Second Clean Energy Conference Held at Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Under the theme "Together Towards a Clean and Sustainable Future Through Clean Energy," the second clean energy conference was held today, Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at the Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry building. The event was attended by Omed Khoshnaw, Governor of Erbil; Gailan Haji Saeed, President of the Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Karim Suleiman, Deputy Minister of Agriculture in the Kurdistan Regional Government; Kamaran Salah Bajger and Maruf Aziz Khan Harki, Vice Presidents of the Chamber; along with several general directors from Iraq and Kurdistan Region, university presidents and professors, representatives from the Central Bank of Iraq, company owners, and specialists in clean energy.
The conference was organized within the framework of the Central Bank of Iraq's project supporting clean energy initiatives, supervised by the Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry in coordination with the "Together for Human and Environmental Protection" organization and other specialized Iraqi institutions.
The aim of this conference was to promote collaborative efforts to encourage factories, projects, companies, and citizens to use sustainable clean energy that is environmentally friendly and beneficial for human health.
At the beginning of the conference, Gailan Haji Saeed, President of the Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry, delivered a welcome speech discussing how all countries are facing environmental changes and turning to clean energy use. The Chamber President stated that this conference serves as an important platform for exchanging ideas, experiences, and concepts to promote clean energy usage and achieve their goals. He added that the conference provides an opportunity for innovation and cooperation between government and private sectors in their efforts to find effective solutions for protecting our planet and future generations.
In his speech, Gailan Haji Saeed called on universities and scientific institutions to contribute through their research and studies, particularly in reducing harmful gas emissions that cause air pollution. He expressed hope that this conference would lead to effective initiatives in advancing clean energy usage and that the Central Bank of Iraq would provide full support to relevant parties in the region in providing financial backing similar to other Iraqi cities.
At the conclusion of his speech, the Chamber President thanked the attendees and wished for a productive, constructive, and beneficial conference.
Subsequently, Omed Khoshnaw, Governor of Erbil, delivered a speech praising the Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry for organizing this conference. He described the conference's recommendations as providing clarity and government support for steps toward clean energy usage.
The Governor of Erbil stated that clean energy and climate change are crucial issues that the whole world is planning to address and benefit from clean energy. He expressed satisfaction that the ninth cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government has decided in the Council of Ministers to implement steps for utilizing solar energy for electricity generation, starting first with all government departments.
The Governor of Erbil hoped that the Central Bank of Iraq would allocate budgets for Kurdistan Region cities similar to other Iraqi cities, which would ultimately serve all humanity.
Later, several presentations and seminars were delivered by conference organizers, the Central Bank of Iraq, and related institutions, aimed at raising awareness about environmental change risks, benefits of clean energy usage, and explaining the Central Bank of Iraq's procedures for supporting clean energy projects.
The conference concluded with an open discussion between government, private sector, universities, and civil society organizations to promote collaboration among them, with representatives in attendance. Participants enriched the conference further with their questions and viewpoints.