Turkish companies organize first fair in Baghdad since war began

There have been no commercial fairs in Iraq since 2003, when US troops stormed the country to overthrow Saddam Hussein's dictatorship with a promise to bring democracy in the Middle Eastern nation. The US army succeeded in toppling the Iraqi ruler and executing him by hanging, but has failed to establish order in the country. Security is still the most essential issue for investors in Iraq, where dozens are killed by bombs nearly every day.

Forum Fuarcılık, a Turkish fair organization company, is arranging the fair, which will run between Sept. 27 and 29. A presentation on investment opportunities in Iraq will be organized as part of the fair. Additionally, the general directors of the construction, electricity and shopping center divisions of Iraqi public companies working under the auspices of the ministries of trade, industry and construction will hold special meetings during the fair to describe the opportunities available to Turkish companies interested in Iraq.

Forum Fuarcılık Chairman Bilgin Aygül

In addition, officials from 18 chambers of trade throughout Iraq will come to the fair to participate in workshops and discuss business with Turkish companies.

Speaking to the Anatolia news agency, Forum Fuarcılık Chairman Bilgin Aygül said Iraq is an extremely important market for Turkish exporters of construction materials. “The construction material market in Iraq has annual volume of $25 billion. With this size, this country is drawing the attention of the entire world,” he said.

“Iraq has started to breathe again after a hard time. The Iraq had a completely statist economy before the war. Now it is struggling to make the transition to a market economy that favors the private sector,” Aygül noted, recalling a new law in Iraq that tries to attract investments from foreign companies. Today, Aygül said, numerous companies from the region, from the Far East and from Europe have intensified their search for lucrative investment opportunities in Iraq.

Among the companies that have already registered to participate in the upcoming fair are a number of major producers of construction materials, including Eczacıbaşı, Temsa, Hakan Plastik, Kardemir, Polisan, Yol Yapı Kimyasalları AŞ, Türk Kablo, Ege Plastik, Kalyon İnşaat, Mardin Boru Sanayi, Yılmazlar Kablo, Söğütsen Seramik, Arı Arıtma and As Karo.