On July 22, the Kurdistan Foundation, in partnership with German development agency GIZ, launched the Kurdistan Inclusive Employment and Business Forum.

“Today, we have gathered together for the Kurdistan Inclusive Employment and Business Forum, a joint project between Kurdistan Foundation and the German development agency GIZ,” Yara Barzanji, Director of the Kurdistan Foundation, said at the event.

“We are very pleased that, after several months of preparation, we have reached this important milestone and have succeeded in directly reaching more than 230 young people across the Kurdistan Region.

“Our goal has always been to serve all the people of Kurdistan and create opportunities that benefit every citizen.”

The forum brought together leading corporates, investors, small and medium-sized enterprises, policymakers, diplomats, development partners, and skilled job seekers to strengthen employment, investment, and private-sector growth in the Kurdistan Region.

The forum also aims to ensure equal opportunities for women, persons with disabilities, youth, internally displaced persons, and refugees, with the objective of achieving sustainable economic development.

“Providing jobs is a national responsibility because the development of any country begins when its young people have opportunities to build their own future. Whenever a job opportunity is created for one young person, it does not only change that individual's life — it also restores hope to an entire family,” Barzanji continued.

“For this reason, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to GIZ and the Federal Republic of Germany for their support and partnership in this important project.”

Kurdistan Foundation also has onboarded international partners, influential agencies such as GIZ to contribute to the economic development of Kurdistan, support the private sector, and pave the way for youth for employment.

The forum has brought together many young entrepreneurs and owners of small and medium-sized businesses to participate in a competition, with the top three winners receiving financial support. The first-place winner will be awarded 10 million Iraqi dinars, the second-place winner 7 million Iraqi dinars, and the third-place winner 5 million Iraqi dinars.

On the second day of the forum, more than 50 leading companies will participate to showcase a wide range of job opportunities for job seekers.

“I would also like to extend my special thanks to all the companies that have reaffirmed their commitment to working with us and helping create new opportunities for our youth,” Barzanji added.

“I would like to emphasize that this cooperation between GIZ and the Kurdistan Foundation, facilitated by the Kurdistan Regional Government, is not merely the launch of a single project. Rather, it is part of a long-term national vision to create opportunities and promote sustainable development throughout all the cities of the Kurdistan Region in the years ahead,” she concluded.