Calls to Revive Iraq's Industrial Sector Amid Demands for a Comprehensive National Strategy

Iraq's industrial sector is experiencing a significant decline, resulting in the closure of thousands of factories and negatively impacting employment and local production. MP Mukhtar Mahmoud identified the primary reasons for this setback, pointing to security unrest, the lack of national planning, market flooding with imports, and the absence of genuine support. He emphasized the need for a national strategy involving both public and private sectors to rehabilitate outdated facilities, potentially boosting state revenues significantly. Furthermore, trade union expert Omran Al-Qaisi noted that factory closures have led to massive job losses, stressing the necessity of enforcing laws to protect national products and curbing corruption that favors imports over local production.