In an op-ed for MEED.com, “What Foreign Companies Still Get Wrong About Iraq” (5 August 2026), Renwar Ahmed and Anastasia Nosova examine the risks foreign companies continue to underestimate when entering or operating in Iraq. While improved security, greater political stability, and stronger oil revenues have renewed investor interest, Iraq’s investment narrative has advanced faster than its operating reality.
The most persistent challenges are often not physical security risks, but structural risks such as opaque counterparties, hidden political backing, fragmented authority, sanctions exposure, and weak or corrupt law enforcement and judicial institutions. These risks become especially acute after market entry, when companies are selecting partners, bidding for contracts, moving funds, securing approvals, or attempting to enforce agreements.
Effective market-entry planning requires placing counterparty risk assessment at the center of the strategy, including identifying beneficial ownership, mapping political exposure, screening for sanctions links, understanding broader networks, and continuously monitoring changing conditions.
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