President Klestil meets Iraqi ministers to discuss reconstruction process

The delegation met with the President and other government officials including the Vice Chancellor and Minister of Transport, Innovation and Technology, Huber Gorbach and Minister of Economy and Labour, Martin Bartenstein.

President Klestil expressed his gratitude to Sheikh Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber, Chairman of MBI International, for his role in facilitating cooperation between the Austrian and Iraqi authorities and in supporting the reconstruction process in Iraq.

The official Iraqi delegation was headed by the Iraqi Minister of Planning and Reconstruction, Dr Mahdi Al Hafidh and comprised Behnam Zeya Boulus, Minister of Transport and Industry and other representatives from Iraqi ministries. Officials from the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq based in Vienna were also present.

Speaking at the event the Iraqi Minister of Planning and Reconstruction, Dr Mahdi Al Hafidh said: "This is an extremely valuable opportunity for us to be able to exchange ideas with our Austrian counterparts and meet with the local business community to see how they can support our efforts in terms of rebuilding our economy and rebuilding hope for a prosperous and stable future. We thank both our host country Austria, and our partners MBI International for all their support in this respect."

Sheikh Mohamed bin Issa Al Jaber, Chairman, MBI International said that he was honored to host such a prestigious group of invitees and strongly believed that the Iraqi delegation's visit would significantly support further flows of capital and expertise into Iraq.

"This is a critical moment in the history of this historically rich nation. As an Arab businessman operating in European markets, I am very proud to be able to assist my Iraqi brothers in identifying potential areas of synergy between the European corporate environment and the pressing economic needs of Iraq. I believe that it is only through initiatives like this, where Iraqi representatives meet European corporates directly, that true partnerships can be forged for the future. We are very pleased to be able to facilitate in this respect," he said.

The dinner event was held at the Grand Hotel, Vienna, rounding off a day of discussions between senior Austrian government officials and their Iraqi counterparts and reflected the commitment of MBI International to facilitating greater Austrian investment in the reconstruction process in Iraq. Representatives of the Austrian business community also attended the event.

Sheikh Mohamed has regularly visited President Klestil to discuss investment opportunities in the region. In March Sheikh Mohamed met with the President specifically to discuss support for Austrian companies viewing the commercial potential of the Middle East.

MBI International operates in fields as diverse as agribusiness, hotels and resorts and construction. However, having built highly successful operations, Sheikh Mohamed, a self-made Arab entrepreneur, also plays a key role in the region in the areas of conflict resolution initiatives and moves to support sustainable development.

Sheikh Mohamed has been an active promoter of reform in the region for many years notably in the field of education. His philanthropic work, which now involves international bodies such as UNESCO, is executed under the auspices of the UK registered charity, MBI Foundation that provides scholarships for Arab students at European universities.