Business life in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq continues to flow, in spite of grave difficulties, to a far greater extent than is perceived through the lens of mass media. The following summary of notable activities about which the Commercial Service Iraq reported to Washington in the course of 2006 may be of interest, both for the specific opportunities revealed, as well as for the picture of economic life which they paint.

Hillah – March 20-21, A Catalog Show Covered Live? U.S. Firms Make a Promising, “Virtual Debu”t in South-Central Iraq

To reach parts of Iraq where American businesses can't yet travel, CS Iraq launched a "Catalog Caravan" show last August, promising to take 21 firms on stops to two Kurdish and two Arab Iraqi cities.  This week, thanks to unprecedented work by the State Department-led Provincial Reconstruction Team of Babel (Hillah) and the Iraq Economic Development Council (IEDC, a prominent Iraqi NGO), over 120 Iraqi firms were able to gather to review the literature of U.S. and non-U.S. suppliers seeking to enter the Iraqi market.  The participants who traveled in from Babil, Karbala, and Diwaniya completed over 50 interest forms which will be promptly relayed to the exhibitors' home offices -- along with the commitment of CS Iraq and PRT Babil for follow-up.  Such was the interest that several photographers, journalists, and even a satellite TV outlet covered the two-day program. The desire to strike up business on both the American and Iraqi sides is significant, and brings home an important point: even in these challenging days, there are a number of "gateways" to productive, private business in Iraq.

 

Baghdad, Dubai, UAE and Vienna, Austria - From Baghdad to Dubai to Vienna - CS Leads Campaign to Harness Iraqi "Growth Oasis"

CS Iraq is building on February's successful U/S Lavin mission with a suite of activities to leverage the economic boom in Iraq's Kurdish Northeast as the Iraqi "growth beachhead." CS Iraq and MAC report the following: (1) CommSpec Saeed traveled from Erbil to Dubai on 14 March to join 150 Kurdish firms and officials in a two-day networking event, supported by CS Dubai; (2) CS Iraq is scheduling "Business Gateways" visits to neighboring country AmChams and back into Kurdistan; (3) CS Iraq is working with Country Team agencies to differentiate Kurdistan with regard to travel advisory and political risk designations. The latter stems from exploratory discussions between the U/S and U.S. Amb. to Austria McCaw, highlighting the potential of creative multi-country strategies.

Orlando, FL and Amman, Jordon – February  8-10 (Building Success: CS Iraq & Jordan Team at Construction Shows)

CS Jordan and CS Iraq teamed on joint IBP delegations to two of the world's top construction industry shows, World of Concrete and the International Builders Show (IBS) in Orlando, Florida. By joining forces, the delegations gained critical mass and marketing power, courtesy of an attractive joint directory, sales of which underwrote the travel of Specialists Jessica Batshone (Iraq) and Fareedon Hartoqa (Jordan). Linking the shows allowed for valuable spin-off travel. IBS yielded a potential representation link for Iraq and, thanks to the work of Task Force lead Steve Green, a productive videoconference on building standards was held from Orlando's Kinkos Center, linking in NIST's Baghdad detailee, David Karmol. That the Iraqi delegation overcame last minute passport invalidation problems, on top of the standard entry visa hurdle, attests to their strong desire to connect to U.S. business via the IBP Program. More joint IBP delegations are planned.

Alexandria, VA – December 8, IPR Training for Female Iraqi Official Hits the (Trade) Mark

A woman trademark specialist from Iraq's Ministry of Industry & Minerals recently supplied CS Iraq with the trip report she prepared on return to Baghdad from a 5-8 December seminar at the Global Intellectual Property Academy of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. The report reflects the differing approaches and technologies applied to the trademark process in Alexandria, VA and Baghdad and the extreme value placed on such training by the Iraqi recipients. CS Iraq is pleased to facilitate student selection and the (often complex)consular and travel arrangements which make such training from PTO possible for Iraqis. The granting of trademarks remains a stubborn impediment to U.S. FDI in Iraq, and such technical collaboration as this helps to overcome the policy and legal impediments.

Orlando & Amman – 10  February, Building Success: CS Iraq & Jordan Team at Construction Shows

CS Jordan and CS Iraq teamed on joint IBP delegations to two of the world's top construction industry shows, World of Concrete and the International Builders Show (IBS) in Orlando, Florida. By joining forces, the delegations gained critical mass and marketing power, courtesy of an attractive joint directory, sales of which underwrote the travel of Specialists Jessica Batshone (Iraq) and Fareedon Hartoqa (Jordan). Linking the shows allowed for valuable spin-off travel. IBS yielded a potential representation link for Iraq and, thanks to the work of Task Force lead Steve Green, a productive videoconference on building standards was held from Orlando's Kinkos Center, linking in NIST's Baghdad detailee, David Karmol. That the Iraqi delegation overcame last minute passport invalidation problems, on top of the standard entry visa hurdle, attests to their strong desire to connect to U.S. business via the IBP Program. More joint IBP delegations are planned.

Baghdad & Alexandria, VA – 5 February, IPR Training for Female Iraqi Official Hits the (trade) Mark  

A woman trademark specialist from Iraq's Ministry of Industry & Minerals recently supplied CS Iraq with the trip report she prepared on return to Baghdad from a 5-8 December seminar at the Global Intellectual Property Academy of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. The report reflects the differing approaches and technologies applied to the trademark process in Alexandria, VA and Baghdad and the extreme value placed on such training by the Iraqi recipients. CS Iraq is pleased to facilitate student selection and the (often complex)consular and travel arrangements which make such training from PTO possible for Iraqis. The granting of trademarks remains a stubborn impediment to U.S. FDI in Iraq, and such technical collaboration as this helps to overcome the policy and legal impediments which remain.

Baghdad – January. The GATE-way Forward: CS Iraq Leads Mission Strategy to Harness Iraq's Regional Economic Dynamo

Amb. Khalilzad and key Country Team and DOD officials have signed up to support "Iraqi Business Gateways," a series of roving business showcase events involving public, private and media representatives designed to draw non-Kurdish Iraqi businesses closer into the orbit of peace and astonishing growth that has developed in the northeastern quadrant of Iraq. The CS initiative is well in synch with the Way Forward announced on 10 January by the President, which calls for "more economic effort on relatively secure areas as a magnet for employment and growth."

Camp Victory, Baghdad - January, Commerce joins second, big surge: intensified support for economic growth

While the so-called kinetic phases of the re-launched Baghdad Security Plan and transition to Iraqi security forces has drawn the attention, a joint economic plan taking shape in Iraq is a co-equal part of the surge described by the President on January 10th. Notable is an aggressive community stabilization and growth campaign, and CS Iraq is in the thick of a broad USDOC contribution involving MAC, M&S, NIST, Census, and PTO, among other USDOC agencies. Reflecting the recognition of the CS role in representing many of these offices in Baghdad and in linking Iraqi firms to our client firms, SCO and DSCO were choppered out from the International Zone to join an "Economic Summit" kicked off by the new Commanding General of the Multi-National Corps-Iraq, LTG Ray Odierno.

Dubai, U.A.E. - January

Iraqi Private Sector, too, Seeks a New Way Forward: Dubai Exchange

The day that President Bush spoke to the nation on Iraq policy, SCO Iraq joined military and civilian colleagues in facilitating the "Iraq-UAE Business Exchange" in Dubai, which brought 150 western and south-central Iraqis to meet an equal number of UAE-based firms and to study the productive "Dubai model" up close and personally. CS Dubai's PCO Wall helped make the well-attended event a reality, while SCO Wylegala presented and facilitated a break-out session on the ICT sector. The "Exchange" gave the Dubai community an accurate picture of the economic activity, potential and real challenges in the country today which the Iraqi private sector aims to take on. It gave the Iraqi's fresh contacts and a vision to aspire to.

Baghdad – January: CS Iraq Staffs Up: New Muscle for the New "Way Forward" in Iraq

The perils of the daily commute for local staff and Baghdad's pressure cooker environment led to the dwindling CS Iraq staff to a single local employee last September. Thanks to hiring freeze exemptions and all-out hiring campaign led by DSCO Mitch Larsen--including innovative recruitment via Buyusa--two Commercial Specialists have joined the Commerce cause beginning 7 January. Three more local staff will join in the next 45 days in Erbil, Baghdad and Amman. That we have attracted a medical doctor, an engineer and two MA candidates as staff attests to the commitment of Iraq's many top-flight people to finding that new way forward.

Washington & Baghdad – 10 October
Now Open - CS Irbil! The Boom without the Bang

Deputy U/S O'Neill recently signed a hiring freeze exemption for a strategic new Commercial Specialist slot in northern Iraq and CS Iraq seized on the opportunity of having Amb. Zalmay Khalilzad at a trade show in the region to announce the historic expansion. Two weeks later post announces a jump-start on the hiring project via a contracted commercial assistant based in Irbil who will lay groundwork for the permanent employee. Arayish Barzinjee is a Kurdish-speaking American who has been working with a leading area firm. She joins us October 10th, under a Provincial Reconstruction Team contract. Post negotiated no cost space, opting to co-locate Arayish with USAID's private sector program, Izdihar. Her immediate projects include the Nov. 11-14 Kurdistan DBX show and our multi-stop Catalog Caravan.

Irbil – 17 September
Historic: CS Brings a Dozen Firms to Trade Show on Iraqi Soil via "Catalog Caravan"

CS Iraq put together an attractive 12 square meter exhibit and Business Information Office at the Irbil International Fair in the capital city of Kurdistan, our first ever on Iraqi soil. The 180-booth show served as the first of four stops on the "Catalog Caravan" which post initiated in June. The show highlighted the dazzling progress achieved in this peaceful corner of Iraq and hinted at Kurdistan's potential as economic "spark plug," gateway and reform forerunner for Iraq. Over 40 contacts were gleaned for the catalog exhibitors. Prior to the show CS Iraq co-hosted with the Kurdistan Regional Government a gala dinner for 220 that drew the cream of the local business community, and featured President Massoud Barzani and U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, who spoke of the time to "do deals and make money" at the show. SCO later joined Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani in opening the show, taking the occasion to announce CS Iraq's intent to hire a Kurdish-speaking employee to bring the CS closer to the market. SCO also spoke at the gala dinner, the opening press conference, a two-day trade and investment seminar, and to many of the dozen local television outlets that covered this regional/national event. Four CS staff worked shifts over the four-day show under the discreet gaze of a six-member personal security detachment, who were only called into action when school children new to trade show etiquette took an aggressive interest in our colorful catalogs. CS could not have sustained the major logistical effort without USAID and their implementing partner, Izdihar, who provided contacts and more booth staff. The U.S. Army-supported Kirkuk Business Center sent staff that also helped us individually attend to an estimated 1,000 Kurdish, Arabic, Turkish, German and English-speaking visitors to the popular CS BIO. The "Caravan" continues to pick up exhibitors before its second stop in Kurdistan's second city in November, before turning south.

U.A.E. – 15 September
Leading the Sharjah: DOD-Advisor to CS Iraq Travels to Connect with Iraqi Officialdom

To work around rather severe curbs on our ability to mingle with Iraqi Government officials, post dispatched one of its bilingual bicultural advisors (a DOD-provided detailee) to the Iraq Security, Technology and Communications Summit in Sharjah, UAE, where he sat down with a trio of Iraqi ministers and helped US client firms with high-level introductions and counseling. Zaim Khairallah was especially effective in clearing up confusion for NORTEL on one of their Communications Ministry tenders and in introducing Boeing to the Ministry for National Security Affairs. Good partnerships are essential: Zaim's participation in the event was made possible by AmCham Iraq and the DOD-funded Advisors' program.

Amman – 7 September
5 days, 24 clients & 4 JV Partners: 1st Ever Iraq Gold Key 'Rocks' for TX Firm

Two reasons for founding the CS Iraq in Amman Office (IAO) in 2006 were to leverage Jordan as an international business platform for expat Iraqis and to develop synergies between CS Iraq and CS Jordan. The shrewd eye of Austin USEAC Specialist Larry Tabash - a Baghdad TDY vet - turned up Houston-based SkyPort International, Inc. as post's sought after inaugural Gold Key client. The IAO team of John Lumborg (TDY) and Jessica Batshone sold the communications firm on meeting Iraqi representatives in Amman -- and exploring the Jordanian market through back-to-back services the first week of September. On top of the 10 meetings with Jordan-resident Iraqi businesses, CS Muna Farkouh put together a brilliant Jordanian program, and telephone interviews via CS Baghdad rounded out a very full visit.

Both Gold Keys returned smashing results which position SkyPort to choose amongst four suitors for a $25 million teleport and data facility. SkyPort CEO Roger Klotz summed up the success: "Within five incredibly busy days and nights - I gained valuable, first hand market information, met with the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, and left with four tenders for business. The Jordan and Iraq teams operated with precision, keeping in constant contact with updates from the embassy. Their attention to detail was remarkable and provided me with one of the best experiences of my life. This is the first time SkyPort has used the GK and rest assured we will use it as we expand into other areas of the world." The Iraq GK is open for business and so is Iraq. When CS Baghdad obtains IP videoconference capability, there will be no end to similar stories with increased Iraqi participation from within Iraq, via the planned Iraq Video Gold Key.

Baghdad - 28 August
CS Iraq Does Nothing to Support AmCham Iraq’s Successful Investment Presentation

Some 80 business and government leaders gathered Monday afternoon at the local hotel to hear an analysis from USG consultants and a senior Iraqi official on Baghdad's draft investment promotion law and the prospects for a foreign investment-sparked turnaround for the country's economy. The gathering was upbeat and, except for the rice, lamb and fresh dates for lunch, could have been held in Berlin or Buffalo, as well as its actual venue in Baghdad's Green Zone. The news is what CS Iraq DIDN'T do. CS Iraq did not prepare the guest list, did not find the speakers nor did it recruit the sponsor. We didn't escort the guests in from the Red Zone, nor moderate the panel. All that was done by the quickly maturing AmCham Iraq -- re-founded by Senior Commercial Officer Wong in June '05 and nurtured for a second year by Deputy Senior Commercial Officer Crawford and Senior Commercial Officer Wylegala. This event was sponsored by Two Rivers Consulting, Ltd., and cosponsored by Izdihar. Like slightly nostalgic empty nesters, we breathe relief as Iraq's first bilateral chamber takes wing under new management and the leadership of President Timothy Mills.

Amman  - 15 August
Big Celebration for Little CS Office: “Iraq-in-Amman” Makes the Scene

Well-deserved fanfare was added to the earlier soft opening of CS Iraq’s satellite office in Amman, co-located with CS Jordan during an August 15, 2006 open house and reception. The Jordanian Deputy Trade Minister and the second-ranked official at the Iraqi Embassy in Amman joined about 160 solid Iraqi, U.S. and Jordanian companies at a reception to fete the little office and its big accomplishments, hosted by U.S. Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, David Hale. Prior to the garden reception, the Jordanian official, eight local journalists and other selected partners piled into the office space of the two close-quartered CS operations for a briefing and tour which included one-on-one press sessions and a PowerPoint presentation by the lead of the Iraq-in-Amman Office, Muhammed Sami.  Four Jordanian papers covered the event in the next day’s papers. The event served to put this little office more squarely on the commercial promotion map, as well as to promote the three International Buyer Program trade delegations, CS Iraq’s own catalog “Caravan,” and historic first Gold Key, all being worked by the three-person office. The reception also provided a tailor made opportunity to thank CS Jordan and Embassy Jordan for their tremendous support to their Iraqi friends.

Baghdad & Amman  - August
Attaboys all Around; Gracious Thanks to Iraq LES from Sec. Gutierrez

In August the mailboxes of CS Iraq staff in Baghdad and Amman included no fewer than two sets of personally annotated letters of appreciation from Sec. Gutierrez for their service and sacrifice. The first letter noted the Secretary's thanks for the team's sustained accomplishment under fire ("Words cannot express my admiration for the courage you have exhibited by continuing your loyal service to Iraq and the Commercial Service after being attacked because of your work at the U.S. Embassy."), while the second set noted his appreciation for the hard work that led to a historic and productive one day visit by the Secretary and Under Secretary to Baghdad on July 17th. Since Secretary Gutierrez had been unable to deliver personally his commemorative medals, U.S. Ambassador David Hale presented them to Jessica Batshone and Muhammed Sami during the Iraq-in-Amman “office warming” celebration on August 15th, before some 170 guests and embassy colleagues.

Irbil - 5 August
Another Iraq: Senior Commercial Officer Meets Receptive Crowd in Northern Iraq

On August 5th Senior Commercial Officer traveled up to the capital of the newly unified Kurdistan Regional Government, Irbil, where the highlight of an eye-opening trip was a two-hour briefing and dialogue with some 30 Iraqi businessmen and women who collected from Irbil, Sulaymania, Mosul and Kirkuk to learn how they could better interact with U.S. businesses. The businesses were optimistic and proud of the economic strides the region has made under stabile political conditions. Senior Commercial Officer is committed to working more intensively in the area, starting with Business Information Booths and a catalog "caravan" to trade fairs taking place in September and November. The roundtable and weeklong visit were facilitated by the U.S. Agency for International Development Northern Iraq Program Office, and two of its implementing partners, RTI and Izdihar.

Baghdad and Amman  -  July
The Berlin-Baghdad Axis: EUR Gives Africa, Near East & South Asia a Big Leg Up

In an initiative that might cause ex-Chancellor Gerhardt Schroeder to rub his eyes in disbelief, Germany -- via CS Germany --has once again joined the U.S. and Coalition effort, this time directly in Iraq. The first instance of this important out-of-theater support from CS Germany to CS Iraq took the form of hosting the Iraqi Minister of Health and associated delegation to the giant MEDICA show in Düsseldorf last November. The next initiative was a tailored course by the Berlin-based eCommerce Task Force leader for one of CS Baghdad’s Commercial Specialists. Thanks to the training, CS Iraq now has English and Arabic http://www.buyusa.gov/iraq sites and budding Business Service Provider and FUSE services that are generating relationships and revenue. The next effort brought Sr. Commercial Specialist John Lumborg to Amman for a May-June temporary duty that centered on the successful REBUILD IRAQ show and follow-on Customer Service training for two new Government of Iraq investment promotion entities. Most recently, Lumborg extended his temporary duty from Amman to Baghdad in order to support a historic one-day visit to Baghdad by Secretary of Commerce Gutierrez. Future projects during the remaining temporary duty time will include training the young staff and helping them to execute the first ever Gold Key for Iraq. Other contributions include the supervision of the new Iraq in Amman Office, the organization of a Business Information Booth and a major reception, and the rollout of new IT equipment at a post short on administrative and systems support. As our State Department colleagues advance discussion and planning for resource re-deployment under "Transformational Diplomacy," CS is putting it into practice, discovering synergies for both new and older markets in the process. CS Iraq thanks CS Germany for the material and personnel support.

Washington – July 26
Ministers Pick up Where they Left off

On July 26, Secretary Gutierrez met with Iraqi Minister of Trade Al-Sudani during lunch at the Department of Commerce.  The Secretary and the Minister discussed ongoing cooperation between the Department of Commerce and the Ministry of Trade based upon the joint statement signed in Baghdad during the Secretary's visit on July 17. 

Baghdad – 17 July
The Eagle (Ship and Lighthouse) Has Landed: Secretary Visits, Supports Iraq

Secretary Gutierrez began the completion of a pledge to support the Government of Iraq by visiting Baghdad with a high-level Commerce delegation on July 17th. In so doing the Secretary becomes the first cabinet member from and economic agency to visit the Iraq which regained sovereignty in June 2005.

The Secretary offered his full support to the government in separate meetings with the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Trade Minister and Industry & Minerals Minister. With his counterpart at Trade, the Secretary signed a Joint Statement of Cooperation that includes a proposal to form a senior echelon U.S.-Iraqi Business Dialogue. He also announced a packet of technical assistance via the Commercial Law Development Program, and the addition of two staff to Embassy Baghdad. With the Commanding General of the Multinational Corps-Iraq, he explored avenues for Commerce to help the Corps sap the insurgency by promoting employment. The extensive business outreach aspect of the day included a roundtable with Iraqi businesses, a table-top showcase of 20 Iraq-based communications companies, trade and investment promotion agencies and public-private partnerships. The Secretary also addressed a special 175-member lunch of AmCham Iraq and carried out a half-dozen press interviews. Rounding out the day was a mess hall meal with soldiers and airmen. The successful in-country program was pulled together in a hectic period in less than two weeks by a six-member CS Iraq team.

San Francisco  - 28 June
eBarnstorming Tour: CS Shows Iraqis Wonders of eLearning with USTDA & DOD

Over two weeks of whistle-stop travel, CS Iraq lead a USTDA-sponsored Orientation Visit to Washington, D.C. and San Francisco to expose Iraqi decision makers to the range of possibilities available in the e-Learning sector, including content, applications and infrastructure. Emad “eMad” Alemamie, a Bilingual/Bicultural Advisor on loan to CS Iraq through a program established by the Secretary of Defense (with Operational & Support Services, Inc., OSS, Fayetteville, N.C.) helped select the participants and facilitate their program of study, serving as interpreter, guide and colleague. Once in the States, he gave an Iraq business briefing to scores of U.S. firms and guided a dozen academics, including the Chancellor of Babel University, and key officials such as the Deputy Minister of Higher Education through lectures and one-on-one meetings with industry leaders Sun, Oracle, Cisco and Microsoft. Iraq's extensive higher education network suffered under Saddam and the 2003 war. In spite of its heavily damaged infrastructure, or perhaps because of it, Iraq has the opportunity to leapfrog other neighboring countries with respect to the introduction of e-learning capabilities, not only for higher education but also for technical and continuing education, and corporate learning.

Baghdad & Irbil - June
CS Iraq Gives $1 Million Boost to Ft. Worth Aviation Firm with Advocacy Win in Irbil

This fall Ft. Worth-based Thyssen Krupp Airport Systems, Inc will deliver $1 million worth of passenger boarding bridges (two units) for the expansion of Irbil Airport in Iraq's Kurdish Region. Senior Commercial Officer Wylegala's leadership of advocacy with the Advocacy Center, State-Iraq Reconstruction Management Office, U.S. Agency for International Development Irbil and U.S. Export Assistance Center helped overcome the Turkish general contractor's preference for the offering of a Chinese state-owned supplier. The win has added significance as a follow-on requirement for two additional units is in the offing and larger airports in Mosul, Basra and Baghdad are just behind. As this is the first such bridge purchase in Iraq in 20 years, the win forestalls adoption of a Chinese "standard" early on. (Chinese infrastructure and energy firms are voracious competitors in Iraq). Moreover, the win promises to awaken this post to the growing relevance of USG advocacy. Continuing education on advocacy guidelines and approaches should foster further multi-agency advocacy campaigns in Iraq.  Finally, Senior Commercial Officer had the pleasure of passing on the news of a constituent’s success in Iraq to Rep. Kay Granger (R-Ft. Worth) during her last visit to Iraq, during which she continued her work with newly elected female Iraqi legislators.

Amman - June
CS Iraq Amman Office has a Lock on First Ever Gold Key

The satellite Iraq-Amman-Office, opened this past February with the help of CS Jordan, DAS Harris and the DG, is proving its value many times over, most recently by selling a client on back-to-back Gold Keys for Iraq and Jordan -- the former a historic first. Skyport Int'l, Inc., a client of the Houston U.S. Export Assistance Center will be looking for Iraqi partners and re-sellers for its VoIP technologies on September 5th. A debt of gratitude to John Lumborg, who locked up this Key client on his six-week temporary duty to Iraq-in-Amman, during which he also trained staff on the Gold Key and produced promotional literature to sell it, among many other trade event and IT projects. The concept is simple: Specialists source Iraqi partner candidates throughout Iraq and Jordan, and the meetings are held--surprise--in Amman. For the September Gold Key, CS Iraq aims to use one of Skyport’s solutions to connect to Iraqi and U.S. firms and government office in Baghdad.  By the buy, Skyport touts its superior VoIP videoconference solution for the CS, and has offered to demo it to all interested offices. Visit www.skyportglobal.com. A second Key is in the pipeline and U.S. Export Assistance Centers, OIO and State partner posts are asked to refer more qualified customers to Jessica Batshone in Amman. And watch this space for a veritable cornucopia of new Iraq-targeted services from our platform in Amman: "the next best thing to being here!"

Amman – 14 May
Trading Places: Iraqi, U.S. Trade & Investment Promoters Swap Trade Secrets

Hot on the heels of a hectic week of trade promotion at the 3rd Annual REBUILD IRAQ Certified Trade Show, CS staff from Iraq and Jordan--together with Iraq Investment & Reconstruction Task Force's temporary duty Steve Green--hosted Maredith Sandler, Executive Director of the GSP Program Office at USTR, and counterparts from two new Iraqi government agencies for the first of two days of training and "joint exercises" at our offices within U.S. Embassy Amman. The promising new entities are the Iraqi Trade Information Center (patterned on CS' TIC), and the Iraq Investment Promotion Agency, both established with the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Izdihar program, which underwrote the participation of the three Iraqi officials and the Izdihar deputy for the ITIC and IIPA program. After a review of the TIC, ITIC, IIPA, CS, and Market Access & Compliance programs, the attendees took in presentations on how Iraqi exporters can benefit from the GSP program. The full day concluded with a lively exchange with representatives of Lucent Technologies and Shamara Holdings, who offered the private sector perspective on what the Iraqi and U.S. governments need to do to better support them in their work in and with Iraq. Day number two will feature a sampling of the on-line customer service course, a case study on optimal Gold Key delivery, and a practicum in the offices of the CS Iraq-in-Amman Unit, which may include joint out-of-office calls. The cross training has proven valuable and will lay the foundation for further collaboration between the Ministry of Trade and the CS and Market Access & Compliance/Iraq Investment & Reconstruction Task Force.

Amman – 11 May
REBUILD IRAQ Creates a Buzz of Business Optimism Around a Week of Activities U.S.

Blockbuster results from Commerce-Certified Trade Fair REBUILD IRAQ (May 8- 11) are just in. 23-members of the 29-strong U.S. pavilion reported 2,458 contacts, 57 agent/distributor agreements and an estimated $18.8 million in sales over the coming year. The nearly 15,000 show participants included 1,024 exhibitors, 5 Iraqi and Jordanian ministers, one governor and about 30 other senior GoI officials and regional and US media. Headlining the U.S. presence in Amman was Amb. Khalilzad, who spoke at the companion conference, opened our matchmaking event, conducted hands-on matchmaking during a show tour, and energized a 200-guest reception for the US pavilion given by U.S. Ambassador to Jordan David Hale. Executive Director for Market Access and Compliance at U.S. Department of Commerce, Peter Hale, spoke at the plenary, conducted a bilateral with Iraq’s Trade & Industry Minister, launched a matchmaker and counseled U.S. and Iraqi firms.

CS Iraq teamed with Market Access & Compliance’s Iraq Investment & Reconstruction Task Force to field a 9-strong temporary duty team for one week in Amman, financed by Catalog Show sales, supplemented by Ford Motor Company’s support to the matchmaking directory and IFP, the show organizer. Visiting DC colleagues from USTR, State and OPIC consulted from the CS BIO, while another 20 colleagues from Embassy Baghdad (U.S. Agency for International Development, Iraq Reconstruction Management Office, Public Affairs) rounded out the U.S. Department of Commerce presence. Rebuild Iraq 2006 had the hallmarks of a rallying point for Iraqis and foreign businesses who have been striving to expand trade and investment in Iraq over the past year, even as the country continues its hard journey to stability and good governance.

Washington & Baghdad – 1 May
Civil Tongue: CS Iraq Contributes to Civil-Military Affairs Discussions

Undeterred by telecom glitches between Baghdad and Washington, Senior Commercial Officer Wylegala provided an overview of the nature and challenges of civil-military relations from the perspective of a small (at this mission) civilian agency. The Baghdad cameo with Iraq Reconstruction Management Office colleagues was part of a daylong program at Commerce for the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. Two weeks earlier Senior Commercial Officer participated in a similar session organized for a group of Air Force Officers. Civil-military collaboration is highly topical, and no setting is more relevant for such a discussion than Iraq, the “Mother of all Interagency Processes.”

Baghdad – 21 April
Dinar Time: US Business Starts to Chip in for CS Iraq Services

It's a bit startling coming from CS Iraq -- an entity which the press associates with cost-plus contracting, burn rate accounting, and the ever-popular supplemental appropriation, but it's happening: with the right client services, dollars also flow in. In mid-March CS Iraq saw that booth sales within the US Pavilion at Commerce-Certified Trade Fair REBUILD IRAQ (8-11 May, Amman) were lagging, so it came up with post's first-ever Product Literature Center. In just 30-days, 5 CS Iraq staff (with great assistance from the Teams/Insider) sold 18 catalog slots at the show at $400 pop. Proceeds are paying for a temporary duty staff member to support the show, with something left for the trust fund kitty. Further, last week, CS Iraq logged its first $250 sale for a slot on its new Business Service Provider site, pitched jointly with CS Jordan. Revenue generation takes some extra doing in a country that is still largely cash based, and where the security overhead returns quotes of $50K for standard market research reports. But as we work out payment routines and expand our client services to cover more of the core menu, we are confident of offsetting a respectable share of our marginal costs. Dinar is served!

Washington, Amman & Baghdad – April
"Come, And They Will Build It" ...CS Beefs Up Staffing in Iraq at Critical Juncture

As Iraq pauses at a crossroads of democratic and economic development, and the USG moves to bolster local governance with a dozen new teams, there is a critical need for staffing Iraq-wide. Secretary Rice asked her cabinet colleagues for assistance, including Secretary Gutierrez. U.S. Department of Commerce is responding quickly and on several levels. First, calls are already out for an American Commercial Specialist to be added to Baghdad to focus on capacity-related initiatives with the Ministry of Trade, and for an expert to work on standards. Second, a hiring freeze waiver was granted to allow a key Admin vacancy in Baghdad to be filled with a Third Country National. Third, two temporary duty staff for Baghdad and Amman (site of the also new Iraq-in-Amman Unit) have been approved by OIO and Market Access & Compliance for training purposes and to support Commerce-Certified Trade Fair REBUILD IRAQ May 8-11. Still further staffing is possible. Equally importantly, CS is stepping up with IT tools -- critical in Iraq where work is IT dependent and support is remote. Iraqis will look back at their emergence from this dark chapter and recall which of their friends stood by them. U.S. Department of Commerce will be recalled.

Amman & Baghdad – 10 April
Genuine Two-fer: Iraq Business Service Provider Sites Launched in Iraq -Jordan "Joint Venture”

CS Jordan and CS Iraq have teamed again, this time to jointly market Business Service Provider (BSP) listings on their two buyusa.gov sites--for a single price of $250--to firms serving the Iraqi market. The Business Service Provider is especially suited to Iraq where a wide array of ancillary services are a must (e.g., accounting, legal ... controlled detonation) and Iraqi market development is such that a large number of the top providers are located in neighboring countries such as Jordan, the U.A.E., Turkey and Kuwait. Under a simple revenue sharing scheme Jordan is providing payment processing assistance, while CS Kuwait provided the format. CS Iraq hopes to convince other neighbors to sign on. TS Batshone of the Iraq-in-Amman Unit is Product Manager for the Iraq half of this CS joint-venture. Early interest is strong, so we may just be able to give the Yellow Pages of CS Egypt a run for the money. This marks CS Iraq's first foray into a cost recovery program ... and we feel all grown up.

Amman – 22 March
Good Neighbors: Iraq Lends a Hand to USDOT & USTDA via Amman Unit

Senior Commercial Officer was contacted March 16th by a Virginia-based contractor to the US-TDA charged with delivering a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) training course on quality in airport security operations to Iraq Civil Aviation officials. The topic could not have been more timely or critical: only a week earlier suspicious materials were found at the Baghdad's airport, disrupting service and highlighting the need to shore up security procedures. But given that arrangements had not yet been initiated by the contractor and only days remained before the course was to begin in a city outside of Iraq, post realized that only a quick substitution of personnel could extract a measure of benefit from the opportunity. Fortunately, CS Baghdad could call on a new presence in Amman--a preferred site to train Iraqis--courtesy of the Iraq-in-Amman Office. Commercial Specialist Muhammed Sami, who relocated to Amman from Baghdad in late May, and who covers the transportation sector, took the first of three days of instruction. Muhammed confirmed that four Iraqi officials would be invited to the next iteration of the course, in Bangkok in April, and secured a set of training materials which Senior Commercial Officer relayed to the Iraqi officials for their immediate use. The Deputy Transportation Counselor (US-DOT) at Embassy Baghdad thanked CS Iraq for its quick action, another instance of inter-agency support by U.S. Department of Commerce.

Milwaukee – 22 March
Iraq Investment & Reconstruction Task Force-U.S. Export Assistance Center-Baghdad Connection Clicks to Put Iraq Seminars on Tour

Senior Commercial Officer joined Market Access & Compliance/Iraq Investment & Reconstruction Task Force colleagues Hamrock, Green and Wang and Milwaukee U.S. Export Assistance Center Director Churchill to carry out a successful "Doing Business in Iraq" seminar for an audience of over 20 motivated traders and exporters. So was kicked-off a four-month, nine-city outreach tour to stimulate interest in the opportunities developing in Iraq for the private sector, beyond the now-familiar official reconstruction works. Collaborators included the Milwaukee DEC, the World Trade Association and the Milwaukee School of Engineering, in addition to JP Morgan, a partner of the Trade Bank of Iraq. Senior Commercial Officer coordinated the participation from Baghdad (via a telephonic link) of the Embassy's Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Finance, Kevin Taecker, and the head of Dar Es Salaam Bank (HSBC), Tareq Muhmoud. Senior Commercial Officer was ready with suitable backdrops for the event, to include a vintage Wisconsin license plate (courtesy of former Senior Commercial Officer and noted Cheese head, Greg Wong), and looks forward to surmounting technical glitches to allow for videoconference participation for the Charlotte, NC and future seminars in the series.

Baghdad – 18 March
500 Contracts Later, More Progress in Sight for Women-owned Iraqi Contractors

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently took over the management responsibilities of the Project Contracting Office (PCO) in Iraq. In the process, the Corps is emphasizing an ongoing campaign to expand the economic benefits of reconstruction works to women-owned and other Iraqi businesses. At a networking fair for the female firms held today at the IZ's most popular hotel, CS Iraq counseled visitors and learned that some 355 women-owned firms have captured 476 Corps contracts valued at $480 million in just the past two years. CS Iraq contributed in force, welcoming the Minister of Women's Affairs to our booth, inviting firms to join Commerce-Certified Trade Fair REBUILD IRAQ, and spreading word of the Iraqi mentoring being undertaken by the BUSINESS COUNCIL FOR PEACE ("BPeace"), in conjunction with CS Iraq.

Baghdad – 16 March
Letting Dubai-gones be Bygones

In the almost two years since CS Iraq was stood up within Embassy Baghdad, occasional foreign commercial attaches gatherings have been called to compare notes about commercial life in a "gated community." The Commercial Counselor from the U.A.E., himself a rare carry-over from Saddam days, was not a conspicuous participant. So the CS Iraq team was curious when he asked for an appointment the other day. Sour grapes? Far from it. The Emirati emissary was looking for the standard tips on Army Corps contracting and a chance to have his client firms partner more closely with U.S. ones. When we brought up the quashed acquisition by DPW of the eastern U.S. ports, the attaché was gracious and unconcerned: "we've just found another way to cooperate with you in the same field." More widely, while US firms and the CS have generally looked west to Jordan for partners and bases for Iraq work, the Gulf should not be overlooked. With the deepest pockets in the neighborhood and an established Iraqi business community in Abu Dhabi that pre-dates the first Gulf War, there is plenty to recommend a commercial approach to Iraq from the southeast.

Baghdad – 14 March
Sincere Flattery: Baghdad Unveils "Iraqi TIC

Over a half year ago a visiting DG from Iraq's Ministry of Trade dropped by the TIC in the Reagan Building on a standard foreign official's tour. But his response was almost reflexive: "I need one of those!" And so under a U.S. Agency for International Development program work began on creating the Iraqi Trade Information Center to bring small Iraqi businesses closer to the global markets they had been denied under Saddam and sanctions. Last Tuesday, on the grounds of an area remembered fondly on the U.S. Department of Commerce side by ITA old hands (the Baghdad Fair Grounds), a ribbon cutting for the ITIC was held with the ministers of Trade, and Industry and Minerals presiding. A fine start, and connectivity, web-services and staff competence are on the way. Senior Commercial Officer Wylegala is working with Professional Development, experts on the DOC Insider, and U.S. Agency for International Development Iraq to see what types of client service-focused training might be delivered. Further assistance and even a personnel exchange are envisioned, conditions and framework agreement on support allowing. The ITIC joins another fledgling institution--the Iraqi Investment Promotion Agency--which was opened its doors just one week prior, and is preparing for its "maiden road show," a trip to Turkey in late March.

New York, Washington & Houston – 2 March
U.S. Export Assistance Center-Task Force-Embassy Combine on Iraqi Banker's Barnstorm

A breakthrough for the commercial modernization of Iraq occurred last Fall when HSBC bank won, with USG support, Iraqi approval for its majority acquisition of Dar Es Salam bank. The HSBC Group Representative in Iraq sought post's help to arrange a de-briefing and business development mission to the US. With the assistance of the U.S. Export Assistance Centers in NYC and Houston, and the IRRTF and State/EB in Washington, full days of meetings in three cities were efficiently set up. Barnstorm stops included IFC, OPIC, EXIM and DOD, a potential beneficiary of HSBC services in Baghdad. U.S. Department of Commerce teamwork came through in support of a key commercial development. Now to just get that ATM into the palace!  Update: done.

Bahrain & Cairo - March
HQ, Africa, Near East & South Asia Senior Commercial Officers Rally to "Rebuild Iraq"

A recruitment blitz for a key U.S. pavilion is underway! Secretary Gutierrez' muscular promotion of expanded trade in the Middle East--most recently in highlighting new possibilities under the U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement at this week's conference in Manama--has given a boost to a highly significant U.S. Department of Commerce event in the region: REBUILD IRAQ is a certified trade exhibition and conference being held in Amman, May 8-11. REBUILD 2006 has always had the potential to be a watershed in the development of Iraq's private sector, yet U.S. company recruitment had been lagging that of the "friendly competition." The Americans' pace is quickening, however, thanks to a regional CS push begun with RD Orr's regular Senior Commercial Officer conference call, and advanced by the Secretary and U/S Lavin in Bahrain, as well as by the efforts of several Africa, Near East & South Asia Senior Commercial Officers. For example, Cairo and Kuwait have mobilized their AmChams, and Dubai has facilitated major participation from General Motors. The Bahrain FTA event netted the dynamic new AmCham Bahrain's participation, and strong leads to booths from KBR and GE. But there is time and room for more, so the Africa, Near East & South Asia-led push will continue through March. Contact CS Iraq and all the posts for more!

Ramadi  - 24 February
SEMPER FI-nance: Marines of I-MEF Link to Businesses in al-Anbar Province

CS Iraq has signed up a Marine Colonel as post's liaison officer to the recently deployed First Marine Expeditionary Force, which has responsibility for stabilizing and commercially revitalizing the restive and strategic western region of Iraq. More than II MEF which this unit replaces, I MEF sees the stimulation of commerce as an essential part of the evolving mission for the region. The shift in focus was foreshadowed in January when the Marines convened a "tune-up" seminar at Camp Pendleton on civilian-military collaboration attended by the Director of the IIR Task Force, U.S. Agency for International Development, and U.S. Chamber representatives, among others. The new liaison relationship should allow CS Iraq to build upon outreach efforts initiated last spring by Senior Commercial Officer Wong and then-A/S Lash, which included a visit to Fallujah. I MEF aims to establish a string of five business centers with micro-finance facilities in an arc from Ramadi to the Jordanian border. CS Iraq and the IIR Task Force will bring our nascent Arabic website and mentoring/matchmaking resources to the promising partnership.

Camp Hope, Berlin & Cairo – 21 February
"Marhaba" Business! Buyusa Arabic Site Spins Web of Opportunity for Iraqis

Iraqis are hungry to catch up with the international business world denied them for so long, but newfound internet savvy outstrips English capacity. For that reason, Iraq has become the second CS post (after Saudi Arabia) to offer an Arabic language site: www.buyusa.gov/iraq/ar, which debuted this month. Content is being added weekly, but Iraqis can already learn about CS Iraq's new Amman Office, get an overview of US-TDA, or take a mini-course on writing business plans, all in their own language and own neighborhood internet cafe. For a CS Iraq team that can't "hop a cab" to the local chamber, it means a whole new window on our "clients' clients." The business planning presentation featured on the new site is, itself, a remarkable product born of collaboration amongst the Civil Affairs unit, 3rd ID, Camp Hope, Baghdad, Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs (CNFA), Citizens Development Corps (CDC) and Market Access & Compliance's Iraq Task Force. The excellent graphic presentation guides Iraqi entrepreneurs on preparing business plans that can be reviewed by prospective partners in the U.S. or elsewhere. The skills to produce this Arabic site were generously imparted by Mathias Koeckeritz in CS Berlin and Shady Fares (who improves the site daily) of CS Cairo. CS Iraq Specialist Salam Adil is our talented webmeister-in-training, while Advisor Zaim Khairallah is content coordinator.

Tulare, CA – 22 February
Iraqi FSN Plows Ahead at World Ag Expo

For the sixth time in as many months, CS Iraq is leading a buyer delegation to a trade show outside Iraq. Commercial Specialist Salam Adil will be leading one of two groups comprising about 20 Iraqi firms to Tulare, California for World Ag Expo from February 14-16. Following the show, Salam will travel to the LA Chamber of Commerce HQ to participate a daylong networking event organized with the District Export Council. Post appreciates the consistent support from Market Access & Compliance’s Iraq Task Force and the IACCI in making the most of IBPs and other shows, our main means to re-introduce Iraqis to American products and free enterprise, given the ability of foreigners to travel Iraq. We will be excited to see how CS/Global Trade Program's new "MatchQuest," can be utilized.

At Tulare, the Iraqis will focus on dairy and citrus. While poultry production is a major activity (and US-origin feed an export prospect), the recent detection of avian flu in northeastern Iraq has ruffled quite a few feathers. More generally, small-scale agribusiness is highly promising for Iraq, and post is actively looking to source U.S. inputs and partners. For example, CS Iraq is providing commercial counsel to two initiatives aimed at reviving Iraq's once lucrative date export business. By supporting exports, we contribute to employment generation and oil export diversification, while opening US export opportunities for harvesting and packaging equipment.

Alexandria, VA – 30 January, Patent Training Pending: Visiting Scholars from Baghdad head to U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

Two women patent examiners from Iraq’s patent authority (COSQC) will be learning patent enforcement and promotion principle and technique courtesy of a two-week Visiting Scholars program at Patent & Trademark Office’s headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, February 13-24. Commercial Service Iraq contributed by identifying the appropriate candidates, facilitating official visa application, lining up travel arrangements, and providing a briefing on what to expect as first time travelers to the U.S. When it appeared that a lack of travel monies could derail this needed IPR training, CS Iraq led a search for funding with the help of Market Access & Compliance/Iraq Investment & Reconstruction Task Force and State Washington. Ultimately, U.S. Agency for International Development Iraq, through its trade and investment contract, Izdihar, stepped up to support the Visiting Scholars with tickets and per diem. This is but the latest in a string of capacity building exercises which Iraq Investment & Reconstruction Task Force-CS Iraq have been facilitating in the standards and IPR areas, through the expertise of NIST and U.S. P.T.O. The major NIST program on construction standards for June is next on tap and represents an ambitious and invaluable undertaking.

Amman – 23 January
"Congratulations, it's a Unit!" Jordan & Iraq Team to Hang out CS' Novel, New Shingle

With the entry on duty January 22nd of Jessica Batshone, the "CS Iraq-in-Amman Unit" is up and running. Jessica, a Jordanian FSN previously with the Belgian Export Agency, joins Baghdad Commercial Specialist Muhammed Sami to make up the new two-person "Unit" team. Muhammed has just begun a long-term temporary duty to Amman. Baghdad lost the services of three other local staff over the last 15 months, so we are overjoyed to have filled one of three vacancies. Finding someone with Jessica's depth of trade promotion experience is a major plus. The mission of the Unit is three-fold: (1) to offshore part of existing CS Iraq work to a practical and secure setting; (2) to fortify CS links to the large and strategic Iraqi expatriate community in Jordan, freeing CS Jordan to focus on its core clients; and (3) to develop new services for the emerging Iraqi market, such as International Partner Search/Gold Keys and a regional BSP. Now our clients with Iraq interests can look for two "shingles": Baghdad Office Box, and Iraq-In-Amman Office Box.

Baghdad – 5 January
BP Pioneers from Iraq Meet in Spite of it All; Relate Promising News

Baghdad’s streets have been unusually dicey in the unsettled days since the otherwise promising elections last month. In spite of the difficulties, CS Baghdad was determined --and our Iraqi business counterparts even more so -- to review progress on four IBP delegations which post ran in 2005. 25 invites returned 10 acceptances for a decidedly non-Middle Eastern working lunch. Unfortunately, an unexpected security crackdown kept all but four businessmen from two companies from filtering through to our Green Zone location. Still, as the hardy corps met over sandwiches from post’s “Main Street” Subway concession, we learned of real business drive, and a few successes in train. From CONEXPO, site of Iraq’s largest post-Saddam private sector delegation in March ‘05, we heard of a Baghdad construction firm working toward a j/v to build apartments in Kurdistan. From a MEDICA returnee (a Showcase Europe event) we noted the near finalization of a rep agreement with a prestigious U.S. supplier of x-ray tubes. Further help--from our side--and details upon deal completion--from theirs--are planned. For now, we salute a couple of Iraq’s surprising number of business pioneers -- men and women willing to run personal risk to establish new economic lives in the emerging Iraq.

Baghdad – 3 January
“No pain, No gain.” Press Picks up on Business and Economics Stories out of Iraq

While political wrangling, the Saddam trial and continued loss of life dominate headlines out of Iraq, there is a growing appetite for news about economic and entrepreneurial activity in Iraq, and a promised phase of private sector-led reconstruction and prosperity. CS has done its part to meet a growing media interest by joining the ECON Counselor in back-to-back conferences with Arab and Western press in past weeks. Reporters were interested in topics from subsidy reform right down to the number and type of email inquiries coming from U.S. companies interested in Iraq. It is a challenge, but our aim is to paint a realistic picture of a difficult environment, one that doesn’t discount the undeniable economic promise that lies just below the dark headlines. To date, Senior Commercial Officer has produced the above, quotable, if trite, by-line for the L.A. Times.

Hong Kong – 11 November 2005
Shear Generosity: CS Hong Kong Comes up with a Beauty at Cosmoprof Asia

On November 7th, all thanks to the initiative and generosity of CS Hong Kong, CS Baghdad dispatched three women who built businesses in Baghdad in the salon and beauty products fields to Cosmoprof Asia, the most prestigious beauty trade event in Asia. Most impressively, CS Hong Kong undertook to sponsor the travel and lodging costs of the three, in addition to a similar number from Afghanistan, under their “Connecting the World Through Beauty Initiative.” CS Iraq cast the hair net widely before settling on an impressive trio, with preparation in engineering, computer science, women’s rights and English literature, on top of their entrepreneurial and clipping credentials. Two intend to use the Cosmoprof experience to open a salon-training institute in an underprivileged region of southern Iraq. CS Iraq will stay close to the delegates upon return, and report on their progress.  Update:  9 August 2006 Zaim Khairallah, Bill Crawford, and Andy Wylegala joined colleagues on stage at Commerce’s HQ to receive a Group Bronze Award for the initiative.

Düsseldorf & Washington – October 2005
To the Mountain: Outbound Delegations Connect Iraqis and Americans in Tough Times

Since March 2005 when CS Iraq coordinated the first post-Saddam era IBP delegation to ConExpo, post has focused on trade shows as a means to re-introduce Iraqis to American products and American free enterprise, absent the ability of foreigners to travel Iraq. The four-member CS Iraq team was bitten by a serious travel bug in late October when, in addition to WEFTEC and Cosmoprof (above), post feverishly worked delegation lists, planes, trains and visa lines in support of the U.S. pavilion at Showcase Europe event MEDICA (Düsseldorf, 11/16-19), and IBP PowerGen (Las Vegas, 12/4-8). Recruitment goes well thanks to pent-up demand for first-rate imports and the yearning to see the world through travel. In addition, CS Baghdad is coordinating Iraqi, Kuwaiti and American businesses travelers who will meet DG Hernandez in Amman, Jordan to discuss Iraq-related commerce; the Minister of Industry and Minerals who heads shortly to meet Secretary Gutierrez and to speak to business groups in NYC and Detroit, and the Minister of Health, who will join us at MEDICA

Washington – October 2005
40-member private-public delegation to IBP makes waves

CS Iraq Commercial Specialist Muhammed Sami and Iraq Investment & Reconstruction Task Force dynamo Steve Green spearheaded a 40-strong tri-partite Iraqi delegation of water treatment companies and municipal officials to WEFTEC, a key annual trade show held this year at the DC Convention Center. Without fresh, safe water it will be impossible to drain Iraqi swamps of insurgency, so CS Iraq took a leading role to work with: the Iraqi Chamber, PCO, Iraq Reconstruction Management Office and a j/v of CH2MHill/Parson’s in Iraq; and, Stateside, with the Iraq Task Force, DOS and the water association. Post recruited one sub-delegation and was central to a tsunami of activities that included pre-arranged meetings, a networking session and a dinner. Much effort was placed on melding the Iraqi private and public sector sub-delegations; something that is needed if BOO/BOT schemes are to come into being.

Washington – October 2005
Valiant Local Iraqi Employee Calls on Deputy Secretary of Commerce

On November 3rd Deputy Secretary Sampson met with Muhammed Sami, our CS Iraq Commercial Specialist who was in town with an IBP, to hear first-hand about today’s Iraq, as well as to thank him for his exceptionally brave and meaningful service.  Muhammed has been with CS Iraq since its Summer 2004 inception, and with the CPA before that.  The current IBP was already Muhammed’s second, counting the precedent-making 40-member delegation he led to CONEXPO last March.  Life is neither safe nor easy for the local Iraqi staff of Baghdad, as the Deputy Secretary noted, and Muhammed’s contributions in this context are nothing short of inspirational

Baghdad – 18 August 2005
Congressional Delegation Reviews Infrastructure Works Across Iraq; Visits IZ

CS Baghdad teamed with the newly-formed AmCham Iraq to host a visiting Congressional Delegation led by Small Business Committee Member, Steve King (R-Iowa) for a luncheon at which the congressmen interacted with local Iraqi, American and third-country business representatives on issues such as finance and contracting.  The Delegation spent two days reviewing the progress of major port and energy projects located in the northern and southern regions of Iraq, among other activities.  This was the first delegation to review Iraq reconstruction works in progress. The congressmen's concern for issues affecting small businesses and woman-owned companies was clearly appreciated by some 60 participants, several of whom traveled from far outside of Baghdad to attend, demonstrating a strong commitment to the re-building of Iraq.