The Embassy of Iraq in Berlin

Germany and Iraq enjoy close and friendly relations that date back to well before the founding of the modern Iraqi state. Since the regime change in 2003, relations have increasingly intensified and are now founded on numerous mutual high-level visits. The traditionally close economic ties between Germany and Iraq can be instrumental in helping to reconstruct the country’s infrastructure and basic economic services, thus having a positive impact on the country’s political stabilisation. After a continuous increase in bilateral trade in recent years, German imports and exports have been stagnant, and have even declined slightly of late owing to the uncertainty in the country. In 2014, German exports to Iraq were worth EUR 1.2 billion and German imports from Iraq accumulated to EUR 438 million. The Iraqi market also offers huge potential for German business. A particular priority for the Federal Government is reforming the vocational training sector. It is implementing a whole range of measures as part of its assistance. The Federal Government also provides support to two German Liaison Offices for Industry and Commerce in Iraq (DWI), based in Erbil and Baghdad.

Germany and Iraq cooperate closely in both the cultural and educational sectors. The overall conditions for cultural work in Iraq are difficult on account of the tense security situation. Nevertheless, over the past few years the Federal Government has succeeded in markedly stepping up its engagement there, thus continuing a long tradition of cultural cooperation with Iraq, particularly in higher education through university partnerships and the awarding of scholarships by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).