A pioneer group of South African businessmen participating in this year’s Baghdad international trade fair which opened last week welcomed Saddam’s support for increased trade relations with South Africa. “Iraqi authorities already hold South Africa’s products and technology in high esteem and with Saddam now issuing instructions to in- crease trade with South Africa, the prospects for South Africans securing regular million-dollar contracts with Iraq look good,” said international business facilitator Rodney Hemphill, of Falcon Trading.
Having got involved in trade with Iraq by sheer chance 10 years ago when asked to source 25 000 tons (two shiploads) of sugar for sale to the Iraqi government, Mr Hemphill has since concluded more than 100 business deals in excess of R500-million. “And this is just a tiny slice of what’s available,” he said. “World-wide trade in food and technology with Iraq over the past six years has amounted to $35-billion (R346,5-billion).”
Mr Hemphill’s partner and international trader, Shakir Alkhafaji, said even under the current rigorous sanctions, Iraq’s economy was equal to the Arab-Gulf countries combined. “War will destroy this all,” he said.