On 13 May 2010, His Excellency Dr Ali Sindi, KRG Minister of Planning, received Mr. Bakir Qasab, president of the Kurdistan Economists Union, and a number of the Union’s board members.

In the meeting, the cooperation and coordination between the Ministry and the Union was discussed and the importance of government support to the Union was highlighted. The Economists Union has 4200 members, which include experts in economics, statistics, and trade. The Minister mentioned the importance of the Union and its cooperation with the government to develop the economy. The president of the Union outlined its’s mandate and activities. The Minister commented on the experts’ participation in economic and strategic planning. They further discussed investment in economic projects such as banking and other related sectors. Finally, the Minister expressed the KRG and the Ministry of Planning’s support for the Union on the grounds that it is the only Union that has served the economy without any external pressure or interference.