Baghdad-INA
The upcoming visit of Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi to the United States is of strategic importance given the Iraqi government's focus on expanding its economic partnerships with major powers and opening new avenues for cooperation in various fields, particularly investment, energy, technology, and the financial sector,his visit comes at a time when Iraq is seeking to attract foreign direct investment by presenting a range of investment opportunities in vital sectors, as well as strengthening cooperation with leading American companies, in line with the government program aimed at diversifying the economy.
In this regard, Member of Parliament Wafaa al-Tai affirmed that Iraq now possesses a supportive legislative environment for investment, noting the necessity of taking measures that will attract investments.
Al-Tai told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi to the United States represents "an important step in strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in the economic and investment sectors."
She explained that "the visit is expected to expand opportunities for cooperation with American companies, as well as explore avenues for collaboration in the energy, infrastructure, and technology sectors,” She added that "this visit reflects the Iraqi government's commitment to strengthening international partnerships and bolstering confidence in the Iraqi economy, which will contribute to supporting development efforts and attracting more high-quality investments to the country."
She added that "Iraq provides a legislative framework that facilitates foreign investment in the Iraqi market, through a set of laws and regulations that grant foreign investors the necessary guarantees and facilities, Foremost among these is the Investment Law, which provides incentives and exemptions, ensures the protection of foreign capital, allows for foreign ownership of projects in numerous sectors, and streamlines investment procedures."
She explained that "the government continues to work on developing the legislative environment to attract more foreign investment and enhance its contribution to achieving economic development." She emphasized that "Iraqi legislation has also addressed the issue of administrative bureaucracy by simplifying investment procedures, adopting the one-stop-shop principle, and setting timeframes for completing investor transactions,This has contributed to reducing administrative complexities and achieving positive results on the ground."
She explained that "these reforms have directly improved the investment climate and facilitated investor entry into the Iraqi market, while the government continues its efforts to develop administrative performance and enhance the efficiency of procedural implementation."
For his part, the financial advisor to the Prime Minister, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, affirmed that economic relations between Iraq and the United States are undergoing a qualitative transformation, shifting from a security and military focus to a broad investment and development partnership that aligns with the objectives of Iraq's Vision 2050.
Salih told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that "current American investments in Iraq are estimated at tens of billions of dollars, concentrated in the oil, gas, and electricity sectors, while the volume of foreign direct investment in Iraq amounts to approximately $67 billion,” He added that "Iraq aspires to expand this partnership through the establishment of the Iraqi-American Energy and Development Fund, whose funding could reach $400 billion over thirty years."
He added that "the fund will initially be financed by the production of approximately 500,000 barrels of oil per day, with the potential to gradually increase production to two million barrels per day, thus supporting the implementation of major strategic projects," He noted that "the government is working to enhance the attractiveness of the investment environment for American companies by granting them priority in future contracts on a competitive basis, directing the Ministries of Oil, Electricity, and Communications to expand areas of cooperation with them, in addition to opening the Iraqi-American Business Council in Baghdad, updating investment legislation, simplifying company registration procedures, and providing sovereign guarantees for strategic projects."
Salih explained that "the anticipated visit of Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi to the White House in July 2026 is expected to strengthen this path by translating political understandings into tangible economic contracts and projects."
He affirmed that "Iraq, in parallel, continues its policy of diversifying its international economic partnerships to achieve balance in its economic relations, reduce dependence on any single entity, and enhance its ability to manage its economic interests in a way that serves its national and strategic objectives." He noted that "the targeted investments will contribute to the development of the energy sector and infrastructure through the implementation of projects that include the development of the West Qurna (2), Nasiriyah, and Akaz oil fields, and the establishment of power generation projects with a capacity of up to 27,000 megawatts in cooperation with major American companies, in addition to the construction of liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals and the rehabilitation of the Kirkuk-Banias pipeline."
He explained that “these projects will contribute to the transfer of modern technology, enhance national capabilities, develop local skills, increase interdependence between different economic sectors, as well as support economic growth, diversify sources of income, reduce dependence on oil, create new job opportunities, and support reconstruction efforts,” stressing that “this shift in Iraqi-American economic relations represents a promising strategic opportunity, but its success requires the continuation of economic and institutional reforms, improving the investment and business environment, and enhancing transparency and the rule of law, in order to ensure the attraction of investments, technology, and expertise in a sustainable manner.”
For his part, the head of the Dhi Qar Investment Authority, Ali al-Dakhili, affirmed that Iraq possesses promising investment opportunities in several vital sectors, emphasizing the importance of attracting foreign investment, particularly from the United States, to support economic development.
Al-Dakhili told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The upcoming visit of Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi to the United States this month will have a significant impact on encouraging investment in various vital sectors, especially in the pharmaceutical industry, which is a priority given Iraq's need to develop this sector and benefit from advanced expertise and technologies in this field."
He added, "We can also benefit from the American experience in developing the banking sector, automating banking operations, and adopting modern financial systems that would enhance transparency, regulate the flow of funds, and provide a more attractive investment environment, thus contributing to reducing corruption and improving the management of financial resources."
He pointed out that "investment priorities also include establishing petrochemical and chemical industries projects and developing refineries, in addition to implementing residential complex projects to provide suitable housing units for citizens," stressing that "these sectors represent fundamental pillars of economic development in Iraq."
Al-Dakhili stated that "the investment environment in Iraq is safe and transparent," considering that "strengthening economic cooperation with the United States can contribute to increasing investor confidence."
He called for "expanding American investments and reducing reliance on Chinese, Russian, and British investments, in line with the government's directives."
He affirmed that "the electricity, housing, and industrial sectors represent the most prominent investment priorities during the coming phase," noting that "the presence of significant American investments in Iraq would enhance the stability of the investment environment and support the protection of shared interests."
Furthermore, the Secretary-General of the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce, Muhammad Riyad al-Jubouri, affirmed that Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi visit to the United States represents an important opportunity to strengthen the Iraqi-American partnership, particularly in the commercial and investment fields, which will contribute to attracting American companies and implementing strategic projects in Iraq.
Al-Jubouri told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that "American investments possess numerous advantages, most notably high financial solvency, economic stability, transparency, and institutional organization, in addition to their ability to transfer modern technology and expertise, which supports the diversification of the Iraqi economy and adds value to investment projects."
He added that "American companies rely on robust global financial markets, such as the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, as well as major investment funds, which provides diverse sources of funding for major projects and enhances opportunities for establishing long-term strategic partnerships." He pointed out that "expanding economic cooperation with the United States would support economic reform, diversify revenues, and develop the infrastructure, energy, and electricity sectors, as well as consolidate the principles of governance and transparency."
Al-Jubouri explained that attracting American investments requires providing a safe and transparent business environment, legislative stability, administrative, financial, and banking reforms, in addition to facilitating the movement of capital and providing legal guarantees to protect investors.
He explained that it is also essential to "activate the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) between Iraq and the United States, and open more flexible channels of cooperation with major American banks to facilitate the movement of capital and profits, as well as develop infrastructure in airports, ports, transportation and communications networks, and protect intellectual property rights."
He emphasized that "the next phase requires directing investments toward non-oil sectors, primarily renewable energy, petrochemicals, agriculture, and information technology, in order to contribute to building a more diversified and sustainable national economy."
For his part, financial and economic expert Safwan Qusay affirmed that developing the government system is one of the most important priorities of the government program, through rehabilitating government units, enhancing transparency levels, and modernizing government accounting systems in line with international standards.
Qusay told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that "adopting international accounting standards is a fundamental requirement for attracting foreign investment, as it provides reliable financial information that complies with global standards, in addition to developing the Iraqi stock market to allow international companies to be listed and operate within the local investment environment."
He added that "the government also aims to develop Iraqi public and private banks, enabling them to attract international capital and direct it towards income-generating projects in various sectors," noting that "developing the infrastructure in the banking, telecommunications, and smart systems sectors contributes to creating an attractive environment for foreign direct investment."
He explained that "working in accordance with international laws and regulations, particularly in the areas of commercial activity, insurance, and international arbitration, as well as developing disclosure and trading systems and electronic cloud services, enhances confidence in the Iraqi economy and increases its ability to attract investments."
Qusay pointed to "the importance of cooperating with international auditing firms with a global reach, with the aim of attracting strategic investors who seek to achieve sustainable returns through long-term investment, rather than investors who target short-term speculation," stressing that "the Iraqi economy needs quality investments that contribute to sustainable development in various sectors."
He explained that “Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi visit to the United States of America, and the presentation of specialized investment packages and opportunities covering various economic sectors, will encourage American investors to enter the Iraqi market, which will enhance the competitiveness of the Iraqi economy and contribute to attracting more investors from various countries around the world.”