Dr Arwa Al Rawi, Strategic Relations Advisor at Salt & Associates, attended a dialogue hosted by the Baghdad Dialogue Council featuring H.E. Sarwa Abdulwahid, Iraq’s Minister of Environment. The engagement forms part of the firm’s ongoing commitment to strategic dialogue and cross-sector partnership in support of Iraq’s long-term development.
The discussion addressed Iraq’s evolving environmental priorities and the role of women in leadership and decision-making. A recurring theme emerged: the need to move beyond responding to environmental challenges, towards building institutions capable of anticipating them.
Several areas featured prominently – waste and medical waste management, industrial pollution, air and water quality, environmental infrastructure, and carbon markets. Considerable attention was given to opportunities for specialised investment, and to the private sector’s position as a genuine partner in environmental protection, working alongside government institutions, researchers, civil society and international counterparts.
The dialogue also included Dr Aref Al-Saadi, Advisor to the Prime Minister for Cultural Affairs, and MP Ayat Al-Jubouri, member of the Services Committee of the Iraqi Council of Representatives. Their participation brought executive, legislative, cultural and civic perspectives into a shared conversation on Iraq’s future.
For Salt & Associates, participation in this kind of dialogue reflects a particular understanding of strategic relations – one centred on connecting institutions and sectors that often approach the same national challenges from markedly different vantage points.
As Iraq continues to attract investment and strengthen its institutions, sustainable development depends increasingly on the capacity of public and private actors, policymakers, international partners and civil society to operate beyond their traditional boundaries.
Through its Strategic Relations function, Salt & Associates contributes to this ecosystem: reinforcing institutional connections, facilitating dialogue, and identifying opportunities for the kind of partnership that supports responsible investment and long-term development in Iraq.
