Wim Riepma, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Iraq, said Wednesday that the Delegation is a “key partner to the Iraqi government in both good times and bad.” He added that the EU looks forward to strengthening this partnership, particularly through upcoming EU programs in Iraq covering the five-year period from 2028 to 2032.

Riepma said consultations and discussion sessions are currently underway with government officials, private-sector representatives, and other stakeholders. The discussions aim to align the Iraqi government’s priorities and future vision with the initiatives the EU plans to implement in the country.

He noted that the Iraqi government has identified several key priorities, including agriculture, technology, information management, clean energy, and expanded logistics services within the government sector.

Riepma also pointed to progress in several areas, particularly investment and private-sector development, which he said is creating promising opportunities for EU companies to establish partnerships with Iraqi businesses and the broader local private sector.

He announced that the European Union, in cooperation with the Iraqi Ministry of Trade, will organize a Trade, Private Sector, and Public Sector Forum in Baghdad on October 28–29. The forum, he said, “will witness broad participation from companies across all EU member states alongside promising Iraqi firms.”

Riepma explained that the forum will host EU companies and provide an opportunity to establish business partnerships and secure contracts between Iraqi and foreign firms. While political figures and decision-makers will attend, he emphasized that the forum’s primary focus will be on developing private-sector-led partnerships.

He called on companies and entities operating in the construction and development sectors—particularly those interested in agriculture, transportation and logistics, information technology, and clean energy—to register through the INTF platform. He added that registration to attend and participate in the forum remains open.