ECCI sounds alarm on “trade paralysis” from Iraqi federal decisions

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, the Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI), along with a group of Kurdish business leaders and industrialists, warned of a looming "paralysis" in the Kurdistan Region's trade sector, stemming from recent decisions by the Iraqi federal government.

At a press conference attended by several Kurdish business leaders in Erbil, ECCI President Kaylan Haji Saeed stressed that the obstacles imposed at border crossings would have severe repercussions for traders and business owners in the Kurdistan Region. Saeed also called for imported goods destined for areas under federal government control to pass through the Kurdistan Region’s border points smoothly.

He added, “These obstacles were put by Federal Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, so request him to listen to the demands of traders and cancel the decisions that affect the flow of trade and commerce.”

Saeed further highlighted federal decisions that impede the work of Kurdistan Region traders, including "the rejection of work permits issued by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)", a move he claimed contradicts Iraq's constitution and commercial laws.

The Iraqi government recently barred goods from the Kurdistan Region from entering central and southern Iraq. Kurdish traders have complained that they are often required to pay bribes and extra fees to clear their goods.