Paris, 8-10 July 2008

 

Meeting summary

The high-level meeting on economic and governance policy reforms in the Republic of Iraq was jointly organised by the MENA-OECD Initiative on Governance and Investment for Development, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Iraq on 8-10 July 2008 at the OECD Conference Centre in Paris.

 

Discussions focused on:

• investment climate, anti-corruption policies and aid management, based on priorities suggested by GoI officials during prior meetings of MENA-OECD/Iraq under the framework of the International Compact with Iraq (ICI)
• economic policy reforms and private sector development, following the first Roundtable on Economic Reforms and Capacity Enhancement for Private Sector Development in Iraq, organised by the UNDP and MENA-OECD on 1-2 July 2008 in Baghdad

 

Participants discussed options for the implementation of economic and private sector development reforms, and presentations made by Iraqi officials and OECD/UNDP representatives encouraged active discussion to help identify the most relevant policy and reform areas in Iraqi economic reconstruction.

 

In particular, the discussion highlighted that reforms in investment policy, private sector, business integrity and anti-corruption, tax, public-private partnerships, and privatisation of state-owned enterprises must be implemented and enforced.

 

The meeting brought together representatives from Iraq and OECD member countries, and included the Chairman of the National Investment Commission, the Iraqi Ambassador to France, and senior representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Council of Ministers, the Ministries of Finance, Planning and Development), the Joint Anti Corruption Council and the Commission of Integrity.

 

 

Meeting documentation

 Agenda [English l Arabic]

Conclusions [English l Arabic]

 

PRESENTATIONS AND PAPERS  

Economic Policy Reforms in Iraq:

Competitiveness - old, by Mr. Rainer Geiger, Deputy Director, Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs, OECD

Supporting Tax Reform and Implementation in Iraq : Role of the OECD, by Mr. Jeffrey Owens, Director, Centre for Tax and Policy Administration, OECD [here]

Investment in Iraq, by Dr. Al Anbaki, Economic Advisor of the Prime Minister, Prime Minister's Economic Council, Iraq

 

Investment Policies:

Competitiveness - old, by Dr. Qayssar Al Saed, Legal Department, National Investment Commission, Iraq

Work Proposal for a National Investment Strategy in Iraq, by Ferris Nesheiwat, Regional Advisor, MENA-OECD / Iraq Programme, OECD

International Investment Agreements, Strategies and Content, by Mr. Alexander Böhmer, Head of Unit, MENA-OECD Investment Programme, Private Sector Development Division, OECD

Competitiveness - old, OECD

 

Anti-Corruption and Public Procurement:

The Iraq Compact, by Mr. Sirwan Ibrahim, Chief of Staff, Deputy Prime Minister's Office, Iraq

 

Public Procurement:

Competitiveness - old, by Mr. Janos Bertok, Principal Administrator, Public Governance and Territorial Development, Innovation & Integrity Division, OECD

Competitiveness - old, by Mr. Jean-Pierre Bueb, Consultant, OECD.

Competitiveness - old, by Ms. Nicola Ehlermann-Cache, Senior Policy Analyst, MENA-OECD Investment Programme, Private Sector Development Division, OECD [here]

Competitiveness - old, OECD

Discussion Paper on Transparency in Procurement Procedures in Iraq, OECD [here]

 

Anti-Corruption and Integrity:

Competitiveness - old, by Mrs. Nicola Ehlermann-Cache, Senior Policy Analyst, MENA-OECD Investment Programme, Private Sector Development Division, OECD [here]

Competitiveness - old, by Mrs Sylvia Fletcher, UN Development Programme, and Mr. Oliver Stolpe, Crime Prevention Expert, UN Office on Drugs and Crime

Paper on the impact of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, OECD [here]

Competitiveness - old, by Ms. Arouna Roshanian, Policy Analyst, MENA-OECD Investment Programme, Private Sector Division, OECD.

Competitiveness - old, by Mr. Janos Bertok, Principal Administrator, Public Governance and Territorial Development, Innovation & Integrity Division, OECD

Competitiveness - old, OECD.

Competitiveness - old, OECD

Fight against Corruption, Service Central de Prévention contre la Corruption (SCPC)

 

Aid Management and Budget Planning:

Competitiveness - old, by Mrs. Huda Malik, Director General for International Development, Ministry of Planning and Development Co-operation, Iraq

Competitiveness - old, by Mr. François Lacasse, Consultant, OECD