Baghdad will host the fourth Arab Summit for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises from November 18 to 20, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and startup support organisations from across the region.
Iraq and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) agreed to launch the summit, in partnership with the Central Bank of Iraq and under the patronage of the prime minister.
According to the announcement, the summit will feature high-level sessions, specialised discussions, startup success stories and competitions where founders can present their ideas to investors. It is intended to support knowledge exchange, regional partnerships and policies that improve access to markets and finance for small businesses.
The event builds on previous editions held in Jordan, Morocco and Qatar between 2022 and 2024. Those summits contributed to regional partnerships and secured funding commitments exceeding $300M for small and medium-sized enterprises, the announcement said.
Separately, Iraq’s Ministry of Planning signed a cooperation memorandum with an international organisation focused on youth development. The agreement covers entrepreneurship and innovation programmes, digital innovation, advisory support for startups, vocational training and research related to youth and development.
Source: Azzaman
