Interview
Steve Lutes, vice president of Middle East Affairs at the US Chamber of Commerce, speaking to Rudaw on April 18, 2024. Photo: Rudaw/screengrab
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United States Chamber of Commerce is encouraged by the memoranda of understanding (MoUs) covering a range of sectors that were recently signed between the Iraqi government and companies and American firms, and hopes for their swift implementation, an official from the organization told Rudaw.
“We’re very encouraged by this and we look forward to seeing the next steps on each agreement, and then hopefully seeing more agreements come out of discussions and developments as well,” Steve Lutes, vice president of Middle East Affairs at the US Chamber of Commerce, told Rudaw on Thursday.
“Our overarching message as the US Chamber of Commerce is that we would like to see these [MoUs] move forward as fast as possible,” he added.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani led a delegation, which included several Iraqi companies, to Washington last week in his first trip to the US as Iraq’s premier. He presided over the signing of 19 MoUs with American companies in various fields, including energy, gas capture, and healthcare.
Lutes said that Sudani’s visit demonstrated Iraq’s desire for broader ties with the US and that the US government and private sector are also keen on looking for further business opportunities in Iraq.
“As part of the prime minister’s visit, there was a clear message that the relationship between Iraq and the United States needs to be broad and it needs to focus in areas such as the commercial trade and investment relationship,” he said, noting that the message is “well received” in the US government and private sector.
Kurdish business giant KAR Group signed four MoUs with American companies during the trip, relating to refinery projects and the development of oil and gas fields.
“US companies are going deeper, they’re going broader into Iraq. And if you’re going into Iraq to do more business, that inevitably, that certainly is going to include the Kurdistan Region in the equation,” said Lutes, adding that the US Chamber of Commerce will continue to encourage American companies to do business in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, “we think that’s very important.”
During their meeting in the Oval Office on Monday, US President Joe Biden and Sudani reaffirmed their commitment to comprehensive bilateral cooperation in line with the Strategic Framework Agreement, including in political, economic, and security arenas.
The Strategic Framework Agreement came into effect in 2009 and seeks to normalize Baghdad-Washington relations through long-term bilateral cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
“We’re very encouraged by this and we look forward to seeing the next steps on each agreement, and then hopefully seeing more agreements come out of discussions and developments as well,” Steve Lutes, vice president of Middle East Affairs at the US Chamber of Commerce, told Rudaw on Thursday.
“Our overarching message as the US Chamber of Commerce is that we would like to see these [MoUs] move forward as fast as possible,” he added.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani led a delegation, which included several Iraqi companies, to Washington last week in his first trip to the US as Iraq’s premier. He presided over the signing of 19 MoUs with American companies in various fields, including energy, gas capture, and healthcare.
Lutes said that Sudani’s visit demonstrated Iraq’s desire for broader ties with the US and that the US government and private sector are also keen on looking for further business opportunities in Iraq.
“As part of the prime minister’s visit, there was a clear message that the relationship between Iraq and the United States needs to be broad and it needs to focus in areas such as the commercial trade and investment relationship,” he said, noting that the message is “well received” in the US government and private sector.
Kurdish business giant KAR Group signed four MoUs with American companies during the trip, relating to refinery projects and the development of oil and gas fields.
“US companies are going deeper, they’re going broader into Iraq. And if you’re going into Iraq to do more business, that inevitably, that certainly is going to include the Kurdistan Region in the equation,” said Lutes, adding that the US Chamber of Commerce will continue to encourage American companies to do business in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, “we think that’s very important.”
During their meeting in the Oval Office on Monday, US President Joe Biden and Sudani reaffirmed their commitment to comprehensive bilateral cooperation in line with the Strategic Framework Agreement, including in political, economic, and security arenas.
The Strategic Framework Agreement came into effect in 2009 and seeks to normalize Baghdad-Washington relations through long-term bilateral cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
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