AMMAN: Iraqi Vice President Tareq Al-Hashemi yesterday urged involvement of Japanese businesses in Iraq’s reconstruction process in the wake of “security successes” achieved in the country.“Iraqi firms should quit their hesitation and enter the Iraqi market following the recent achievements in the domain of security,” Al-Hashemi said as he opened the First Iraqi-Japanese Business Forum in Amman.
“Until security improves to the degree wanted by the Japanese companies, they can open branches in Iraqi provinces that enjoy an acceptable level of security,” he added.
Al-Hashemi complaint of the “absence of a common language” between the Iraqi and the Japanese private sectors at the time being.
“In order to ensure that Iraq accepts Japan as one of the key buyers of its oil in future, Baghdad likes to see a strong Japanese participation in the country’s reconstruction and economic restructuring. This will not materialize except through the presence of Japanese firms in Iraq,” he said.
The Japanese government extended $1.3 billion in economic aid and $3.5 billion as concessionary loans to the war-torn country.