator Project

15000

361. Farhan Rahman

Khader Delgash Poultry Farm Male Erbil

Top

Mountain/Business

Accelerator Project

15000


362. Tahsin Yassin Wes Tarjan Fish Farm Male Erbil

Top

Mountain/Business

Accelerator Project

15000

363. Sahera Saleh Sharef Saffron cultivation Female Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

364. Hanan Saeed Smart Home Nursery Female Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

365. Hiba Mohammed

Ganem Cleaning services Female Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

366. Teba Hani Fathi Computer Aided

Design Female Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

367. Manal Mohammed

Khair Sheit Decorations Female Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

368. Basil Ayad Saeed Heritage tourism Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

369. Qasem Earob Qasem Renewable energy Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

370. Omar Rasheed

Abdulhameed

Closed Circuit TV

digital storage Male Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

371. Abdulla Abd Auad Online education Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

372. Ali Majeed Ali Recycling Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

373. Husam Tariq Ahmed Personal protective

equipment (PPE) Male Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

374. Ali Abdulhakim

Abduljabar Beekeeping products Male Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

375. Basil Ayad Saeed Paper bag

manufacture Male Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

376. Khaled Aziz

Muhammad Siddiq Mobile phone service Male Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

377. Alaa Mohammed

Shamdeen Library Male Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

378. Ali Saeed Hmad Sweets and cakes Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

379. Ammar Mohammed

Younis

Car maintenance and

repair service Male Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

380. Faris Ibrahim Hassan Damaged plastic

shredding project Male Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

381. Hassan Ibrahin Hassan Library Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

382. Mohammed Hasan

Mohammed Solar power panels Male Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

383. Mohammed Mahidi

Saleh Hussein Library Male Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

384. Suhaib Yahya Translation Company Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

385. Wadahh Abdulkhaleeq Administrative office

services Male Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

386. Younis Ismael Restaurant Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

387. Alaa Talal Internet services Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

388. Husam Tariq Ahmed Car services Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

389. Zahraa Fuad Salim Handcrafts Female Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

390. Qloob Isaa Jarjes Sweets and bakery

project Female Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000


391. Aahad Talal Abdullah Household items Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

392. Abdulaziz Abdulqader Studio Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

393. Ahmed Kamal Carpet washing Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

394. Ahmed Kamal Factory for

disposable cups Male Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

395. Amira Khudida Photocopy and

banners printing Female Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

396. Fahad Mohammed Plumbing Services Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

397. Gassan Abdulghani Water Treatment

Unit Male Mosul Human Appeal Org.

3000

398. Karam Jalal ISP and photocopy Female Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

399. Mohammed Khuder Tommato paste

factory Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

400. Omar Sinan Wasla Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

401. Rita Khalid Library Female Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

402. Saad Mohammed photocopy and

staitionary Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

403. Saad Salim ISP Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

404. Ali Salim Qadoori Safari Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

405. Shahad Khalid Queen Store Female Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

406. Sura Ahmed Cosmetics Female Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

407. yahya taufeq yahya Medical Supplies Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

408. Aveen Qadree Ismaeel Sweets factory Female Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

409. Farah Majid Dinha Accessories hand

made Female Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

410. Hassan Mahmood

Hassan Mobile accessories Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

411. Jeyan Khalid Abdulla Travel Agency Female Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

412. Mohand Nathem

Kamil Poultry field Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

413. Murtatha Mohamed

Sultan Hatching eggs Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

414. Mohanned Hussein

Hammad Plastic Factory Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

415. Radwan Abdulmaged

Hammoodi Internet provider Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

416. Yousif al Nuaimi Dakakena Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

417. Hamid Mahmood Kwaisy Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

418. Abdullah al Rashedy Mosul frame Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

419. Ammar Ahmed Dalilaq Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

420. Hussan Tawfiq Dhay Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

421. Muaed Khalid

Mohammed

Qutajy / Mobile cars

wash Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

422. Said Basman Said Aqary / Application

for real state Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

423. Yusif Jasim

Muhammed

LangMemo -

Languages learning

App

Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

424. Hassan Ali Suliman Mini market Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

425. Nazar Salahadin

Ahmed Glasses services Male Mosul Human Appeal Org. 3000

426. Bashar Mushir Jutiar Potato

Processing Facility Male Duhok Finnfund 7,000,000


427. Ahmed Hazim

Almshhadani and his

family

Al-Hadbaa Food

Industries Co. Ltd

(Basha Cola Factory)

Male Ninewa Plain-

Tal Kayf Finnfund 5,000,000

428. Mohamed Ismael Hawkary Group Male Erbil IFC 10,000,000


Processing Facility Male Duhok IFC 7,000,000

430. Sahera Salih Sharef Saffron Cultivation Female Mosul KH Company (owner

of Jutiar potato) 1,000


Processing Facility Male Duhok Khudairi Group 7,000,000

432. Duraid Salm Jbo and

family Al-Aseel Co. Male Ninewa Plain NIF-Equity 800000

433. Karam Hasso Gajo Gajo Co. Male Qaraqosh-

Hamdaniya NIF-Equity 240000

434. Samim Dakhil Sleman

Samim Sesame Oil

and Molasses

Factory’s

Male Bashiqa NIF-Equity 500000

435. Dajel Sabeh Shamon Sabeh Agricultural

Company Male Ninewa Plain NIF-Equity 6000000

436. Rabee Elias Bahnam Al-Ghazal Factory Male Hamdaniya NIF-Equity 600000

437. Rami Mukhlf Haeran Ishtar Factory for

Pasta Production Male Bashiqa NIF-Equity 100000

438. Mohammed Mahfouz

Kheiraddine

Al Sahel Al Akhdar

Hotel Male Mosul NIF-Equity 1700000

439. Mohammed Ismael Pharma Distribution

Co. Male Erbil NIF-Equity 50000000

440. Mohammed Ismael Mistawfy Group Male Erbil NIF-Equity 5000000

441. Dana Sabah Qadir Erbil Delivery Male Erbil NIF-Equity 150000

442. Abdulla Naif Darwish Al Aela Tahini Male Bashiqa NIF-Equity 1000000

443. Yadgar Merani Lezzoo Male Erbil NIF-Equity 1000000

444. Nihad Ishaq Issa

Bartulla Factory

/Medical Supplement

Factory

Male Ninewa Plain NIF-Equity 3000000

445. Adib Jarjis Younis Thaker Rashy Factory Male Ninewa Plain NIF-Equity 100000

446. Yadgar Merani Lezzoo Male Erbil Northern Gulf

Partners LLC-Loan 1000000

447. Alkhatab Salam Sabri Coconut café and

restaurant Male Erbil Blumont- GIZ 3500

448. Ahmed Najwan

Tawfeeq Gilgamesh Male Erbil Blumont- GIZ 3200

449. Carolin William

Meyiah CM - Artima Co. Female Erbil Blumont- GIZ 3500

450. Hussain Ali Tawfiq Dhay Antiques Male Erbil - Mosul Blumont- GIZ 3500

451. Yousif Alneamy Dakakenna

Application Male Mosul Blumont- GIZ 3500

452. Omar Sinan

Dhyaaaldeen Wasla App Male Erbil - Mosul Blumont- GIZ 3500

453. Sahar Abdulhakem

Shaker Fatera W Chai Female Erbil - Mosul Blumont- GIZ 3500

454. Karam Hasso Gajo /

Sinan Hasso Gajo Gajo Co. Male Erbil Blumont- GIZ 3500

455. Omar Ali Abbas Masters gym Male Erbil Blumont- GIZ 3500

456. Abdulmalik Ahmed

Alisawy Training center Male Anbar Blumont- GIZ 3000

457. Ahmed Hameed Saleh Rachetah App Male Anbar Blumont- GIZ 3000

458. Hani Aswad Unisol Agency Male Anbar Blumont- GIZ 3000

459. Ahmed Monim Travel and tourism Male Erbil Blumont- GIZ 3000

460. Zaid Waleed Muneer Honey apiary Male Anbar Blumont- GIZ 3000

Grand amount total 163,391,430


ANNEX 4: List of 64 SMEs that Secured Financing through IGPA/NIFI Facilitation

# SME Name Financing Source Location Amount

Secured (USD)

Jobs

Created

1 Handcraft JDA Ninewa Plains 600 2

2 Photo Copier JDA Ninewa Plains 1,100 2

3 Renting dresses JDA Ninewa Plains 600 2

4 Hair Dressing JDA Ninewa Plains 600 2

5 CM-Sewing IOM Erbil 14,300 5

6 Elsa Women’s Gym (Fitness

project for women in Al-Qush) IOM Ninewa 15,000 3

7 Baby day care IOM Ninewa Plains 23,774 9

8 Abed Cristo Beekeeping Project IOM Ninewa 15,000 5

9 Al-Ekhwan shops to sell tires,

batteries, and hand tools

IOM Ninewa 9,000 3

10 Al-Kubba Al-Sharqia (Ready-to-

eat packaged food factory)

Grofin Erbil 60,000 4

11 Al-Mubdoon Private Schools Grofin Ninewa 60,000 5

12 Lezzoo Northern Gulf Partners

LLC

Erbil 475,000 10

13 Al-dar Albadaá for tail production Grofin Ninewa 60,000 5

14 Ain AlSayed for General

contracting

Grofin Ninewa 90,000 10

15 Al-Qush Antiques Store Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -

Zero interest loan) Ninewa 5,000 1

16 Altahani Photography Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -

Zero interest loan)

Ninewa 4,200 1

17 Women and children cloth Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -


18 Potato Chips Factory Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -

Zero interest loan)

Ninewa 4,200 1

19 Beekeeping business Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -


20 Plastic factory Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -

Zero interest loan)

Ninewa 4,200 1

21 Laundry Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -

Zero interest loan)

Ninewa 4,000 1

22 Laundry Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -

Zero interest loan)

Ninewa 4,200 1

23 Clothes boutique Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -

Zero interest loan)

Ninewa 4,200 1

24 Women hair dressing salon Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -


25 Women hair dresser Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -

Zero interest loan)

Ninewa 4,200 1

26 Grocery store Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -



Zero interest loan)

Ninewa 10,000 1




Zero interest loan)

Ninewa 4,200 1


30 Accessory store Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -

Zero interest loan)

Ninewa 4,200 1

31 Blacksmith shop Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -


32 Restaurant Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -

Zero interest loan)

Ninewa 2,500 1

33 Paint shop Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -


34 Construction and maintenance

material

Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -

Zero interest loan)

Ninewa 4,200 1

35 Electric repair workshop Ashur Bank (TAMKEEN -

Zero interest loan)

Ninewa 4,200 1

36 Shad Group Grofin Ninewa 70,000 5

37 Hizheer resturant Grofin Ninewa Plains 60,000 7

38 Black Ace company IOM Sulamaniya 23,100 6

39 Al-Baghdadi restaurant for fast

food

SPARK Erbil 5,000 2

40 Taj Al Akhwaein Chemonics DCEO Ninewa Plains 25,000 4

41 Ihsan Optical Clinic NBI Dahuk 41,000 2

42 Al-Kubba Al-Sharqia (Ready-to-

eat packaged food factory) Chemonics DCEO Erbil 31,000 4

43 Al-Siraj painting factory Chemonics DCEO Ninewa 72,000 10

44 Batam Factory Chemonics DCEO Erbil 52,000 8

45 Jutiar Potato Processing Facility

(K.H Company)

Chemonics DCEO Dahuk 120,000 4

46 Al Aela Tahini Chemonics DCEO Bashiqa-Ninewa 37,000 3

47 Yulia Poultry Farm Chemonics DCEO Dahok-Zakho 52,000 4

48 Smart Home Nursery Human Appeal Org. Mosul 3,000 1

49 Renewable energy Human Appeal Org. Mosul 3,000 2

50 Online education Human Appeal Org. Mosul 3,000 1

51 Library Human Appeal Org. Mosul 3,000 1

52 Carpet washing Human Appeal Org. Mosul 3,000 2

53 Wasla Human Appeal Org. Mosul 3,000 4

54 Queen Store Human Appeal Org. Mosul 3,000 4

55 Plastic Factory Human Appeal Org. Mosul 3,000 1

56 Qutajy Human Appeal Org. Mosul 3,000 2

57 Aqary Human Appeal Org. Mosul 3,000 1

58 LangMemo Human Appeal Org. Mosul 3,000 1

59 Mobdioon Private School Grofin Ninewa-Mosul 400,000 5

60 Qalat Alshahbaa Tahini Factory Chemonics DCEO Erbil 60,000 15

61 Salwan Saka’s Vineyard Chemonics DCEO Erbil 41,000 4

62 Zohoor Al-Badia Dairy Factory Top Mountain Erbil 19,500 2

63 Coconut Café Blumont Erbil 3,500 2

64 Al Noor Al Alam Company Chemonics DCEO Ninewa Plains-

Karemlesh 58,000

5

Total $ 2,121,374 201


ANNEX 5: List of SMEs Featured in the Ninewa Investment Forum

# COMPANY /

PROJECT PRODUCT/SERVICE

PROJECT

TYPE

ORIGINAL

REQUEST PURPOSE

1 Al-Aseel Cold

Storage

Cold Storage Greenfield $800,000 Construction,

Equipment

2 Al-Ghazal Dairy

Factory

Dairy Greenfield $600,000 Equipment and

Working Capital

3 Al-Layth

Company

Appliances Greenfield $12,700,000 Construction,

Equipment, Parts,

Labor

4 Al-Namaa

Project

Beef and Milk Greenfield $750,000 Cattle, Feed, Utilities,

Labor

5 Al-Sahel Al-

Akhdar Hotel

Hotel Renovation /

Expansion

$1,700,000 Construction

6 Alaela Tahini Tahni Revitalization

/ Expansion

$1,000,000 Renovation, Truck,

Working Capital

7 Brilliant

Academy

Kindergarten

School Greenfield $553,000 Construction

8 Diwan Company Mixed Use Real Estate

Complex

Greenfield $50,000,000 Construction

9 Erbil Delivery Web App for

Supermarket Delivery

Early Stage $150,000 Working Capital

10 Gajo Company Tissue Paper

Production

Greenfield $250,000 Equipment, Working

Capital

11 Hawkary Group Pharmaceutical

Distribution

Expansion $50,000,000 Working Capital

12 Ishtar Pasta Pasta Factory Revitalization $100,000 Repair, Equipment,

Working Capital

13 Lezzoo Web App, Ride

Sharing, E-Payments

Seed /

Expansion

$1,000,000 Expansion, App

Development, Sales

and Marketing, Labor

14 Medical

Supplement

Factory

Medical Supplements

Factory

Greenfield $3,000,000 Construction,

Equipment

15 Nahrain

Agriculture

Re-Starting A Calves-

Fattening Business

Greenfield $1,600,000 Construction,

Working Capital

16 Sabeh

Agriculture

Table Egg Production Greenfield $4,500,000 Construction,

Equipment, Working

Capital

17 Samim Tahina Tahini Revitalization

/ Expansion

$500,000 Reconstruction,

Working Capital

18 TeamMart Supermarket Chain Expansion $5,000,000 Working Capital

19 Thaker Rashy

Factory

Sesame Seed

Production

Greenfield $100,000 Construction,

Working Capital


ANNEX 6: Capacity Planning Session for the Provincial Investment Commissions

Day One

On June 30, 2021, the IGPA/NIFI team conducted an interactive capacity-building planning session

with 34 representatives from the Government of Iraq’s (GOI) investment commissions of Anbar,

Baghdad, Basrah, Najaf, Ninewa, and Wasit.

Introduction:

The first session started with introductory speeches by Mr. Benjamin Ryan, Task Order (TO) 4

Team Leader, and Ms. Bridget Burns, IGPA Program Manager, who both spoke about the IGPA

project and the TO4 effort to support the country through a capacity building program for the PICs

to improve their capacity to attract and facilitate investment to their respective provinces.

Relevant Legislation:

The second session consisted of a review and discussion concerning the current National

Investment Laws and Regulations and their impact on the business enabling environment by Mr.

Ahmed Jabbar.

The participants discussed the current law in terms of its goals, achievements, the legislation

controls, the law connecting the NIC with the PICs and the responsibilities of each institution, PIC

structures and by-laws, and what is needed to be done to develop the legal environment to better

support and promote investments in the country.

The group reached a consensus on the next steps to amend the laws and regulations developed as

part of NIFI/IGPA’s engagement with the PICs. The PICs are also committed to abiding by the

process flow of existing laws and regulations regarding investment.

Institutional and HR Assessments:

The third investment planning session consisted of presenting the results of the institutional and

human resources assessments of the six PICs.

The discussions covered the following: the goals and findings of the assessments; the evaluation

criteria, including the PIC’s organizational structure, governance, management practices, financial

resources, service delivery, external relations, and SME assessment capacity; a review of the

investment laws and regulations; the production of a document on previously identified obstacles to

investment in the policy and regulatory arena that directly influence the business enabling

environment; and the templates that were used in the evaluation.

A Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) Analysis exercise was used by each group

to evaluate their capability to carry out their mandated responsibilities. The results of the SWOT

analysis will be one of the inputs in designing the capacity-building program.

The HR Capacity Assessment discussions covered the goals and findings of this assessment;

templates that were used; and the evaluation criteria, which include the PIC’s HR organizational

chart structure, capacity building programs, policies and procedures, information technology systems

used, and the level of employee database sophistication per PIC.


The participants also identified the capacity-building needs of their employees and the recommended

improvements and additional systems and procedures suitable for each PIC.

Day Two

Importance of Strategic Planning

The first session consisted of a discussion concerning the importance of strategic planning,

management, thinking, vision, mission, realistic goal setting, budget management, monitoring, as well

as stakeholder management principles.

The participants discussed the main elements leading to successful strategic planning in a sustainable

way.

The participants worked in three mixed groups to develop strategies for bringing about

improvements in the investment law, the concept of a one-stop-shop and developing an effective

Human Resources policy.

An assessment tool for the productive sectors was presented and discussed with the participants,

focusing on identifying growth opportunities, development impact, and feasibility.

The evaluation covered each of the six provinces Ninewa, Baghdad, Anbar, Wasit, Najaf, and Basrah.

Provincial Economic Profiles

The provincial economic profiles were also presented. The structure and tools used to develop

these profiles, key data, economic sectors, economic indicators, investment opportunities,

investment advantages, and infrastructure in each province were presented in addition to the

challenges that have hindered development, especially the lack of the official data. Suggested

solutions to these challenges were also communicated in the group discussion. It was agreed that

the economic profiles would be updated every year by the provincial investment commissions.

The importance of active investment promotion and the best ways to identify and promote

investment opportunities were also presented during this session.

Investment One-Stop-Shop

The second session consisted of a spirited discussion of the optimal one-stop-shop process flow

required to obtain investment approval and license. Individual PIC presentations on the current

status of their respective PICs in efforts to move toward the ultimate goal of being a one-stop-shop

were also delivered to the overall group. Each province gave a presentation concerning details of

their work, including investment attraction, achievements, main challenges they currently face, and

the primary objective of each investment commission.

Developing the Agribusiness Sector

In the third session, IGPA/NIFI introduced its programmatic focus, which is the development of the

agribusiness sector and particularly the identification and analysis of the most impactful agricultural

commodities for development in each of the six provinces. The concept of value chain assessment

and its importance was explained to the participants.


IGPA/NIFI enlisted the help of each PIC in identifying their specific agricultural commodities with the

greatest comparative advantage, and thus

attractiveness, to potential investors, as well as in identifying the most prospective individual

agribusinesses per province for assessment of possible recipients of IGPA/NIFI technical assistance.

All the PICs voiced their agreement and willingness to assist and be involved in this process.

Conclusion

At the close of the sessions, the PICs thanked the IGPA/NIFI team for its significant effort in

working to build the capacity of the PICs. They also expressed their willingness and enthusiasm to

work with IGPA/NIFI in the coming months and years to improve their ability to identify investment

opportunities, attract investors and support the overall development of the Iraqi economy.

Finally, the Anbar Investment Commission, on behalf of all of the six PICs, presented a special gift

and a certificate of thanks to IGPA/NIFI for its support of the investment commissions.


ANNEX 7: List of Ninewa Agribusiness Value Chain Study Interviewees

# Meeting Date Contact Name Position/Area of Expertise

1 7/22/2020 Syarian Safer Al-Safar Al-Qush Subdistrict Director of Agriculture

2 7/23/2020 Emad Hasan Abdullah Farmer from Zummar Sub-District

3 7/22/2020 Ari Al-Birwari Agronomist from the Ninewa Plains

4 7/22/2020 Edo Hasan Elyas Farmer and Head of Agriculture Committee In Sheikhan

District

5 7/23/2020 Murad Elyas Vegetable Farmer and Greenhouses Expert from Al-Qush

6 7/23/2020 Sinan Isaq Farmer from Hamdaniya

7 7/22/2020 Wael Abd Beekeeping Expert from Al-Qush

8 7/27/2020 Luai Sabah Jaboor Kheder Baashiqa Food Processing – Chicken Eggs

9 7/27/2020 Hameed Hamood Ali University Lecturer - Birds

10 7/27/2020 Abdullah Mohammed Salih Fishing Farm Owner

11 7/28/2020 Sinan Abdulah Al Jalili Jalil Farming - Field Crops Production

12 7/28/2020 Khaled Yassin Muhammad

Abdullah

Hanadi Plant to Produce Corn

13 7/28/2020 Muhidin Kasim Kawther Al-Kawther Farm for Corn Production

14 7/29/2020 Najdat Canon Jrod Beekeeping Expert- Bashiqa

15 7/29/2020 Qaedar Hasan Juma Director of Olive Branch Organization in Baashiqa

16 7/30/2020 Bashar Yousif Jomoo Al-Nahrain Association for Agriculture and Calves

Breeding

17 7/30/2020 Rabee Elias Bahnam Owner Of Al-Ghazal Dairy Factory

18 8/10/2020 Omar Hashim Yhya! Faculty of Agriculture - Northern Technical University

19 8/10/2020 Nameer Uwaid Potatoes and Vegetables Farmer

20 8/11/2020 Abdulmun'm Nayf Al-Jboury Ninewa Center for Consulting and Research (NCCR)

21 8/11/2020 Yousif Abdullah Yassin Mosul Agriculture Mechanical Company

22 8/12/2020 Ammar Salah Sami Senior Agriculture Engineer and Researcher at Ministry of

Agriculture

23 8/12/2020 Dr. Abdulbir Ahmed Noury Dean of the Agricultural Technical College

24 8/13/2020 Duraid Kaki Agricultural Machineries and Spare Parts Trader

25 8/30/2020 Dr. Duraid Hikmat Tobya General Director - Ninewa Department of Agriculture

26 8/26/2020 Wisam Shakha Agricultural Expert - Olive, Grapes and Vegetables

27 8/29/2020 Esam Bihnam Matti Mayor of Hamdaniya

28 9/18/2020 Raad Al Abasi Ninewa Governor’s Assistant for Planning Affairs

29 10/1/2020 Basim Bello Yousif Mayor of Tal Kayf


ANNEX 8: Investment Promotion and Strategic Planning Training for Six Provincial

Investment Commissions and the National Investment Commission

Part 1: February 28 - March 2, 2022

Part 2: March 15 – 17, 2022

Key findings

Some of the key findings from the two batches of workshops are summarized below.

1. The National Investment Commission (NIC) Board of Directors has 11 members, but only four

come from the private sector. Therefore, the NIC and the PIC need to look at the profile of the

board directors and evaluate the extent to which the private sector participates in the governance

of the investment commissions.

2. The Investment Commissions function more as investment licensing, not promotion agencies. The

PICs are essentially departments preparing administrative fiat for investors.

3. Commissions are receiving feasibility studies from investors, but these studies lack sufficient

information to be evaluated on merit. It is unclear what efforts the commissions spend to educate

investors on preparing feasibility studies. Note. Based on this need and demand from NIC, IGPA

began training on investment projects feasibility studies review for PICs and NIC.

4. The process of granting an investment license, which takes up to one year, is unduly long. Some

relevant departments are unwittingly obstructing the approval by their circuitous processes.

5. The commission’s investment map is excessively long and not grounded on sound analysis and a

robust long-term plan.

6. In Iraq, the statistical data sources in Arabic and English are grossly deficient and hardly useful for

international investors. COSIT, the Iraqi government’s statistical organization, and the Central

Bank are unable to provide solid and relevant data.

7. Investment in residential housing projects seems to be an important segment of the projects

submitted to the commissions. However, IGPA thinks these projects are best handled by the

Urban Planning Departments, not the NIC or PICs unless the project involves foreign direct

investments or PPP.

8. The NIC wants to develop industrial cities, but their utility and relevance to the beneficiary

populations are undetermined (i.e., do Iraqis want to live in industrialized areas?)

9. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects do not belong to the portfolio of the investment

commissions.

10. Iraq’s One-Stop shop is not a one-stop-shop as it is understood in the profession. One-stop shops

are related to facilitation, not to licensing.

11. Officers do not spend enough time promoting, facilitation, and after-service care.

12. The PICs’ single most powerful promotion tool currently is its website. Yet, the PIC website

either cannot be accessed, can be accessed but only in Arabic, or are not informative. It is

unknown to what extent social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn) are used as

13. promotional tools. However, it appears that social and traditional media are not being mobilized in

investment promotion efforts.


14. Iraq’s diplomatic missions overseas are not really involved in Foreign Direct Investment

promotion. No workshops/training seems to be organized to capacitate diplomats abroad, which

is a missed opportunity.

15. The commissions are overstaffed. The staff’s time is not maximized, and it seems that many are

unmotivated. The language barrier is significant. For example, command of the English, Chinese,

Spanish, French, and Russian languages is not widespread. The commissions have not kept up with

modern communication practices (specifically email), and the culture of business correspondence

needs to be upgraded.

Action Points

IGPA proposed nine action points, suggesting that the NIC and PICs select three points for

implementation.

1. Formulate a draft Strategic Plan based on a vision and investment policy.

2. Develop a project profile template and complete the template using a feasibility study or business

plan.

3. Collect additional questions for the investor inquiry handling.

4. Develop an investor tracking system.

5. Develop key performance indicators for monitoring and evaluation.

6. Review their website and suggest an improved architecture.

7. Initiate the development of a land bank portal.

8. Organize a meeting with representatives of the industrial sector (Chambers of Commerce and

Industry, Employers’ Associations, etc.). Identify two areas of regulatory reform and carry out a

regulatory impact assessment.

9. Investor Aftercare: formulate a strategy for value-added business services.

Steering Committee Members

# Name Position Province

1 Dr. Adil Al Mukhtar Advisor to Parliament Agri. Committee Chairman of

Committee

2 Dr. Ibrahim Al-Saadi, PM advisory commission Rapporteur

3 Mr. Abdul Hassan Al-Abadi Head of Agricultural Association in Basrah Vice Chairman

4 Mr. Hassan Al Timime Chairman of the General Union of Farmer Association in Iraq Member

5 Mr. Riyadh Shaddad Al

Faris

Farmer & President of Al-Zubair Agricultural Association Basrah Member

6 Mr. Nadim Kadhem O/B Department of Agricultural Extension MOA Member

7 Mr. Jassim Muhammed

Hasan

Anbar Investment Commission Member

8 Mr. Hisham Sahib HCCPSec Secretary of High Commission Coordinating among

Provinces

Member

9 Mr. Ahmed Husain

Muhammed

Reef Al Khadraa Company for input supplies Member


ANNEX 9: SMEs Referred to the Norwegian Grant

Name Business type Main Product/Service Business

owner

Requested

Amount $ Location

Abdulridha

Mushin Karim

Agribusiness Table tomato farming Male 30,000 Basrah

Hadi Mohsin

Karim


Jafar Sahi Jabir Agribusiness Table tomato farming Male 30,000 Basrah

Raad Sahee Sabir Agribusiness Table tomato farming Male 30,000 Basrah

Naem Mzaal

Jather


Raheem Selman

Shnishel


Ghazi Salem

Yasser

Agribusiness Date palm grower Male 30,000 Basrah

Hassan Jazie Agribusiness Table tomato and

date palm grower

Male 30,000 Basrah

Khaled Karkan

Obaid

Agribusiness Date palm grower Male 30,000 Basrah

Shaker Salman

Kadim

Agribusiness Date palm, fish cages,

alfalfa, and a

hydroponic

laboratory for barley

forage production,

poultry halls

Male 70,000 Basrah

Riyadh Al-Faris Agribusiness Director of the Al-

Zaibar Association for

Farmers

Male 300,000 Basrah


ANNEX 10: Funds facilitated for SMEs

SME/Firm Owner Location Amount $ Type Financial

Source

Employment

impact

1 CM-Sewing Female Erbil 14,300 Services IOM 5

2 Ihsan Optical

Clinic

Male Dahuk 410,000 Medical NBI 2

3 Siraj Painting Male Ninewa 72,000 Paint production DCEO 10

4 Al Akhwaen

Trshi Factory

Male Ninewa

Plains

25,000 Food Industry DCEO 6

5 Mini Market Male Ninewa 3,000 Services Human

Appeal

1

6 Dr. Volt Male Ninewa 3,000 Renewable

energy

Human

Appeal

2

7 Wasla Male Ninewa 3,000 Services -

Transportation

Human

Appeal

4

8 Electrical

Installation

Materials Store

Male Ninewa 3,000 Industry-

electrical

equipment

Human

Appeal

2

9 Al-Kotaji for

Mobile Car

Wash

Male Ninewa 3,000 Services-

Carwash

Human

Appeal

2

10 Queen Store Female Ninewa 3,000 Services - Sewing Human

Appeal

4

11 Al -Talaba

Library

Male Ninewa 3,000 Education Human

Appeal

1

12 Zohoor Al-

Badia Dairy

Factory

Male Erbil 19,500 Food Production

- Dairy Factory

Top

Mountain

2

Total US$ 561,800 41


ANNEX 11: Awards, Recognitions, and Appreciations

The following is a list of appreciation and recognition received by the IGPA/NIFI Project from government

and nongovernment partners since the beginning of the Project.

Date Description Presenter

October 27, 2020 The general manager of Shad Group Company

presented an appreciation letter to IGPA/NIFI for the

technical support and for facilitating their application

and securing a COVID-19 emergency loan from GroFin

as the financial support directly helped the company

overcome its financial crisis.

Shwan Aziz

General Manager of Shad Group

November 02,

2020

Al Dar AL Baida Tile Production Factory owner

presents a thank you and appreciation letter to the

IGPA/NIFI project for the technical support and

securing the COVID-19 relief loan given by Grofin

Company. The loan helped the factory overcome the

epidemic difficulties and restored its capacity for

production.

Thaier Sabhan Mahmoud Hameed

Al Dar AL Baida Tile Production

Factory

November 02,

2020

Ninewa Chamber of Industry presented an appreciation

letter for the efforts made by IGPA/NIFI project to

provide technical and financial support to its registered

companies and factories. Mentioning that the fruits of

the project’s work contribute greatly to the

development of the private sector in Ninewa

Governorate, hoping for more cooperation that will

contribute to the public interest.

Mohammed Ali Hazim Al-

Mashhadany

Chairman of the Ninewa Chamber

of Industry

June 28, 2021 Mahdy Salih Al-Noman, Anbar Investment Commission

General Manager, presented an appreciation letter to

the IGPA project in the view of the initiative given to

developing the reform in the field of comprehensive

government and transparency of the public sector.

Mahdy Salih Al-Noman

General Manager, Anbar

Investment Commission

April 12, 2022 The Anbar Investment Commission general manager

extended the commission’s thanks and appreciation to

the IGPA/NIFI Project for the efforts made by the

project staff in setting up a workshop to improve the

enabling environment for agricultural value chains in

Iraq, hoping for more cooperation in service of the

investment process in Iraq.




April 12, 2022 Anbar Investment Commission General Manager Mahdy

Salih Al-Noman presented IGPA/NIFI project with a

thank you and appreciation letter for the efforts

provided in training the commission’s staff to develop

the performance of investment commissions hoping for

more cooperation to serve the investment process in

Iraq.





ANNEX 1: Proposed amendments to the Investment Law

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE INVESTMENT LAW

General notes on the Iraqi Investment Law No. 13 of 2006, its amendments, and its regulations and

instructions

Legislation contributes to attracting investments to the state and enhancing the investment environment,

which contributes to encouraging doing business in all economic fields and consolidating the state's position

on the map of preferred destinations for investment at the regional and global levels. Legislation is based on

the state's strategic economic and development vision, leading to comprehensive growth in all sectors due to

the integration and cooperation between governmental and private institutions and departments. Therefore,

Iraq’s investment policy faces several challenges, foremost of which is the legislation related to investment.

These are summarized below:

1. Investment Law No. 13 of 2006

2. First Amendment Law to Investment Law No. 2 of 2010

3. Second Amendment Law No. 50 of 2015

4. Residence Law No. 76 of 2017

5. Companies Law No. 21 of 1997 as amended

6. Central Bank Law No. 56 of 2004 (Amendment)

7. Banking Law No. 94 of 2004

8. Industrial Cities Law No. 2 of 2019

9. Industrial Development Law No. 20 of 1998

10. Industrial Investment Law No. 20 of 1998

11. Cabinet Resolution No. 80 of 2013 regarding entry visas and work permits

12. Law No. 21 of 2013 of Sale and Rent of State Funds

13. Regulation No. 2 of 2009

14. Regulation No. 4 of 2013

15. Regulation No. 7 of 2010 concerning the sale and lease of state and public sector funds for

investment purposes and its amendments

16. Foreign Companies Branch Regulations No. 2 of 2017

17. Cabinet Resolution No. 245 of 2019 regarding improving the investment environment in Iraq

The Investment Law No. 13 of 2006 contains the following chapters:

Chapter one: Definitions, objectives, and means.

Chapter Two: The work of the National Investment Commission, Regional, and Provincial Commissions.

Chapter Three: Advantages and Guarantees.


Chapter Four: Obligations of the Investor.

Chapter Five: Exemptions.

Chapter Six: Procedures for Granting an Investment License and Project Establishment

Chapter Seven: General Provisions and rationale

By examining and discussing the articles of the law, its amendments, and related regulations and instructions,

we propose the following amendments:


Article # Original Text Proposed Amended Text

Chapter 1

Article 1 For purposes of this law, the following terms are

identified or defined as follows:

First: Council: The Council of Ministers.

Second: Commission: The National Investment

Commission, the Regional Commission,

or the Provincial Commission, as the

case may be

Third: Chairman of the Commission: The head

of the National Investment

Commission, the head of the Provincial

Investment Commission, or the head of

the Regional investment Commission

For the purposes of this law, the following expressions shall

have the meanings indicated to them:

First: Council: The Council of Ministers.

Second: Commission: The National Investment

Commission, the Region Commission, or the

Provincial Commission, as the case may be. It is

the only entity that the investor deals with.

Third: Chairman of the Commission: The head of the

National Investment Commission, the head of

the Regional Investment Commission, or the

head of the Provincial Investment Commission


Fourth: Regional Commission: The investment

commission responsible for investment

planning and granting investment

licenses in the region.

Fifth: Provincial Commission: The investment

commission in the Governorate Not

Organized in a Region responsible for

investment planning and granting

investment licenses in the governorate.

Sixth: Investment: Investing capital in any

economic activity or Project that

benefits the national economy in

accordance with the provisions of this

law.

Seventh: Project: The economic activity covered

by the provisions of this law.

Eighth: Assets: Machinery, devices, equipment,

mechanisms, tools, means of

transportation, raw materials, supplies,

and office furniture for exclusive use in

the Project, furniture, furnishings, and

supplies for hotels, tourist cities, health,

and educational institutions.

Ninth: Foreign investor: A person who has

obtained an investment license and who

does not hold Iraqi nationality or a

national of a foreign country.

Fourth: Regional Commission: The investment

commission responsible for investment planning

and granting investment licenses in the region.

Fifth: Provincial Commission: The investment

commission in the Governorates Not

Organized in a Region responsible for

investment planning and granting investment

licenses in the governorate after the owner's

approval.

Sixth: Investment: Investing capital in any economic

activity or Project that benefits the national

economy in accordance with the provisions of

this law.

Seventh: Project: the economic activity covered by the

provisions of this law.

Eighth: Assets: Machinery, devices, equipment,

mechanisms, tools, transportation, raw

materials, supplies, and office furniture for use

exclusively in the Project, furniture, furnishings,

and supplies for hotels, tourist cities, health,

and educational institutions.

Ninth: Foreign investor: A person who has obtained

an investment license and does not hold Iraqi

citizenship and a national of a foreign country,

after ascertaining that there are no financial or

legal problems in his country or has not


Tenth: Iraqi investor: A person who obtained

an investment license and holds Iraqi

citizenship, a natural-born citizen, or a

person legally registered in Iraq.

Eleventh: Safe investment zones: The areas

proposed by the National Investment

Commission with integrated economic

activity in various sectors after the

approval of the Council of Ministers.

Twelfth: Developer: Every natural or legal

person who holds an investment license

for strategic projects in the sectors of

building residential cities and investment

areas, or any other development sector

located outside the basic design

proposed by the Commission and

approved by the Council of Ministers.

Thirteenth: Sub-developer: Every natural or legal

person to whom the ownership of part

of the investment project is transferred

for the purpose of developing it within

the projects of major residential cities,

safe investment areas, or any other

sector proposed by the Commission

and approved by the Council of

declared bankruptcy, and has proven his

financial competence provided by banks outside

Iraq.

Tenth: Iraqi investor: A person who obtained an

investment license and who holds Iraqi

citizenship, a natural-born citizen, or a legal

person registered in Iraq.

Eleventh: Safe investment zones: The areas proposed by

the National Investment Commission with

integrated economic activity in various sectors


Twelfth: Developer: Every natural or legal person who

holds an investment license for strategic

projects in building residential cities and

investment areas, or any other development

sector located outside the basic design

proposed by the Commission and approved by

the Council of Ministers.

Thirteenth: Sub-developer: Every natural or legal person to

whom the ownership of part of the investment

project is transferred for the purpose of

developing within major residential cities, safe

investment areas, or any other sector proposed

by the Commission and approved by the

Council of Ministers in accordance with the

basic design of the Project.


Ministers in accordance with the basic

design of the Project.

Fourteenth: Design capacity: The designed

production capacity within a specific

unit of time according to documents

received, machines from the supplier,

and the Project's economic feasibility.

Fourteenth: Design capacity: The designed production

capacity within a specific unit of time according

to documents received, machines from the

supplier, and the Project's economic feasibility.

Fifteenth: Delete (Fifteenth - the investment portfolio: a

group of investments in stocks and bonds.)

Sixteenth: Substitution - Replacing unused lands and

facilities with economically feasible ones.

Article 2 Objectives and Means

This law aims to:

First: Encourage investments and transfer of

modern technologies to contribute to

developing Iraq and expanding and

diversifying its production of services.

Second: Encourage the Iraqi, foreign, and mixed

private sectors to invest in Iraq by

providing the necessary facilities for

establishing investment projects and

enhancing the competitiveness of

projects covered by the provisions of

this law in the local and foreign markets.

Third: Develop human resources according to

market requirements and provide job

opportunities for Iraqis.

Objectives and Means

This law aims to:

First: Encourage investments and transfer of modern

technologies to contribute to developing Iraq

and expanding and diversifying its production of

services.

Second: Encourage the Iraqi, foreign, and mixed private

sectors to invest in Iraq and enhance the

competitiveness of the projects covered by the

provisions of this law in the local and foreign

markets.

Third: Develop human resources according to market

requirements and provide job opportunities for

Iraqis.

Fourth: Protect the rights and property of investors.


Fourth: Protect the rights and property of

investors.

Fifth: Expand exports and strengthen Iraq's

balance of payments and trade balance.

Fifth: Expand exports and strengthen Iraq's balance of

payments and trade balance.

Article 3 The following definitions shall be adopted to achieve

the objectives of this law:

First: Grant the projects covered by the

provisions of this law the necessary

privileges and guarantees for their

continuity and development by

providing support in a manner that

ensures enhancing the competitive

capabilities of these projects in the local

and foreign markets.

Second: Grant projects that obtained an

investment license from the

Commission additional facilities and

exemptions from taxes and fees

according to what is stated in this law.

The following definitions shall be adopted to achieve the

objectives of this law:

First: Grant the projects covered by the provisions of

this law the necessary privileges and guarantees

for their continuity and development by

providing support in a manner that ensures

enhancing the competitive capabilities of these

projects in the local and foreign markets.

Second: Grant successful projects with high economic

returns to the country that obtained the

investment license from the Commission

additional facilities and exemptions from taxes

and fees according to what is stated in this law

based on specific criteria and according to the

instructions issued by the Commission.

Chapter 2

Article 4 National Investment Commission and investment

commissions in regions and provinces;

National Investment Commission and investment

commissions in regions and provinces;


First: According to this law, a commission

called the National Investment

Commission will be formed, enjoying a

legal personality, and it will be

represented by the head of the

commission or whoever he authorizes.

It is responsible for drawing up the

national investment policy, setting

controls for it, and monitoring its

implementation, and it is concerned

with strategic investment projects and

projects of a federal nature.

Second: The National Investment Commission

shall be managed by a board of

directors consisting of nine members

with experience and competence for a

period of no less than ten years, who

hold a university degree commensurate

with the Commission's specialization

and who have not been convicted of a

felony or misdemeanor involving moral

turpitude or have been declared

bankrupt.

Third:

3a) - The Council of Ministers, at the

request of its head, nominates the

Chairman of the Commission at a

minister-level and a Deputy Chairman

at the Deputy Minister level for a

period of five years, and they are

First: Under this law, a Commission called the

National Investment Commission will be

formed, enjoying a legal personality,

represented by the president of the

commission or whoever he authorizes. It is

responsible for drawing up the national

investment policy, setting controls for it, and

monitoring its implementation, and it is

concerned with strategic investment projects

and projects of a federal nature.

Second: The National Investment Commission is

managed by a board of directors consisting of

nine members with experience and

competence for a period of no less than ten

years, who hold a university degree

commensurate with the Commission’s

specialization and who have not been convicted

of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral

turpitude or have been declared bankrupt.

Third:

3a) - The Council of Ministers, at the request of

its head, nominates a Chairman of the

Commission at a minister-level and a deputy

chairman at the deputy minister level for a

period of five years, and they are presented to

the Council of Representatives for approval.


presented to the Council of

Representatives for approval.

3b) - The Prime Minister, upon the

nomination by Commission Chairman,

chooses five members representing the

public sector from the relevant

authorities, provided that their level is

not lower than a director-general and

they should be part-time members of

the Commission's Board of Directors

for a period of five (5) years without

remuneration.

3d) - The term of the Commission’s

Chairman and Deputy Chairman may be

extended upon the expiry of the period

stipulated in Paragraph (A) of this item

and for one time within a period not

exceeding sixty (60) days from the date

of termination of the mandate.

3e) - The Council of Ministers may

remove the Chairman of the National

Investment Commission and his Deputy

at the Prime Minister’s request with the

approval of the Council of

Representatives. The Council of

Ministers may dismiss any of the other

members of the National Investment

Commission or replace a member with

another in the event of the member's

non-compliance of the Commission’s

standards and regulations.

3b) - The Prime Minister, upon nomination by

the Commission's Chairman chooses five

members representing the public sector from

the relevant authorities, provided that their

level is not lower than a Director-General and

they should be part-time members of the

Commission's Board of Directors for a period

of (5) five years without remuneration.

3d) - The term of stay of the Commission's

Chairman and deputy may be extended upon

the expiry of the period stipulated in Paragraph

(a) of this item and for one time within a period

not exceeding (60) sixty days from the date of

expiry of the specified period for one year from

the date of expiry of the original period

In the event of not appointing a new Chairman

of the Commission or not renewing it in

accordance with Paragraph (Third D) above,

the term of the Chairman shall be extended for

a period not exceeding one year, or a

Chairman shall be chosen, whichever comes

first, or can be assigned to one of the

experienced department managers.

The Council of Ministers may dismiss the

Chairman of the National Investment

Commission and his/her deputy at the request

of the Prime Minister and for the following

reasons:

29. If one of the conditions of the appointment

is missing.

30. If he/she commits a misdemeanor or a

felony involving moral turpitude.


3g) - The Board of Directors of the

National Investment Commission meets

at the invitation of its Chairman, and

the quorum is determined, decisions

and recommendations are taken by an

absolute majority, and the workflow is

regulated by an internal system issued

by the Commission.

3h) - The National Investment

Commission is administratively linked to

the Prime Minister’s Office.

Fourth:

4a) - The National Investment

Commission shall consist of the

following directorate and divisions:

18. Administrative and Financial

Directorate

31. If it is proven that he/she committed waste

of public money according to a final court

ruling.

The Council of Representatives and the Council

of Ministers approve the dismissal of any of the

other members of the National Investment

Commission or replacement in the event of the

member’s non-compliance with the Commission's

standards and regulations following the conduct of

an administrative investigation according to Law

No. 14 of 1991 on Disciplining State Employees.

32. The Board of Directors of the National

Investment Commission shall meet at the

invitation of its head, and the quorum is

determined, decisions and recommendations

are taken by an absolute majority, and the

workflow is regulated by an internal system

issued by the Commission.

33. The National Investment Commission is

administratively linked to the Prime Minister.

Fourth: The National Investment Commission shall

consist of a number of administrative

formations determined according to

instructions issued by the Commission with the

approval of the Council of Ministers.

The Head of the National Investment

Commission may create sections according to

the need and necessity, with the approval of the


19. Legal Directorate

20. Economic and Technical

Directorate.

21. Directorate of Relations and

Information

22. Directorate of the Single Window

and Investor Services

23. Department of Coordination with

the Governorates

24. Department of Control and

Internal Audit

25. Information Technology

Department

26. Contracts Department

27. Security Permits Department.

28. Office of the Chairman of the

Commission

4b) - The Chairman of the National

Investment Commission may create a

department according to the need and

necessity, with the approval of the

Commission's Board of Directors, and

its tasks are defined according to the

internal regulations of the Commission.

Commission's Board of Directors, and its tasks

are determined according to the Commission's

bylaws.

Article 5 First: In the Regions and Governorates Not

Organized in a Region, Investment

Commissions are to be formed, which

have corporate personalities, are

represented by their heads or anyone

authorized by the head, are funded

from the region or governorate budget,

and have the authority to issue

First: In the regions and Governorates Not

Organized in a Region, investment commissions

with a legal personality are formed and

represented by their head or whoever he/she

authorizes, and they are funded from the

budget of the region or governorate and have

the powers to grant investment licenses,

investment planning, and encourage investment,


investment licenses, investment

planning, and encouragement, and can

open branches in the area where they

have jurisdiction in coordination with

the National Investment Commission to

ensure that the law is properly

enforced.

Shall be deleted for inconsistency with

Article 8.

Second:

2a) - The head of the Provincial

Commission shall be appointed in

accordance with the provisions of item

Ninth/1 of Article -7 of the Law of the

Second Amendment to the Law of

Governorates Not Organized in a

Region No. (21) of 2008. He/she shall

be the head of the Board of Directors

of the Commission, provided that

he/she is experienced and specialized

and has a job experience of not less

than (10) ten years after obtaining an

initial university degree and appointed

as a general manager for a period of (5)

five years, renewable for one time.

2b) - The head of the Commission is

appointed by a deputy under the title of

an assistant general manager who is

experienced and specialized and has a

job experience of not less than (10) ten

years after obtaining an initial university

degree. The governor nominates three

and they have the right to open branches in the

areas under them in coordination with the

National Investment Commission to ensure

that the law is properly enforced.

Second:

2a) - The head of the Provincial Commission

shall be appointed in accordance with the

provisions of item Ninth/1 of Article -7 of the

Law of the Second Amendment to the Law of

Governorates Not Organized in a Region No.

21 of 2008 (Law 21). He/she shall be the head

of the Commission’s Board of Directors,

provided that he/she is experienced and

specialized and has a job experience of not less

than ten (10) years after obtaining an initial

university degree and appointed as a general

manager for a period of five (5) years,

renewable for one time.


candidates. The provincial council in

the Governorates Not Organized in a

Region selects one of them and is

approved by the governor to be a

deputy for a period of five (5) ears,

subject to extension, and replaces the

head of the Commission in his/her

absence.

2c) - The Commission has a Board of

Directors made up of nine (9) members

including the Commission Chairman

and his/her deputy.

2d) - The governor in the Governorate

Not Organized in a Region, upon

nomination by the head of the

Provincial Commission, selects three (3)

of the governorate's employees working

in the relevant departments whose job

rank is not lower than the director of

part-time members of the board of

directors for a period of (5) five years

without remuneration.

2e) - The governor in the Governorate

Not Organized in a Region and upon

nomination by the head of the

Provincial Commission selects four (4)

candidates from the private sector with

experience and specialization, holders

of an initial university degree, and who

have not been convicted of a felony or

misdemeanor involving moral turpitude

or have been declared bankrupt, as


members of the Board of Directors for

a period of (5) five years without

remuneration for those who own an

investment project inside Iraq.

2f) - The head of the Commission’s

Board of Directors in the region or

Governorate Not Organized in a

Region, and his/her deputy and

members, are required to not be

members of the provincial council or

one of the governor’s deputies or

his/her assistants.

2g) - The Commission Chairman and

his/her deputy may not combine his/her

job with any other official job or

position, and he/she has the right to

return to his/her previous job after the

end of his/her duties or term, in

accordance with the law.

Third: The National Investment Commission

shall determine the mechanism for

forming the Provincial Commission,

including the criteria for appointing

members of the board of directors and

dismissing them if they do not comply

with the Commission's standards and

instructions.

Third: The Commission must issue instructions

specifying the conditions and the legal

mechanism for forming the Provincial

Commission, including criteria for appointing

members of the board of directors and

dismissing them in the event of their non-

compliance.

Article 6 The notifications made through the Commission's

website shall serve as a legal notification that applies

No change


to paper notifications in terms of confidentiality of

periods and authenticity.

Article 7 a) The Commission shall accept investment

license requests for projects whose capital

is not less than the minimum amount

determined by the Council of Ministers or

the Council of Ministers of the region as

the case may be, by a regulation issued

based on the Commission's proposal.

b) The Commission must obtain the approval

of the Council of Ministers before granting

the license if the value of the investment

project is more than two hundred and fifty

million dollars.

c) The Commission shall make its final

decision concerning the requests for

investment license within a period not

exceeding forty-five (45) days from filing a

request.

d) The Commission's decisions regarding the

approved investment projects shall be

obligatory for the purposes of this law.

a) The Commission shall accept investment license

requests for projects whose capital is not less

than the minimum amount determined by the

Council of Ministers or the Council of Ministers

of the region as the case may be, by a regulation

issued based on a proposal by the Commission.

b) The Commission must obtain the approval of the

Council of Ministers before granting the license if

the value of the investment project is more than

two hundred and fifty million dollars.

c) The Commission shall decide on investment

license applications within a period not exceeding

(20) twenty days from submitting the application.

d) The Commission's decisions regarding the

investment projects approved in the above

Paragraph of this Article shall be binding for the

purposes of this law.

Article 8 The Commission shall have an independent annual

budget whose revenues shall be made up of its

allocated amounts in the State Public Budget.

No change

Article 9 The Commission aims to encourage investment by

working on the following:

The Commission aims to encourage investment by working

on the following:


First: Enhance confidence in the investment

environment, identify investment

opportunities, stimulate investment and

promote it.

Second: Streamline the registration and licensing

procedures for investment projects,

follow up on existing projects, and give

them priority in completion with the

official authorities, complete the

procedures for answering investors’

requests, and obtain the necessary

approvals for the investor and the

project.

Third: Establish a single-window that includes

authorized representatives from the

relevant government agencies to

recommend granting the investment

license after obtaining the approval of

the concerned authorities in accordance

with the law.

Fourth: Provide advice, information, and data to

investors, and issue special guideline for

this.

Fifth: Develop and implement investment

promotion programs in the various

regions of Iraq to attract investors.

First: Enhance confidence in the investment

environment and identify and promote

investment opportunities.

Second: Streamline the registration and licensing

procedures for investment projects, follow up

on existing projects, and give them priority

upon approval of the official authorities,

complete the procedures for answering

investors’ requests, and obtain the necessary

approvals for the investor and the project.

Delete the third Item three of this Article as it is a

mechanism for granting leave.

Third: Provide advice, information, and data to

investors, and issue corresponding guidelines

for each.

Fourth: Develop and implement investment promotion

programs in the various regions of Iraq to

attract investors.

Fifth: Facilitate the acquisition of real estate needed

to set up projects in the manner determined by

the Commission in coordination with the

relevant authorities, as follows:

1. Against a subsidy for residential projects

that fall within the basic design,


Sixth: Facilitate the acquisition of real estate

needed to set up projects in the manner

determined by the Commission in

coordination with the relevant

authorities, as follows:

1. Against a subsidy for residential

projects that fall within the basic

design.

2. Without a subsidy for housing

projects that fall outside the basic

design, provided that the value of

the land shall not be calculated

within the value of the housing unit

sold to the citizen.

3. Against a subsidy for other non-

residential projects.

Seventh: Work to establish major investment

zones with the approval of the Council

of Ministers.

2. Without a subsidy for housing projects that

fall outside the basic design, provided that

the value of the land shall not be calculated

within the value of the housing unit sold to

the citizen.

3. Against a subsidy for other non-residential

projects

4.

Sixth: Work to establish major investment zones with

the approval of the Council of Ministers.

Seventh: Encourage Iraqi and foreign investors to

participate jointly with the Iraqis by providing

them with loans and financial facilities in

coordination with financial and international

institutions, provided that the investor's

achievement of 25 percent of the project is

taken into account and the project facilities are

guaranteed. Moreover, an easy interest rate is

determined for housing projects and for the


Eighth: Encouraging Iraqi and foreign investors

to participate with the Iraqis by

providing them with loans and financial

facilities in coordination with the

Ministry of Finance and other financial

institutions, provided that the investor's

achievement of 25 percent of the

Project is taken into account and the

project facilities are guaranteed.

Moreover, an easy interest rate is

determined for housing projects and for

the final beneficiary, provided that the

use of Iraqi labor is commensurate with

the size of the loan.

Ninth: Any other tasks related to the nature of

its work assigned to it by the Council of

Ministers.

final beneficiary, provided that using Iraqi labor

is commensurate with the size of the loan.

Eighth: Any other tasks related to the nature of its

work assigned to it by the Council of Ministers.

Article 10 First: Iraqi or foreign investors enjoy all

privileges, facilities, and guarantees and

are subject to liabilities stipulated by

this law.

Second (1):

2.1a) - Iraqi or foreign investors are

entitled to land ownership dedicated to

residential projects owned by the state

and the public sector. Iraqi and foreign

investors are entitled to buy lands

owned by private or mixed sectors for

residential projects exclusively,

First: The Iraqi or foreign investor enjoys all the

advantages, facilities, and guarantees and is

subject to the obligations stipulated in this law.

Second:

2.a1) - The Iraqi or foreign investor may own

the lands allocated for housing projects

belonging to the state and the public sector,

and the Iraqi or foreign investor may purchase

the land belonging to the private or mixed

sectors exclusively for the construction of


provided that they are not in

contradiction with the basic design

requirements.

Second (2):

2.1a) - Iraqi or foreign investors are

entitled to land ownership dedicated to

industrial projects owned by the state

and the public sector. According to

regulations issued by the Commission,

Iraqi and foreign investors are entitled

to buy lands owned by private or mixed

sectors.

2.1b) - The investment project contract

is concluded with the sectoral

department organizing the

Commission's activity that grants the

license, while a contract related to the

land is concluded with the owning

entity. The land is handed over

according to the investment contract.

2.1c) - Non-disposal sign shall be placed

on the ownership certificate until the

Iraqi or foreign investor finalizes its

commitments as ratified by the

Investment Commission that grants the

license.

2.1d) - Iraqi or foreign investors or

developers shall commit to the purpose

for which the ownership of the land was

obtained; otherwise, they shall bear the

housing projects, provided that it does not

conflict with the uses of the basic design.

2.a2) - The Iraqi or foreign investor may own

the lands allocated for industrial projects

belonging to the state and the public sector,

and the Iraqi or foreign investor may purchase

the land belonging to the private or mixed

sectors according to a system issued by the

Commission.

2b) - In the event that the developer or the

Iraqi or foreign investor who owns real estate

under this law fails to fulfill his obligations

within the period specified in the concluded

agreement, the Real Estate Registration

Department, at the request of the Commission,

shall cancel the registration and return the

property to its previous owner in return

against paying the sale price to him after

collecting the similar wages for that period.

2c) - The developer may transfer the

ownership of part of the investment project,

after it has completed 40 percent of the project

to the sub-developer, with the approval of the

Commission granting the license. The sub-

developer may not transfer the ownership of

the investment project until after the

completion of the entire project.

2h) - The sub-developer enjoys the benefits of

this law and is subject to his obligations from


lease costs throughout the occupation

period.

2.1e) - In case the Iraqi and foreign

investors or developers who owned

lands according to this law are not

meeting their commitments within the

period stated in the related contract,

the Real Estate Department shall nullify

the registration based on the

Commission’s request and return the

land to its previous owner against

returning the sales compensation, after

deducting lease value for such period.

2.1f) - The Iraqi or foreign investor

commits to building residential units

within the period specified in the

agreement and selling them to the

citizens according to instructions issued.

The Iraqi or Foreign investors can use

the remaining non-residential part of

the project throughout the license

period in accordance with the

concluded contract.

2.1g) - The developer is entitled to

transfer part of the project ownership

after finalizing 40 percent of the project

to a secondary developer with the

Commission's approval that issued the

license. The secondary developer is not

entitled to transfer such ownership until

finalizing the whole project.

the date of obtaining a license to invest the part

transferred to him from the project.


2.1h) - The secondary developer enjoys

all privileges of this law and is subject to

its liabilities starting from the day of

obtaining the investment license of the

transferred part of the project.

Third:

3a) Iraqi or foreign investors are

entitled to lease lands or offer them for

lease to the state, private, and mixed

sectors to establish investment projects

for a period not exceeding 50 years,

renewable, with the approval of the

Commission that granted the license

and the competent sectoral entity after

considering feasibility and nature of the

project

3b) - The investment Commission that

granted the license is entitled to agree

with the Iraqi or foreign investor to

return the project to the state, the

region, or the province not affiliated

with a region, after the end of the

license term in accordance with the

terms stated in the concluded

Third:

3a) - The Iraqi or foreign investor has the right

to lease and rent real estate or musataha6 from

the state or from the private and mixed sectors

for the purpose of establishing investment

projects on them for a period not exceeding

(50) fifty years, subject to renewal with the

approval of the Commission granting the

license and the relevant authority after taking

into account the nature of the project and the

economic feasibility, except the industrial

projects built in the industrial cities which

should be owned according to an allowance

and according to the instructions.

50 years, subject to renewal, with the approval

of the authority granting the license, with the

exception of industrial projects built-in

industrial cities, owned against an allowance

and according to the instructions

6 A Musataha Agreement creates a real property right (a right in rem) which entitles its holder to construct a building or to invest in, mortgage, lease, sell, or purchase a plot of land belonging to a third party for a

period of up to 50 years, provided that such acts do not contravene any Executive Council resolutions.


3c) - The investor is entitled to transfer

the ownership of the investment

project in part or in full within the

license period to any other investor

after obtaining the approval of the

Commission that granted the license,

provided that 40 percent of the project

is finalized. The new investor shall

replace the old investor in all rights and

liabilities incurred according to this law

and the investment agreement.

3d) - The body granting the license may

agree with the Iraqi or foreign investor

that the investment project will remain

owned by the investor, land, and

construction or construction according

to whether the project is residential or

non-residential, respectively, and

successively after the end of the license

period without enjoying the benefits,

facilities, and guarantees mentioned in

this law.

3e) - The investor may establish

industrial investment projects and

special warehouses for the agricultural

sector on agricultural lands and

agricultural contracts inside and outside

the boundaries of the basic design.

3f) - The developer or investor may, in

agreement with the concerned

authority, deliver infrastructure services

3b) - The Investment Commission granting the

license may agree with the Iraqi or foreign

investor to return the project to the state,

region, or Governorates Not Organized in a

Region after the expiry of the license period

and with the conditions stipulated in the

agreement concluded with him, except for the

lands belonging to the investors.

3c) - The investor may transfer the ownership

of the investment project, in whole or in part,

during the license period to any other investor

after obtaining the approval of the Commission

granting the license, provided that 40 percent

of the project has been completed.

3d) - The body granting the license may agree

with the Iraqi or foreign investor that the

investment project will remain owned by the

investor, land, and construction or

construction, according to whether the project

is residential or non-residential, respectively,

and successively after the end of the license

period without enjoying the benefits, facilities,

and guarantees mentioned in this law.

3e) - The investor may establish industrial

investment projects and special warehouses for

the agricultural sector on agricultural lands and

agricultural contracts inside and outside the

boundaries of the basic design.


to the project boundaries in accordance

with the agreement concluded with the

developer or investor.

3g) - It is permissible to invest in

suspended projects in all sectors of a

strategic and federal nature, to

rehabilitate and implement them in

coordination with the relevant

authorities to obtain an investment

license from the National Investment

Commission exclusively.

Fourth:

4a) - The ministries and agencies not

affiliated with the Ministry and

Municipalities in the governorate are

obligated to provide suitable real estate

for the establishment of investment

projects, and to inform the National

Investment Commission of their

numbers, areas, ownership, structure,

and uses by preparing a map that is

updated annually.

4b) - In the event that the real estate

owners fail to implement what is stated

in Paragraph (a) of this item within a

period of (60) days from the date of the

request of the National Investment

Commission, the Council of Ministers

may transfer the ownership of the lands

to the Commission without an

3f) - The developer or investor may, in

agreement with the concerned authority,

deliver infrastructure services to the project

boundaries in accordance with the agreement

concluded with him.

3g) - It is permissible to invest in suspended

projects in all sectors of a strategic and federal

nature, to rehabilitate and implement them in

coordination with the relevant authorities to

obtain an investment license from the National

Investment Commission exclusively.

Fourth: Real estates that are allocated for the

establishment of investment projects are

excluded from the provisions of the following

laws and resolutions:

a) Law No. 21 of 2013 on the sale and lease

of state properties and the basis for

calculating sale and rent allowances is

determined according to a system issued

for this purpose.

b) Law No. (35) for the year 1983 on renting

agricultural reform lands for agricultural

companies and individuals, Law No. (42) for

the year 1987 on reorganizing agricultural

ownership, and Law No. (79) for the year

1985 on leasing reclaimed agricultural lands.


allowance, and the Commission shall

allocate it for investment projects.

Fifth: Real estates that are allocated for the

establishment of investment projects

are excluded from the provisions of the

following laws and resolutions:

a) Law No. 21 of 2013 on the sale

and lease of state funds, and the

basis for calculating sale and rent

allowances is determined

according to a system issued for

this purpose.

b) Law No. (35) for the year 1983 on

renting agricultural reform lands

for agricultural companies and

individuals, Law No. (42) for the

year 1987 on reorganizing

agricultural ownership, and Law

c) Industrial Investment Law No. (20) of 1998

regarding the investor's retention of the

plot of land allocated to him under its

provisions.

d) Paragraph (Second) of the (dissolved)

Revolutionary Command Council

Resolution No. (850) on 5/7/79, amended

by Resolution No. (940) on December 21,

1987.

e) \Resolutions of the (dissolved)


numbered (581) on 5/5/1981, (1187) on

9/18/1982, (222) on 26/2/1977 and (165)

on 1/1/1994.


No. (79) for the year 1985 on

leasing reclaimed agricultural lands.

c) Industrial Investment Law No. (20)

of 1998 regarding the investor's

retention of the plot of land

allocated to him under its

provisions.

d) Paragraph (Second) of the

(dissolved) Revolutionary

Command Council Resolution No.

(850) on 5/7/79, amended by

Resolution No. (940) on

December 21, 1987.

e) Resolutions of the (dissolved)


numbered (581) on 5/5/1981,

(1187) on 9/18/1982, (222) on

26/2/1977, and (165) on 1/1/1994.

Article 7 first: The following shall be added to the

item (Second) of Article (11) of the law, and

paragraphs (c) and (d) thereof are:

c) Opening a branch of his foreign company

in Iraq in accordance with the law.

d) Registering a patent for his investment

project in accordance with the law.

Article 7 first: The following shall be added to item

(Second) of Article (11) of the law, and paragraphs (c) and

(d) thereof are:

c) Opening a branch of his foreign company in Iraq in


d) Registering a patent for his investment project in



Article 11 The investor shall enjoy the following benefits

First: The investor shall have the right to pull

out the capital they brought into Iraq

and its proceeds in accordance with the

provisions of this law and pursuant to

the instructions of the Central Bank of

Iraq in a convertible currency after

paying all their taxes and debts to the

Iraqi Government and all other

authorities

Second: The foreign investor shall have the right

to

a) Trading in the Iraq Stock Exchange

with shares and bonds listed

therein and acquiring membership

in private and mixed joint-stock

companies. This does not preclude

the presence of real estate within

the assets of the mentioned

companies.

b) Form investment portfolios in

shares and bonds.

c) Opening a branch of their foreign

company in Iraq in accordance

with the law.

\

The investor shall enjoy the following benefits

First Take out the capital that he brought into Iraq

and its proceeds in accordance with the

provisions of this law and the instructions of

the Central Bank of Iraq and a covertible

currency after paying all their obligations and

debts to the Iraqi Government and all other

authorities.

Second The foreign investor shall have the right to

a) Trade in the Iraq Stock Exchange with

shares and bonds listed therein and acquire

membership in private and mixed joint-

stock companies. This does not preclude

the presence of real estate within the

assets of the mentioned companies.

b) Form investment portfolios in shares and

bonds.

c) Open a branch of their foreign company in

Iraq in accordance with the law.

d) Register a patent for their investment

project in accordance with the law.


d) Registering a patent for their

investment project in accordance

with the law.

Third: Ensuring the investment project with

any national or foreign insurance

company it deems appropriate.

Fourth: Opening accounts in Iraqi or foreign

currency, or both, with a bank in Iraq

or abroad for the licensed project.

e) Third: Ensuring the investment project with

any national or foreign insurance company

it deems appropriate.

Fourth: Open accounts in Iraqi or foreign currency,

with a bank in Iraq or abroad for the licensed

project.

Article 12 This law shall guarantee the following for the

investor:

First: The right to recruit and employ non-

Iraqi workers when it is not possible to

employ an Iraqi with the required

qualifications and capable of performing

the same task in accordance with

guidelines issued by the Commission.

Second: Granting the foreign investor and non-

Iraqis working in the investment

projects the right of residency in Iraq

and facilitating their entry and exit to

and from Iraq.

Third:

a) No confiscation or nationalization

of the investment project except

for projects on which a final judicial

ruling was issued.

b) Not to expropriate the investment

project except for the public

This law shall guarantee the following for the investor:

Amending Paragraph Three (a) with respect to the

investment project with penalties for breach of honor as

specified by the Iraqi Penal Code 111.


benefit, in whole or in part, and fair

compensation.

c) Non-Iraqi technicians and

administration employees working

in any project shall have the right to

transfer their salaries and

compensations outside Iraq in

accordance with the law after

paying their dues and debts to the

Iraqi Government and all other

entities.

Article 13 Any amendment to this Law shall not have any

retroactive affect regarding the guarantees,

exemptions, and rights recognized by this Law.

No Change

Article 14 The investor shall observe the following:

First: Notify the National Investment

Commission, the Region or Provincial

Commission in writing immediately

after the installation and equipping of

the fixed assets for the project and the

date of the beginning of the commercial

activity

Second: Keep proper records audited by a

certified accountant in Iraq in

accordance with the law

Third: Provide an economical and technical

feasibility study for the project and any

information, data, or documents

required by the Commission or other

The investor shall observe the following:

First: Notify the National Investment Commission,

the Region or Provincial Commission in writing

immediately after the installation and equipping

of the fixed assets for the purposes of the

project and the date of the beginning of the

commercial activity

Second: Keep proper records audited by a certified

accountant in Iraq in accordance with the law

This includes investment projects in the event

that the investor has a legal personality.

Third: The investor is committed to the feasibility

study submitted by them, subject to review by

specialized committees that evaluate the study

according to quality controls and standards.


competent authorities regarding the

budget of the project and the progress

made in its execution

Fourth: Keep records of the project's duty-free

imported materials according to the

provisions of this law and specify the

depreciation periods of these materials.

Fifth: Protect the safety of the environment

and adhere to the valid quality control

systems in Iraq and international

regulations accredited in this field, also

the laws related to security, health,

public order, and values of the Iraqi

society.

Sixth: Adhere to the valid Iraqi laws regarding

salaries, vacations, work hours and

conditions, and others as a minimum

Seventh: Commitment to the correspondence of

the work progress schedule submitted

by the investor provided that the time

difference shall not exceed six months,

that the National Investment

Commission shall set forth punitive

conditions in case of exceeding six

months, and that the Commission shall

have the right to withdraw the license


imported materials according to this Law's

provisions and specify the depreciation periods

of these materials with authority granting the

license and subject to its control when entered

and used.

Fifth: Protect the safety of the environment and

adhere to the valid quality control systems in

Iraq and international regulations accredited in

this field, also the laws related to security,

health, public order, and values of the Iraqi

society.

Sixth: Adhere to Iraqi laws regarding salaries,

vacations, work hours and conditions, and

others as a minimum for workers in

accordance with the applicable labor law.

Seventh: Commitment to the correspondence of the

work progress schedule submitted by the

investor provided that the time difference shall

not exceed six months, that the National

Investment Commission shall set forth punitive

conditions in case of exceeding the six months,

and that the Commission shall have the right to

withdraw the license


Eight: Train and rehabilitate its Iraqi

employees and raise their efficiency,

skill, and capacity. Priority in

employment and recruitment shall be

given to the Iraqis.

Eight: Train and rehabilitate its Iraqi employees and

raise their efficiency, skill, and capacity. Priority

in employment and recruitment shall be given

to the Iraqis.

Chapter 5 Article

15 Exemptions The investor shall observe the following:

First: Notify the National Investment

Commission, the Region or Provincial

Commission in writing immediately

after the installation and equipping of

the fixed assets for the purposes of the

project and the date of the beginning of

the commercial activity

Second: Keep proper records audited by a

certified accountant in Iraq in

accordance with the law. This includes

investment projects in the event that

the investor has a legal personality.

Third: The investor is committed to the

feasibility study submitted by them,

subject to review by specialized

committees that evaluate the study

according to quality controls and

standards.


imported materials according to this

Law's provisions and specify the

depreciation periods of these materials

No change


with authority granting the license and

subject to its control when entered and

used.

Fifth: Protect the safety of the environment

and adhere to the valid quality control

systems in Iraq and international

regulations accredited in this field, also

the laws related to security, health,

public order, and values of the Iraqi

society.

Sixth: Adhere to Iraqi laws regarding salaries,

vacations, work hours and conditions,

and others as a minimum for workers in

accordance with the applicable labor

law.

Seventh: Commitment to the correspondence of

the work progress schedule submitted

by the investor provided that the time

difference shall not exceed six months,

that the National Investment

Commission shall set forth punitive

conditions in case of exceeding the six

months, and that the Commission shall

have the right to withdraw the license

Eight: Train and rehabilitate its Iraqi

employees and raise their efficiency,

skill, and capacity. Priority in

employment and recruitment shall be

given to the Iraqis.


Article 16 Suppose the project is moved during the granted

period of the exemption from a development area

to another. In that case, the project shall receive,

for the purposes of the exemption mentioned in

Paragraph (First) of Article (15) during the

remaining term, the treatment of the projects in the

development areas it is moving to, provided that the

National Investment Commission was informed of

such move.

Delete the entire Article.

Article 17 The project that obtains an investment license shall

also enjoy the following:

First: Assets imported for the purposes of the

investment project shall be exempted

from taxes and customs duties,

provided that their entry to Iraq is

made during the construction stages of

the project and before starting the

commercial operation of each of its

stages, according to the basic design of

the project and the period for its

implementation

Second: The imported assets required for the

expansion, development, or

modernization of the project shall be

exempted from fees in case they led to

an increase in the designed capacity,

provided they are brought in within

three years from the date of notifying

the Commission of the expansion or

development. For the purposes of this

law, expansion shall mean adding fixed

No change


capital assets aimed at increasing the

designed capacity of the project in

commodities or services or materials by

a percentage exceeding fifteen (15)

percent. Development, for the purposes

of this law, shall mean replacing project

machines with more developed ones,

totally or partially, or developing

devices and equipment of the project by

adding new machines and devices or

parts thereof to raise the production

efficiency or improve and develop the

quality of the products and services.

Third: Spare parts imported for the purposes

of the project shall be exempted from

fees if the value of these parts does not

exceed (20%) twenty percent of the

fixed assets value, provided that they

are not used for any other purpose.

Fourth: Hotels, tourist institutions, hospitals,

health institutions, rehabilitation

centers, and educational and scientific

organizations projects shall be granted

additional exemptions from duties and

taxes on their imports of furniture,

furnishings, and requisites for renewing

and updating purposes at least once

every (4) four years, provided that

these items are brought into Iraq or

used in the project within (3) three

years from the date of the approval

decision of the Commission on the


import lists and their quantities, and

provided that these items are not used

for purposes other than the imported

purposes.

Fifth:

a) The raw materials imported for the

purposes of the commercial

operation of the project are

exempted from taxes and customs

duties that are included in the

manufacture of the ration card

items, medicines, and construction

(except for the raw materials

available and produced in Iraq)

provided that they are

environmentally friendly.

b) With the exception of what is

stated in Paragraph (a) of this item,

raw materials imported for the

purposes of commercial operation

of the project shall be exempted

from taxes and customs duties in

accordance with the percentages of

local materials’ contribution to the

manufacture of the product,

provided that they are determined

by controls set by the National

Investment Commission in

coordination with the sectoral

authorities.


Article 18 If it is found that the fixed assets exempted, in

whole or in part, from taxes or fees were sold in

violation of the provisions of this law or were used

in anything other than the project or for purposes

other than the authorized purposes, the investor

must pay the taxes, fees, and fines incurred pursuant

to the law.

Delete this Article.

Chapter 6 Article

19

a. Procedures for

Granting

Investment and

Project

Establishment

License

First: The investor shall obtain the license and

obtain the rest of the licenses to enjoy

the privileges and exemptions provided

by the Commission.

Second: The Commission shall grant the license

for investment for project establishment

based on a request submitted by the

investor and shall include the following:

a) Request form prepared by the

Commission.

b) The project financing plan with the

financing entity’s guarantee from an

approved financial institution.

c) Projects performed by the investor

or their associates inside or outside

Iraq, and the parties supporting

them in implementation.

d) Details of the project intended to

invest in and its economic feasibility.

e) A timetable for completing the

project.

Item Third shall be added to Article (19) of the law,

and it shall be read as follows:

First: Establishing a single-window that includes

authorized representatives from the relevant

government agencies, whose task is to obtain

approvals from the competent departments.

Second: The Commission shall grant the license for

investment for project establishment based on

a request submitted by the investor and shall

include the following:

a) Request form prepared by the

Commission.

b) Shall be deleted

c) Projects performed by the investor or

associates inside or outside Iraq, and the

parties supporting them in implementation.

d) Details of the project intended to invest in

and its economic feasibility.

e) Shall be deleted


Third: Granting the investor, after obtaining

the investment license, an investor’s

identity, according to which they enjoy

the privileges, regulated by instructions

and regulations issued by the National

Investment Commission and approved

by the Council of Ministers.

Third:

a) The Commission shall, through the single

window, approach the sectoral entities

through their authorized representatives

referred to in item (First) above regarding

obtaining their approval for the investment

project, and these entities shall issue their

decision of approval, rejection, or request

for amendment within a period of (15)

fifteen days from the date of their

notification. The representative of the

government agencies to obtain the answer

during that period, and the failure to

respond from the authority from which the

opinion is requested during the prescribed

period is considered an approval, and in the

case of refusal, it must be justified.

b) In the event of the passage of the period

referred to in Paragraph (a) of item

(Second) above, or in the event of

unreasonable or arbitrary refusal by the

sectoral authorities, the single window may

submit its recommendation to grant the

investment license to the head of the

concerned authority or the board of

directors, as the case may be, to issue it in

accordance with this Law.

c) After the issuance of the investment

license, all government agencies are

obligated to cooperate with the authority

to complete the requirements to start the


investment project within a period of thirty

(30) days from the date of its issuance.

Fourth: The investment project contract is concluded

with the sectoral entity organizing the activity

or with authority granting the license, provided

that the contract for the real estate is

concluded with the owner.

Fifth: A no-action sign is placed on the title deed until

the Iraqi or foreign investor fulfills their

obligations, with the support of the Investment

Commission that grants the license.

Sixth: Granting the investor, after obtaining the

investment license, an investor’s identity,

according to which they enjoy the privileges,

regulated by instructions and regulations issued

by the National Investment Commission and


Article 20 First: The Commission must issue the

establishing license by establishing a

single-window that includes authorized

representatives from the ministries and

relevant authorities.

Second:

a) The Commission shall, through the

single window, approach the

sectoral entities through their

authorized representatives referred

to in item (First) above regarding

First: The Commission shall issue the investment

license through the single window in the

Commission after studying the request from

the departments and obtaining the fundamental

approvals from the relevant authorities, and

submitting them to the Board of Directors for

a vote.

Second: In case of disagreement between the National

Investment Commission decision and the other

relevant entity regarding granting the license

other than the Region's Commissions, the


obtaining their approval for the

investment project, and these

entities shall issue their decision of

approval, rejection, or request for

amendment within a period of (15)

fifteen days from the date of their

notification. The representative of

the government agencies to obtain

the answer during that period, and

the failure to respond from the

authority from which the opinion is

requested during the prescribed

period is considered approval, and

in the case of refusal, must be

justified.

b) In the event of the passage of the

period referred to in Paragraph (a)

of item (Second) above, or in the

event of unreasonable or arbitrary

refusal by the sectoral authorities,

the single window may submit its

recommendation to grant the

investment license to the head of

the concerned authority or the

board of directors, as the case may

be, to issue it in accordance with

this law.

c) After the issuance of the investment

license, all government agencies are

obligated to cooperate with the

Commission to complete the

requirements for starting the

dispute shall be brought before the Prime

Minister for settlement.

a) Governmental (sectoral) agencies are

obligated to issue approvals, refusals, or

requests for modificati

b) on within a period of fifteen (15) days from

the date of notification. In the event of

failure to respond within the period

specified above, it is considered approval. In

the event of rejection, it must be justified,

and the Commission may then issue the

license and notify the competent authority

of its non-response.


investment project within a period

of (30) thirty days from the date of

its issuance.

d) In the event that the investment

license is withdrawn from the

authority granting the license for

any reason, the investor may file a

grievance with the head of the

concerned authority within (15)

fifteen days from the date of his

notification. The Chairman of the

authority must decide within fifteen

(15) days from the date of

registering the grievance with the

authority, and the non-response

shall, after a prescribed period shall,

be considered the dismissal of the

grievance.

e) In fact, or a ruling, the complainant

whose grievance has been rejected

may file a grievance with the head


Commission within a period of

fifteen (15) days from the date of

being notified of the rejection

decision.

f) If the grievance is rejected or the

period stipulated in Paragraph (e) of

this Article has expired without

considering the grievance, they may

appeal to the competent courts.


Third: In case of disagreement between the

National Investment Commission

decision and the other relevant entity

regarding granting the license other

than the Region's Commissions, the

dispute shall be brought before the

Prime Minister for settlement.

Fourth:

a) When a foundation request is

denied, the applier can request

reconsideration from the head of

the Commission of the Region or

governorate not affiliated with a

region within fifteen (15) days from

the date of the notification of the

rejection. The head of the

addressed Commission should

decide on the request within seven

(7) days from the date the plea was

registered in his office.

b) The plea submitter can object to

the National Investment

Commission within fifteen (15) days

from the date the rejection decision

was issued. The Commission has to

make a decision about the objection

within fifteen (15) days from the

date it was registered at the office


Commission.

c) If the National Investment

Commission refused a foundation

Third:

a) When the establishment request is

rejected, the requester may request

reconsideration of it from the head of the

authority of the region or the

Governorates Not Organized in a Region

within fifteen (15) days from the date of

their notification of the rejection decision.

b) The requester may object to the National

Investment Commission within fifteen (15)

days from the date of issuing the rejection

decision, and the Commission shall decide

on the objection within (15) fifteen days

from the date of its registration in the

office of the head of the National

Investment Commission.

Article (Second) (b) shall be deleted

\

c) If the National Investment Commission

refused a foundation request submitted to

it, the requester can ask the Commission

to reconsider its decision within (15) fifteen

days from the date the requester was

notified of the refusal decision. The

Commission has to make a decision about

the reconsideration plea within (7) seven

days from the date it was registered at the

office of the Commission head. The

Commission's decision can be objected to


request submitted, the requester

could ask the Commission to

reconsider its decision within fifteen

(15) days from the date the

requester was notified of the refusal

decision. The Commission has to

make a decision about the

reconsideration plea within (7)

seven days from the date it was

registered at the office of the

Commission head. The

Commission's decision can be

objected to at the Council of

Ministers within (15) fifteen days

from the date of its notification.

at the Council of Ministers within (15)

fifteen days from the date of its notification.

Article (Third) (a) shall be deleted from the date of its

issuance

Fourth (f): He may appeal before the competent courts

within 30 days

Article 21 The project capital subject to the provisions of this

law shall comprise of the following:

First: Cash transferred to Iraq through banks

and financial companies or any other

legal means to invest it for the purposes

of this law.

Second: The in-kind assets and incorporeal

rights imported to Iraq or purchased

from the local markets by the cash

transferred into Iraq:

a) In-kind assets related to the project.

b) The machinery, tools, equipment,

buildings, constructions,

transportation means, furniture, and

offices appliances required for

establishing the project.

c) The incorporeal rights include

patents, registered trademarks,

No change


technical knowledge, engineering,

administrative, and marketing

services, and the like.

Third: Profits, proceeds and reserves resulting

from the capital invested in Iraq in the

project if the capital of such a project

was increased or was invested in

another project covered by the


Article 22 The foreign investor shall enjoy additional privileges

in accordance with international agreements signed

between Iraq and their country or multilateral

international agreements which Iraq has joined.

No Changes

Article 23 If the project ownership is transferred during the

granted period of the exemption, it shall continue

to enjoy the granted exemption, facilities, and

guarantees until the end of that period, provided

that the new investor continues to work on the

project in the same specialization or in another,

with the approval of the Commission. The new

investor must take the place of the former investor

in the rights and obligations consequent to the


No change

Article 24 First: The investor, with the approval of the

Commission, may sell exempted fixed

assets or relinquish it to another

investor benefiting from the provisions

of this law, provided that he uses them

in their project.

No changes


Second: After informing the Commission, the

investor may sell the exempted fixed

assets to any person or other project

not subject to the provisions of this law

after paying the outstanding fees and

taxes.

Third: The investor, with the approval of the

committee, may re-export the

exempted fixed assets.

Article 25 Suppose two or more companies or enterprises

merge. In that case, the new company or entity

resulting from the merger must set up separate

accounts for each project before the merger to

register and apply exemptions and facilitations

stipulated in this law during the remaining period of

the exemption.

No change

Article 26 Any project approved in accordance with the

provisions of the previous applicable laws shall

continue to benefit from all exemptions granted to

it pursuant to that law and until the expiration of

the exemption period and under the same terms.

No change

Article 27 First: Disputes arising between parties who

are subject to the provisions of this law

shall be subject to the Iraqi law and the

jurisdiction of the Iraqi judiciary, and it

is permissible to agree with the investor

to resort to commercial arbitration

(national or international) according to

an agreement concluded between the

two parties, according to which the

No change


arbitration procedures shall determine

its destination and the applicable law.

Second: If a dispute arises between the partners,

the following procedures shall be

followed:

a) If the project is suspended for a

period of more than three (3)

months, a warning shall be given to

the investor to settle the dispute

within thirty (30) days from the

date of the warning. In the event of

failure to respond, the reluctant

investor shall be charged with a

penalty clause commensurate with

the delay period, provided that the

cumulative total does not exceed

ten percent (10%) of the project

cost.

b) The party in breach of its

obligations shall be excluded after

the expiry of the period stipulated

in Paragraph (a) of this item, and the

non-violating partner or whom he

approves shall replace him in rights

and obligations after obtaining the

approval of the authority granting

the license and without prejudice to

the authority's right to withdraw

the investment license after the

period stipulated in Paragraph ( a)

of this item.


Third: In the event that work on the

investment project is suspended due to

a dispute between the investor and

third parties, and after taking into

account the time period stipulated in

Paragraph (a) of this item, the

Commission may take legal measures to

liquidate the project with notifying the

project owner and depositing the

liquidation amount in a bank after

fulfilling the state's right or any other

rights to third parties, it is established

by a court ruling that it is due, and to

third parties, if it is a lender or financier,

has the right, before the start of the

liquidation procedures, to request the

Commission granting the license to

replace the investor.

Article 28 First: In the event that the investor violates

the provisions of this law, the

Commission may take the following

measures:

a) Sending a warning to the investor to

remove the violation or start

implementing the project within the

period specified by the

Commission.

b) In the event the investor fails to

rectify the violation within the

period specified by the

Commission, a final warning is given

First: In the event that the investor violates the

provisions of this law, the authority may take

the following measures:

a) Sending a warning to the investor to

remove the violation or start implementing

the project within the period of ten (10)

days.

b) In the event the investor fails to rectify the

violation within the period specified by the

Commission, a final warning is given to the

investor for a period of thirty (30) days

from the date of the warning, and upon the

prescribed period, a penalty shall be


to the investor for a period of thirty

(30) days from the date of the

warning, and upon the prescribed

period, a penalty shall be imposed

that is proportional to the amount

of the time discrepancy period,

provided that the cumulative total

does not exceed ten percent (10%)

of the project cost.

c) In the event that the investor does

not respond to what is stipulated in

Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this item,

the Commission may withdraw the

project investment license from the

date of the violation while retaining

the right of third parties to claim

compensation against the investor

for the damage he caused as a

result of the notice of violation

without prejudice to any other

penalties.

Second: The Commission shall withdraw the

investment license if the investor

provides incorrect or misleading

information or uses illegal methods that

result in obtaining any concession or

benefit in accordance with the


imposed that is proportional to the amount

of the time discrepancy period, provided

that the cumulative total does not exceed

ten percent (10%) of the project cost.

c) In the event that the investor does not

respond to what is stipulated in paragraphs

(a) and (b) of this item, the Commission

may withdraw the project investment

license from the date of the notice of

violation, while retaining the right of third

parties to claim compensation against the

investor for the damage he caused as a

result of the violation without prejudice to

any other penalties.

Item (d) shall be added: A mechanism shall

be organized to liquidate investment

projects after the withdrawal of the

investment license through the formation

of specialized committees in the bodies and

the possibility of using experts and

consultants to evaluate the assets of the

investment project for the purpose of

paying them by the new investor to the

previous investor, beneficiaries or any

other party.

Second: The Commission shall withdraw the investment

license if the investor provides incorrect or

misleading information or uses illegal methods

that result in obtaining any concession or

benefit in accordance with the provisions of

this law by virtue of a final judicial decision.


Article 29 All areas of investments shall be subject to the

provisions of this law except:

First: Investment in oil and gas extraction and

production

Second: Investment in banks and insurance

companies sectors.

No changes

Article 30 The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of

Municipalities and Public Works, Baghdad Amanat

and other governorate municipalities, and

Commissions and other departments not associated

with a ministry are committed to providing lands

and properties appropriate for establishing

investment projects and notifying the National

Commission about their numbers, areas,

ownerships, classifications, and uses. The National

Commission assigns them to Iraqi or foreign

investors according to a system suggested by the

National Commission and with the approval of the

Council of Ministers.

1. Ministries and entities not associated with a ministry

and municipalities in the governorate are committed to

providing real estate suitable for establishing investment

projects on them and to inform the National

Investment Commission of their numbers, areas,

ownership, classifications, and uses by preparing a map

that is updated annually.

33. Local authorities are committed to deliver external

infrastructure services to the borders of investment

projects.

In the event that the real estate owners fail to implement

what is stated in Paragraph (2) of this item within a period

of (20) days from the date of the request of the National

Investment Commission, the Council of Ministers must

transfer the ownership of the lands to the Commission

without an allowance, and the Commission shall allocate it

to investment projects.

Article 31 The Commission shall:

No changes


First: Issue regulations to facilitate the

implementation of the provisions of this

law.

Second: Issue bylaws defining the Commission's

formations, divisions, tasks, process of

its work, its authorities, financial affairs,

employee affairs, and any other matters.

Article 32 a) The provisions of this law shall be applied

to the existing and operating projects of

the mixed and private sectors and upon a

request from its management and the

Commission's approval with no

retroactive effect.

b) The public sector projects contracted for

rehabilitation or operation with private

and mixed sectors can have all the

privileges, facilities, and guarantees

permissible by the law. This shall apply to

projects that were contracted before this

law was passed, provided that the

application does not mean exemption

from any fees or taxes which were due

before this law was passed.

c) The Council of Ministers may replace the

lands and facilities belonging to the public

sector in exchange for the establishment

of new facilities with modern production

lines, as an exception to the relevant

legislation in accordance with instructions

issued by the Council of Ministers.

No changes


Article 33 The phrase (Investment License) shall replace the

phrase (project Establishment License) wherever it

appears in the law.

No text shall be valid which contradicts the


No changes

Article 34 The Arab Investment Law no (62) of 2002 issued by

the dissolved Revolution Command Council shall be

annulled.

No changes

Article 35 The following shall be revoked:

1. The (dissolved) CPA Order No. 39 of 2003.

2. The Arab Investment Law no (62) of 2002

issued by the dissolved Revolution Command

Council.

No changes

Article 36 This law shall enter into force from the date of its

publication in the Official Gazette.

No changes


The Investment Law Revision Steering Committee members to work on addressing the legal impediments

consist of the following:

Name Province Title

Ayad Abd Muhsen Anbar Member

Wisam Qais Thanoon Anbar Member

Mohammed AbdalSadda Bazoon Najaf Vice Chairman

Karrar Ali Mijbel Najaf Member

Sufian Hashem Mohammed Ninewa Member

Faisal Naif Mohammed Ninewa Member

Dheyaa Thulal Muhsin Wasit Member

Haider Ali Saoud Wasit Member

Abdulkareem Naeem Khdair Basrah Member

Mntathar Sabah Siwan Basrah Chairman

Taha Saad Fadhooli Baghdad Member

hussain Hamoud Shah Ali Baghdad Member

Jasim Khairi Sarheed Baghdad Member

Abbas Hadi Johi Baghdad Member


ACRONYMS

BDC Business Development Center

BDS Business Development Services

BOI Board of Investment

CBI Central Bank of Iraq

DCEO Durable Communities and Economic Opportunities

GMP Good Manufacturing Practices

IDP Internally displaced person

IFC International Finance Corporation

IGPA Iraq Governance and Public Accountability

IIB Iraqi Islamic Bank

IOM International Organization for Migration

IPA Investment Promotion Agency

IPBL Iraq Private Banks League

KRI Kurdistan Region of Iraq

MEL Monitoring, evaluation, and learning

NBI National Bank of Iraq

NIF Ninewa Investment Forum

NIFI Ninewa Investment Facilitation Initiative

NRC Norwegian Refugee Council’s

NIC National Investment Commission

NTU Northern Technical University

PIC Provincial Investment Commission

SME Small and medium enterprise

TO Task Order

USAID United States Agency for International Development

USG United States Government

final report (amended) - ninewa investment facilitation ... - usaid

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