Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Frank Lavin will share observations from his recent trips to the province of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, a region in Northern Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, and describe the Commerce Department's economic policy priorities for Iraq in the context of regional economic development.

He will also discuss the recently launched U.S.-Iraq Business and the Business Gateways initiative to promote trade and private sector investment in Iraq.

Some of the issues that will be discussed include:

• What is the status of the current Iraq business environment?
• What is best way to encourage economic reforms in Iraq to promote the private sector?
• How can the U.S. and Iraq facilitate private sector input into economic policy decisions?
• How will economic development in the overall region play a role in Iraq’s development?

Speakers

• Frank Lavin
  U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, Department of Commerce
• Merriam Mashatt, Moderator
  U.S. Institute of Peace

Archived Audio

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