Middle Eastern markets have traditionally in the past been very important for Croatian civil engineering companies. Nowadays, those markets have once again came into focus given the investments plans in the infrastructure and energy sectors. Establishing a footprint in the Middle East and Northern African markets is a strategic goal of Institut IGH, JSC. In March 2021 our representatives visited the Republic of Iraq and the Arab Republic of Egypt.
In Iraq, visit organised in cooperation with Iraqi Embassy in Croatia, our president of the Management Board Robert Petrosian had an opportunity to present our company and together with his host mr. Hatham Naim Al-Mayali, director of Karbala Oasis investment Group, visit the Karbala region and some of the ongoing investment projects there. Also, there were high-level talks held with a string of the region's dignitaries about the current situation, possibilities for cooperation and regional plans, in particular the development master plan of Karbala.
Concluding the visit, IGH delegation met with representatives of the Islamic Zain Iraq bank with whom talks were held around future projects in the Republic of Iraq in general.
Also, as part of an economic delegation of Croatia that accompanied Croatian foreign minister mr. Grlić Radman during his visit to Egypt, Institut IGH representatives, headed by mr. Miroslav Pauzar, a member of the Management Board, together with our colleague Svetlana Petrović, took part in Economic Forum where we could see the future investment plans and establish numerous contacts on the governmental and private level.
Based on the assessment on the potential for business perspectives and possible cooperation, the Management Board of Institut IGH, JSC decided to open a branch office in Cairo, Egypt, that will act as a HUB for all Middle East and the North African markets and will be headed by our colleague Adil Kerim.
