Parliamentary and Syndicate Calls to Rescue the Iraqi Industrial Sector and Overcome Current Challenges

The industrial sector is a fundamental pillar for diversifying the Iraqi economy and reducing reliance on oil revenues. However, it has experienced a sharp decline over the past two decades following the closure of thousands of factories. This downturn has severely impacted domestic production, import volumes, and employment rates. Amid growing calls to revive national industry, there is an urgent need to adopt effective economic policies that protect local products and encourage investment. In this context, MP Mukhtar Mahmoud identified four primary reasons for the suspension of industrial facilities post-2003, notably security disturbances, a lack of strategic planning, market flooding with imported goods, and an absence of genuine support. He emphasized the importance of a joint national strategy between the public and private sectors, which could potentially contribute around 20% to the state budget revenues. For his part, former unionist Omran Al-Qaisi explained that the closure of major factories resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs, stressing that addressing this issue requires enforcing laws that protect national products and curbing corruption that favors imports over local manufacturing.