Baghdad Fair Awaits

Like so many elements of Iraq's postwar reality, the Baghdad Intl. Fair faces an uncertain future. But at least two tradeshow organizers from war-coalition countries are hoping they'll have a role in that future – whatever it is.

Jerry Kallman Sr., producer of Iraqi reconstruction event Outreach 2004, held Jan. 11-13 in Amman, Jordan, said the director of the Coalition Provisional Authority has asked him to handle a pavilion for American companies at the Baghdad Intl. Fair.

"It's all very tentative, but the when is known. The fair will be in November," Kallman said.

If that is true, it may not be the only show around. Last October saw the London launch of Doing Business in Iraq by Expomedia, IBC Global Conferences and the U.S.-Iraq Business Council. Although no subsequent conferences have taken place (citing security concerns, IBC would not confirm it is going forward with a second event in Moscow this spring), Doing Business was billed as a yearlong series of international meetings that would culminate with the Iraq Rebuild Exhibition in Baghdad in November.

Until last year, November was the usual time for the annual Baghdad Intl. Fair. The 47-year-old BIF, originally an agricultural and industrial fair, saw dramatic growth in the 1990s because of the United Nations' Oil for Food program, which allowed Iraq to exchange its oil for food, medicine and humanitarian commodities. The last fair, held Nov. 1-5, 2002, reportedly drew some 1,200 companies from 49 countries. American economic sanctions against Iraq prevented U.S. companies from participating in the fair.

Since the war began in March 2003, confusion has surrounded the resumption of the BIF. In April, the Associated Press circulated photos showing the fairgrounds reduced to rubble by the coalition's bombing campaign, but optimistic organizers began later that spring predicting the fair would take place as usual in November.

On their Web sites, some trade groups and pavilion managers currently are soliciting participation in a 2004 fair, which nonetheless has no Web site of its own. And, according to Kallman, "the director (of the fair) has changed twice in the last three months, so I think they're experiencing some instability."

Layla Abdallha, former membership director for the BIF, said the new general manager is Muhand A. Salih, and that the fair is now cooperating with an association called the Iraq-American Chamber of Commerce. Salih could not be reached for comment.

But even if venue, date and management issues are resolved, security would still be a concern.

"The internal security situation was worse than we thought it would be – I think that's common knowledge now," said Richard Prafford, hired last May to travel to Iraq and assess the situation for Expomedia, which has led sales and management for Iraq Rebuild Exhibition.

Still, the long-term implications of the Expomedia show make it worthwhile to wait out the development of the interim government and Iraqi infrastructure, Prafford said. "We're really looking at the priority zones: telecom, medicine, education, agriculture, water purification programs."

Knowing it takes a year for a proper tradeshow launch, Expomedia thought one year from the fall 2003 start of the Doing Business conference series seemed reasonable – "until the two bomb blasts against the U.N. and the Red Cross," Prafford said. Now the November date is looking less likely.

When and if the first Expomedia show does take place, it probably will be in some sort of temporary structure, covering around 215,000 square feet – a more modest estimate than the 1 million square feet initially projected.

Although all those involved seem determined to see the Baghdad fairgrounds rebuilt, who will do it depends on what form a future Iraqi government takes. The Iraqi Ministry of Trade, now defunct, was the former administrator.

In any case, activity surrounding the relaunch of a November fair in Baghdad can be expected to increase. Said Prafford: "Historically, Baghdad has been one of the most important axis points for trade within that region. The internal market, in terms of the natural wealth of Iraq, is huge. Add Syria, Turkey, Azerbaijan… It's the largest fair in the region, tremendously popular with European buyers and exhibitors."