Erbil and Basra, June 2022. Silk Routes team carried out a series of meetings with government stakeholders amongst the Ministries of Migration and Displaced and Labour and Social Affairs and private sector in Erbil and Basra, Iraq, on 23-26 May and 7- 9 June 2022, as part of the ongoing implementation of project ‘Capacity building for long-term reintegration of returnees to Afghanistan and Iraq’ (Project CAIR), funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
The discussions focused specifically on the ongoing work and capacities of the local level governmental entities involved in migration management and the potential of the private sector to contribute to long-term reintegration of returnees. The team placed a novel focus on hearing the ideas from the private sector actors on enhancing the involvement of the industries by creating employment opportunities and professional development schemes for individuals.
In this vein, a series of meetings was hosted by the Chambers of Commerce in Erbil and Basra, including a large multi-stakeholder meeting kindly accommodated by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Erbil. The latter meeting brought together a wide range of participants representing Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Sulaymaniyah, Halabja, and Dohuk cities of the Kurdistan Region, and various enterprises in construction, production, agriculture, and trade. Representatives of academic institutions and research units affiliated with the private sector entities contributed further to the substantive discussions, thereby enhancing the whole-of-society approach.
The findings of the Project CAIR missions will help to consolidate the work of the Multi-Stakeholder Platform, launched in April 2022, with the aim to bring together public and private sector representatives, national researchers, and international actors, as a space for an open dialogue on long-term sustainable solutions in reintegration.
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