A meeting with representatives from the Kurdistan region of the Republic of Iraq was held on December 17, 2010, at the office of the European Economic Chamber of Trade, Commerce and Industry (EEIG) for Ukraine. The meeting was attended by the Vice-President of the European Economic Chamber for Ukraine, Rustam Agayev, and the Director of Development Department of EEIG, Igor Sholokhov. The delegation from Kurdistan included the Head of the Union of importers and exporters from the Kurdistan Region, Sheikh Mustafa Abdullah, as well as the second secretary of the Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq, Jaber al-Tamimi.
During the meeting, the parties discussed prospects of cooperation between businessmen of Ukraine and Kurdistan. Mr al-Tamimi invited Ukrainian businessmen to visit the Kurdish region and to study local business opportunities. The diplomat emphasized a visa-free regime to visit Iraqi Kurdistan for citizens of Ukraine. In turn, Sheikh Mustafa said that Kurdish businessmen, members of the Union of importers and exporters, were interested in close cooperation with their Ukrainian counterparts.
"Branches of the Union of importers and exporters are found in all major cities of Kurdistan - Erbil, Suleymaniye, Kirkuk. Our organization includes 500 businessmen, top-managers of large companies in our region, who are interested in partnership with the Ukrainian business community"- noted Sheikh Mustafa.
Vice-President of the European Economic Chamber of Trade, Commerce and Industry for Ukraine, Rustam Agayev, supported the idea of establishing business ties between Ukrainian and Kurdish companies. He noted that in the first quarter of 2011 the delegation of EEIG Ukraine would visit Kurdistan.
On 22 December, the European Economic Chamber of Trade, Commerce and Industry for Ukraine and the Union of Importers and Exporters of Kurdistan signed a cooperation agreement.
The agreement envisages the establishment of close economic and trade relations between EEIG Ukraine and the Union of Importers and Exporters of Kurdistan and the development of bilateral cooperation.
According to the agreement signed, the parties pledged to assist each other in organizing business meetings, exchanging business expertise and contributing to the opening of information centers.
The agreement that includes ten items will serve the interests of business circles of Ukraine and the Kurdistan region of Iraq.