Title: Obstacles and Opportunities for Entrepreneurship in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region
Author: Aaron Bartnick
Place of publication: Sulaimani
Publisher: The Institute of Regional and International Studies (IRIS)
Release date: 2017
In the context of the AUIS Entrepreneurship Initiative (AEI), this report, written by IRIS fellow Aaron Bartnick, points to the main obstacles and opportunities for entrepreneurs in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. It also presents policy recommendations suggesting ways government institutions could help support entrepreneurship and small businesses.

The report draws insight from several months of interviews and meetings with stakeholders and members of the community in Sulaimani, Erbil, and Baghdad. It also incorporates the conclusions of a roundtable discussion hosted by IRIS, at AUIS, on June 19, 2017, with the support of IraqCom Technologies, Qaiwan Group, and the Iraq Middle Market Development Fund (IMMDF). The event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, and government officials from across the Middle East for a full-day discussion of the challenges facing Iraqi entrepreneurs and how all stakeholders can collaborate to build a sustainable private sector.[1]