Polish firms sign multi-million dollar contracts with Iraq renewing trade ties
Polish firms have signed the first multi-million dollar contracts with Iraq
since the Gulf War. According to the Polish Chamber of Commerce (KIG), the
new contracts were a beacon of hope that more such cooperation is imminent.
The relations between the two countries were given a boost by the recent
visit of deputy Economy Minister Tadeusz Donocika, accompanied by a group of
leading Polish entrepreneurs. The highlight of the visit was the signing of
two high-profile contracts for Polish firms to supply building machines and
some pharmaceutical products to Iraq. Before the Gulf War, Iraq was one of
Poland's most important trading partners with trade of up to $500 million a
year. Trade after the war literally froze with one of the worst years being
1999 when trade volumes shrank to only $300,000 of mostly goods exported
through a third partner such as Egypt or Russia. (Rzeczpospolita, page B1)
S.M.
