The Iraqi-Azerbaijani Businessmen Forum kicked off in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, today, Tuesday, in the presence of the Minister of Trade, Athir Dawood Al-Ghariri, and the Azerbaijani Minister of Economy, Mikail Jabbarov. In a speech he delivered at the forum, the minister stressed the depth of historical relations between Iraq and Azerbaijan, and the importance of strengthening them by establishing real partnerships between businessmen from the two countries. Al-Ghariri called on Azerbaijani companies and investors to enter the Iraqi market and explore available investment opportunities, stressing the need to increase the export of Iraqi products to Azerbaijan. The Minister pointed to the importance of cooperation in the field of localizing the gold industry in Iraq, where they discussed ways to benefit from Azerbaijani expertise to support and develop this vital sector in a way that serves the Iraqi economy. The forum was attended by the Head of the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce, the Iraq i Chargé d'Affaires at the Iraqi Embassy in Azerbaijan, and the Director General of the Department of Foreign Economic Relations at the Ministry of Trade, in addition to a large number of businessmen from both sides. Source: National Iraqi News Agency