biz

Washington File carries an announcement that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has opened an affiliate office in Baghdad, the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). CIPE describes itself as "building democratic institutions through market-oriented reform around the globe." One could argue with this description given the method in which contracts are being awarded for reconstruction in Iraq. It will be interesting to see what direction additional "reform" will take.

CIPE is launching two programs in Iraq that are funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

-- A partnership with the Iraqi newspaper Al Ahali to produce a monthly business review in Arabic highlighting best business practices and economic reform issues for Iraqi entrepreneurs;

-- A survey of business conditions and barriers to entrepreneurship in six regions of Iraq.

No indication as to the size of the funding for the programs.

The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) has a website at http://www.cipe.org/
Contact information for the CIPE-Iraq Office:

Zaid A. Abdul-Hameed El-Noeimy
Baghdad Office Director
Al Karrada, Zone 909, Street 33, Building 6/1
Baghdad, Iraq
Tel: +9641-7782850
Fax: +9641-7782850
Thuraya: +88216 52306147
email: zaid@cipe.org

The new currency for Iraq goes into circulation on October 15. This coincides nicely with the new $20 bill introduced on October 9 in the US.