The project is designed to encourage the establishment of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Iraq, and the creation of employment opportunities for Iraqi people through the promotion of domestic and foreign investment in the productive sectors of the economy. The project will use as strategic entry point the physical assets and trained human resources of UNIDO project “Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion for the SME sector in Iraq” and is structured along two components:  

1. Enhanced capacities of Iraqi institutions on providing enterprise development services with the use of information and communication technology.
2. Facilitate the creation of new enterprises and increase competitiveness of existing enterprises (in the selected governorates) in order to provide employment and income generating opportunities for the people and to reduce poverty.

This project will support the GoI’s efforts in achieving ICI benchmark 4.3.2 and works closely with Ministry of Industry and Minerals, Kurdistan Regional Government and Thi Qar provincial Council.  Activities will take place in the Governorates of Erbil, Baghdad and Thi Qar.