By Gina Chon
For the first time in six years, a trade show aimed at drumming up business for local companies was held in Baghdad, reflecting recent security improvements. The DBX Trade Show had been held in the stable Kurdistan region; similar conferences have been held in nearby countries such as Jordan.

But since Iraq has seen a downturn in overall violence, organizers of the Baghdad Business to Business Expo decided to hold the three-day event in the capital, making it easier for local businessmen to attend. More than 260 companies had booths at the event, which began Friday at the al-Rasheed Hotel. The Iraqi American Chamber of Commerce & Industry, which organized the event, said almost 9,000 visitors had registered to attend.
There were a few glitches on the first day. The checkpoint outside of the hotel was overwhelmed, and people had to wait in line for more than two hours to get searched. Some in the crowd began to get angry, saying they had waited too long and wanted their registration fee refunded. American soldiers guarding the checkpoint kept a tight grip on their weapons amid the tension.
As a result of the long wait, guests were still waiting at noon for a roster of speakers that had been scheduled to kick off the event at 9 am. In the middle of the day, attendees heard an explosion, after which the power went off for about 10 minutes at the hotel.
Still, the first day of the event appeared to be a success, with a healthy crowd of people moving from booth to booth throughout the day. Vendors showed off their wares, from batteries to armored vehicles to military uniforms. Many of Iraq’s state-owned companies were there, such as a cigarette maker, juice and soda producer and a furniture manufacturer.
KBR Inc. also had a booth that showcased the Iraqi First Initiative, a push by the U.S. to give contracts and other business to Iraqi companies. There was a steady stream of visitors to KBR, with Iraqis asking if they could submit their resume or get in on a subcontract.
Mohammed Kadhem, sales manager for Iraqi American Chamber, said holding the event in Baghdad was a victory for Iraq. “We’ve been dreaming to do this,” he said, adding: “This is the capital and this is where such an event should be held.”
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