The summit, which took place at the Grand Hyatt Dubai on 16-17 February, welcomed an unrivalled line-up of leading Iraqi officials, led by Minister of Defence Abdul Qadir Obeidi. Other leading officials included National Security Affairs Minister Sherwin Shirwan Al Waili, Acting Communications Minister Jassim Mohammed Ja’fer and Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) Interior Minister Karim Sinjari. The summit represents the first meeting of the international business community with an Iraqi delegation of such magnitude.

Elsewhere, discussions were held with the Iraqi Ministries of Interior and National Security, as well as the KRG Ministry of Interior, as Iraq plans to receive more than 2,600 patrol cars, SUVs and pickup trucks from the US, along with another 90 armoured vehicles to aid the security effort. It has been estimated that the country needs at least $2 billion in ammunition, weapons, vehicles, uniforms and equipment, while US authorities have also committed to constructing and upgrading police and border stations as well as operating police training centres throughout Iraq.

One of the leading summit sponsors was the company Zain Iraq, whose CEO Ali Al Dahwi called for the Iraqi and US governments to further facilitate and provide incentives for the private sector to play a leading, stronger and more influential role in the areas where economic development has been held back. Citing the mobile telecommunications business as a private sector success case, he declared that the industry was ready to take a leading role across those areas where their expertise and skills can make a real and rapid impact on the country's development.

Senior representation was also welcomed from the US Department of Defence, with Deputy Undersecretary for Business Transformation Paul Brinkley and Deputy Undersecretary for Logistics & Material Readiness Jack Bell both giving addresses and taking meetings over the two days. The US Government was also represented by the Joint Contracting Command-Iraq/Afghanistan (JCC-I/A), whose incoming Commander Kathleen Dussault was present with her team, and by Multi-National Forces-Iraq (MNF-I).

The significance of the summit and the opportunity for exchanges at such a high level cannot be understated, with the rebuilding of Iraq’s critical infrastructure a prerequisite for the country’s commercial development. Demand for materials and technology within Iraq’s key industry sectors is expected to generate business worth more than $150 billion, with estimates of between £60-70 billion needed to fully implement the projects already underway in the security, energy, construction, transport, technology, healthcare and education sectors.

It is therefore imperative that secure working conditions are provided for both local and foreign contractors, in order for such projects (both short-term and long-term) to be successfully completed, the provision of this being the main objective of this highly successful event.

IDSC Presentations Now Available

A number of keynote presentations were made over the two days, with topic areas covering contracting regulations, defence technology solutions, private security best practice and communications infrastructure. These are all available now to download from the below list:

HE Karim Sinjari – KRG Interior Minister

Guest Speaker

Ali Dahwi – CEO, Zain Iraq

US Government – Keynote Speeches

Hon. P Jackson Bell – Deputy Under Secretary of Defence for Logistics & Material Readiness, US DoD

Captain Robert Gilbeau – Deputy Commander, Joint Contracting Command – Iraq (JCC-I)

Communications Infrastructure

Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi – former Minister of Communications and Member of the Council of Representatives

Laith Al-Saeed – Technical Advisor for Border Security to the Ministry of Communications, Iraq Telecommunications & Postal Company (ITPC)

Bob Fonow – Senior Advisor, Iraq Ministry of Communications

Interior/Private Security

Doug Brooks – President, International Peace Operations Association

Defence Technology

Ali Hasan Tarish – Director General for Electronic Systems Directorate, Iraq Ministry of Defence

Dr Muthana Razoqi Waheeb – Head of Technical Department, Iraq Ministry of National Security Affairs

Mahmood K Sharief – Director General for Information Technology, Iraq Ministry of Science & Technology