Dubai Chamber to open office in Iraq next year 

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Abdul Rahman Saif Al Ghurair, chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, announced the opening of a representative office in Iraq's Kurdistan region next year as part of the Chamber's strategy to explore promising markets and to enhance the competitiveness of Dubai businesses in that part of the world.

Emphasising on the decision to set up a representative office in Kurdistan, Al Ghurair further stressed that the new office will help boost the presence of Dubai businesses in the Northern region of Iraq as the country was the second largest destination for Dubai Chamber members' exports and re-exports accounting for 14 per cent of total goods traded with regional partners during the first half of this year.

His words came during the Dubai Chamber organised Country Focus briefing on Kurdistan, held in association with the Kurdistan Regional Government, at the Chamber premises on Tuesday. The briefing was attended by a gathering of Dubai and Kurdistan businesses.

Al Ghurair called upon Dubai-based companies to invest in the emerging market of Kurdistan which he said offers excellent investment opportunities in the areas of construction, infrastructure, tourism, oil and SME industries.

Al Ghurair further stressed that in order to be ahead of the rest, the business community has to be innovative by exploring untapped markets of the world which is Dubai Chamber's priority as the non-profit organisation is working constantly to provide new business opportunities to its members.

The Country Focus Briefing, which was launched in late 2010, aims to introduce Dubai's business community to investment opportunities in emerging export destinations and this time focused on Kurdistan to enable Dubai Chamber members to develop relationships with relevant trade bodies in the northern region of Iraq.