TEHRAN (Iran News) – Adopting plan for economic cooperation and joint venture investment has been considered as one of the most important elements to serve Iran-Iraq economies to flourish.
Iraq as a signatory to the documents of the International Labor Organization is still facing problems in terms of labor rights and economic weakness.
The Arab country grapples with 30 percent poverty level. Half of the 40 million population of the country are workforce, while its jobless rate stands at 2.5 million people.
The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and the decline of oil prices in 2020 have severely hit the economy and workforce of Iraq, causing spread of poverty in the country with abundance of resources and human capital.
Iraq has started cooperating with the International Labor Organization since 2019 in a bid to improve labor rights and meet requirements of laborers until 2023.
Iranian minister’s visit to Iraq
Experts believe that the visit by Iran’s Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Mohammad Shariatmadari to Baghdad has been made in a proper time, when Iraq needs to utilize Iranian experiences in upgrading the situation of laborers and using opportunities to promote entrepreneurship.
Iran’s Shariatmadari and Iraq’s Labor and Social Affairs Minister Adel al-Rikabi signed a document in Baghdad on Sunday to expand cooperation.
Shariatmadari underlined that the prerequisite to open export markets in neighboring countries is development of labor collaborations.
The exchange of professional delegations in the field of entrepreneurship as well as development of cooperation in technical trainings can be a part of permanent assistances between Iraq and Iran, according to experts.
Ahmad Hamid Al-Alwani, the Iraqi Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, told IRNA that the collaborations between the two ministries include different fields of economy, industry and agriculture.
In the eyes of the Iraqi officials, the Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the most important partners of the Arab country, which provides Iraq with electricity, gas, goods and foodstuffs.
In a meeting with Shariatmadari, Iraq’s Minister of Finance Ali Abdulamir Allawi emphasized that strong and brotherly relations with the Islamic Republic is one of the main economic reliance points for the Iraqis.
The joint cooperation document between Iran-Iraq is expected to open a window of opportunity for expansion of mutual ties and create a system for permanent association, which will pave the ground for progress and economic thrive in both countries.
