After a three-year hiatus caused by COVID-19, the Czech Business Day (CBD) was again held in the KRI, under the umbrella of the Czech economic diplomacy and in cooperation with the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic. This was a successful follow-up to previous years of PROPED events held in the KRI. The main focus of the CBD was the water industry, however, other sectors were also represented.

The Czech delegation to the CBD was led by the then Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Ales Kendík. On the Kurdish side, everything took place under the auspices and invitation of the Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Ms. Begard Talabani.

The first part of the CBD was focused on the speeches of the main guests and the presentations of the Czech companies present. This was followed by a business lunch and then a B2B meeting. The second part of the CBD took place in the field - a visit to the Duhok Governorate and its dam. Our aim was to get information about the quality of the water industry into the deeper awareness of all stakeholders and persons and to show that we are ready for mutual business cooperation. KRG is planning to build eight new dams to satisfy the ever-increasing water demand in the future. Hopefully, we have succeeded and as a follow up to the CBD, a visit to the Czech Republic by Minister B. Talabani. 

Czech CG in Erbil, together with the exclusive distributor and dealer of ŠKODA cars, not only in the KRI but also in Iraq itself, has been working throughout the year to build and reopen a representative showroom in Erbil for the brand. We hope we are not giving too much away or jinxing things when we say that we have moved on again and everything is on track.

The Czech footprint in KRI is not just about cars and water. We can also find other industrial goods and cooperation. We would like to mention Czech glass and porcelain, construction, building and agricultural machinery, which are manufactured in the Czech Republic. There is also a successful Czech electronics company. This is a commendable success in a flood of Asian competitors with products not of very high quality but nevertheless more affordable.

One of the main government priorities in the KRI is tourism. There are several reasons for this. However, creating new jobs for the young generation, who are most affected by unemployment, is likely to be the most important. The government here is aware of this, and therefore considerable funds are being invested in this direction. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of organisation, planning or vision as to the direction in which tourism development should take. The KRG's interest is to bring more European tourists to the KRI, thus creating more job opportunities for the young generation and presenting the beauty of the Kurdistan Region to foreign tourists. One of the ways could be agritourism like we can see in Europe. Of course, there is also interest in the opposite direction. Visit Europe. We can note here an interest in spa/health or religious themes. We cannot leave out archaeology and restoration. The KRI has left a significant Czech footprint in this area, and we believe that this will continue to be the case. 

The activities of the Reconstruction Programme of the Czech Republic in the Middle East region have not been left behind either. As part of a small-scale project (SSP) for 2022, Czech CG in Erbil together with the NGO Rwanga Foundation built six new classrooms for girls attending Rovia High School in Rovia (Bardarash district, Duhok). Along with the new building, a new lawn was created, where we jointly planted trees as a symbol of support for the fight against climate change in KRI. #Czechia4Climate

Tied Financial Donations (TFD) helped two hospitals in KRI. Based on the experience of previous years, we concluded that we should maintain continuity of medical care in the isolated locations of KRI and provide follow-up medical care. In 2022, this was a Neonatal ICU product from the Association of Manufacturers and Suppliers of Medical Devices (AVDZP). This unit was provided to two hospitals and installation was carried out by the Czech company MZ Liberec, a.s. 

Both units were handed over for use at the end of last year. On 13 December 2022, we personally visited the Maternity Hospital in Ranya and together with the Director General of Health in Raparin District, Mr. Diyar Ibrahim, inaugurated the operation of the unit.

We inaugurated the second unit in Amedi only on 25 January 2023 together with the Mayor, Mr. Warshin Salman Muhammad Taher, of this iconic town. As has become a tradition, the initial meeting and festive small ceremony was followed by a working lunch. There were many topics, however two themes prevailed. The Czech Republic's development aid to the region and tourism. It is a very popular destination not only for domestic tourists but with all the troubles.  

Finally, I would like to personally thank the Czech #MFA, #EconomicDiplomacy and everyone who assisted us during 2022. Thanks also go to the Czech-Iraqi Business Council headed by Mr. Majid Shamas Toma and the staff of the Czech Consulate in Erbil.