The Ministry of Trade announced today, Saturday, new measures to regulate the work of importers and enhance supervision over goods, while confirming a trend to increase the presence of Iraqi products in Arab, regional, and international markets.
The official spokesman for the Ministry of Trade, Mohammed Hanoon, stated in a statement reported by the news agency that "the ministry is working to organize the import process according to legal frameworks and applicable regulations, achieving a balance between the smooth entry of goods into the Iraqi market and protecting consumers and national products," noting that "the ministry has worked on developing the regulations for issuing importer identities and organizing the work of importers, in parallel with strengthening monitoring and quality control procedures, in coordination with the relevant government bodies."
He added that "the Iraqi market is not an open market for unknown source materials or those that do not meet specifications," explaining that "the regulatory measures taken by the ministry primarily aim to protect citizens, maintain market safety, and prevent harm to the national economy."
He emphasized that "supporting national products is one of the main pillars of the Ministry of Trade's policy, and it is not limited to protecting them within the Iraqi market, but the ministry also works to advance Iraqi products from the stage of local competition to the stage of presence in foreign markets."
He clarified that the ministry "is working to facilitate export procedures, activate the role of Iraqi commercial attachés abroad to introduce Iraqi products and connect producers and exporters with targeted markets," in addition to "working on registering exporting Iraqi companies in importing countries and reducing the procedures and bureaucracy that obstruct the export process."
He pointed out that "the Export Support Fund represents an important tool in encouraging Iraqi companies to expand externally and increase their competitiveness."
Hanoon stated that "the ministry has a tendency to diversify markets and not rely on a single market, with a focus on Arab and regional markets, particularly Gulf countries, alongside Turkish, Iranian, Jordanian, and Egyptian markets, as well as Asian and European markets where Iraqi products can compete."
He added that "the ministry possesses a database for trade exchanges with countries around the world which helps identify markets that demand Iraqi products," noting that "Iraqi trade data show the importance of markets such as China, India, South Korea, and the United States, as well as Turkey and European countries."
He confirmed that "the goal during the upcoming phase is to increase the share of non-oil exports, as they represent an important indicator of the diversification of the Iraqi economy."
Regarding foreign trade data, Hanoon explained that "Iraq has multiple databases and sources to track foreign trade movement, and the Ministry of Trade collaborates with relevant government bodies to continuously update this data, including data from the Central Statistics Organization, the Central Bank, and the International Trade Center."
He emphasized "the importance of distinguishing between total foreign trade and non-oil trade, as the Iraqi economy still heavily relies on oil exports," indicating that "the Central Bank's data shows that crude oil accounted for about 92.8 percent of Iraq's total exports in the first quarter of 2025, while other exports amounted to 2.3 percent, in addition to petroleum products."
He confirmed that "the challenge the ministry is working on today is not limited to increasing the volume of trade, but rather changing its composition, so that the contribution of agriculture, industry, food products, and other Iraqi goods in exports increases."
He concluded by saying that "this path will lead to a more diversified economy capable of facing external changes."