Coming up! The Iraq National Trade Forum

The second edition of the Iraq National Trade Forum (INTF) will be held in Baghdad from 19 – 20 February 2024.

With support from the government of Iraq, the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, is leading the organization of the Iraq National Trade Forum again this year with funding from the European Union.

Around 200 participants from the agriculture and agrifood sectors, business support organizations, international and regional suppliers, and investors, including Iraqi and International companies, donors, and development partners are expected to attend.

The second INTF comes after the successful first edition held in 2022 that helped secure participating companies potential deals worth USD 2.5 million through more than 170 Business to Business (B2B) sessions, bridging over 70 Iraqi companies with global suppliers and investors.

The B2B event remains an integral part of the INTF to better connect Iraqi micro, small, and medium enterprises involved in farming, food processing, packing, and logistics with international and regional suppliers and investors.

Students from the American University of Baghdad will return for the 2nd year in their iconic red shirts to facilitate B2B sessions between Iraqi and international companies. These interactions are the key for expanding business networks, facilitating business deals, fostering sustainable investments, and promoting innovation while sharing best practices from leading Iraqi agribusinesses.

In addition to plenary sessions, high-level panels with practical workshops, B2B meetings, the 2024 edition of the Forum features:

• Trade exhibition ‘Iraqi Bazaar’ will showcase among other items, hundreds of locally produced items in a pop-up store, giving them recognition and offering a chance to discover and link with Iraq's authentic manufacturers and producers. In order to celebrate the dynamism of the Iraqi food industry and honor the dedicated efforts of its key players to support the sector's economic and cultural importance, ITC will hold an awards ceremony at its INTF event.
• Launch of the label "By Iraqi Hands” will stimulate the food industry and encourage people to buy more local products and support sustainable development. The label will bring visibility to local products and support the local economy. It's a plan based on the development of the national agri-food sector.
• Official launch of Iraq’s Potato Sector Development Strategy; and
• Global launch of ITC’s SME Competitiveness Outlook 2023 report, focused on the impact of fragility on the competitiveness and growth of small businesses.

The high-level event is an ideal occasion to gain market insights, develop global business synergies and benefit from B2B and networking opportunities.

The INTF has become a platform for enhancing awareness of pivotal domestic reforms, aimed at fostering robust private sector development.