Iraqi-French Business Council established on the sidelines of the Iraqi-French Economic Forum

Baghdad, The Department of Foreign Economic Relations in the Ministry of Trade announced the establishment of the Iraqi-French Business Council on the sidelines of the Iraqi-French Economic Forum late last May. A statement by the Ministry's media office said: 'The activities of the forum were organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Paris in cooperation and coordination with the Commercial Mission in Paris, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the French Employers Association MEDEF for the period from the twenty-ninth to the thirty-first of last May.' The statement continued: 'The forum was attended by government agencies and the Iraqi private sector, and on the French side, the Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, in addition to other official figures, with the participation of Iraqi and French companies from the public and private sectors, and a large number of researchers, interested parties, and media professionals.' The statement indicated: 'The launch of the work of this economic fo rum comes within the efforts of the Iraqi government and the Ministry of Trade to implement the Iraqi-French strategic agreement signed between the two countries last year in order to develop trade and economic relations between the two friendly countries.' The statement stressed: 'The Commercial Attaché played a pivotal and prominent role in coordinating with French banks, owners of companies and factories, investors, industrialists, and parties influencing the French commercial and economic decision by bridging viewpoints to open broader commercial cooperation horizons by inviting them to participate in the forum. Source: National Iraqi News Agency