The Central Bank of Iraq announced the launch of the Al-Fursan programme, an investment initiative for entrepreneurs aimed at creating opportunities for young people and strengthening the private sector’s role in the national economy. The programme is designed to help participants access investment opportunities and obtain soft loans for those who qualify, and includes a safety net intended to support the continuity of promising projects. At the launch event, Governor Ali Mohsen Al-Alaq linked the initiative to the Central Bank’s focus on youth-oriented projects that add products and services to the domestic economy and to recent reforms in the Iraqi banking sector that can strengthen support for small and medium-sized enterprises. A group of young participants presented their projects and assessed market demand and available potential.