Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (us.gov.krd) - A conference held in Erbil on October 14 brought together top KRG and federal government officials with leading American and Kurdistani business leaders to discuss peace and prosperity in the Kurdistan Region and the rest of Iraq.

The conference, titled “Kurdistan Region and the United States: Promoting Prosperity”, was co-hosted by the KRG Representation in the United States, US Consulate in Erbil, University of Kurdistan-Hewler, and the US-Kurdistan Business Council.

The conference’s keynote speeches was delivered by Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Finance Dr. Fuad Hussein and by Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, who spoke about the importance of the KRG-American partnership in promoting security and economic diversification.

In her opening remarks, KRG Representative to the US Bayan Sami Abdul Rahman said, "Kurdistan needs to further develop its economy to be more efficient, more inviting for investors and offer more to our people. I hope that the discussions we have today will help us towards that aim."

Vice President of the Kurdistan Region Mustafa Said Qadir, United States Consul General in Erbil Steve Fagin, President of the United States Kurdistan Business Council David Tafuri, and Chair of the Governing Board of the University of Kurdistan - Hewler Dr. Sherzad Najar also delivered remarks to the attendees.

The conference also included panel discussions with industry and government leaders. They included Begard Talabani, Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources; Sasan Awni, Minister Municipalities and Tourism; Safeen Dizayee, Head of Department of Foreign Relations; Dr. Mohammed Shukri, Chairman of the Kurdistan Board of Investment; Dr. Dara Khayat, President of the Kurdistan Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Shawn Emamjomeh, Country Manager of Claremont Group; Saido Chato, President of the Nineveh Provincial Council; and Isabela Uribe, Head of UNDP office Erbil.