Economic Development in Iraq, Views from the Front Lines

Google Tech Talk February 17, 2010 ABSTRACT Presented by Ambassador Charles Ries. What are the challenges and benefits of economic development in a country like Iraq? What is the shape of today’s economy in Iraq and how does a country prosper during a transition from war to economic development? Ambassador Charles Ries will provide a view from the front-lines of Iraq’s past and present economic development, as well as a perspective on what we can expect to see in Iraq’s future. As the most recent Minister for Economic Affairs and Coordinator for Economic Transition in Iraq at the US Embassy in Baghdad, Ries is an authority on the challenges and benefits of economic development. About the Speaker: Ambassador Charles Ries is a senior fellow at RAND. He most recently served as the Minister for Economic Affairs and Coordinator for Economic Transition in Iraq at the US Embassy in Baghdad. Before that, he was US Ambassador to Greece and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. In earlier state department assignments, Ries was the Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at the US Embassy in London and Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at the US Mission to the EU. He served as Deputy Assistant US Trade Representative for North American Affairs and as a member of the NAFTA negotiating team.