On June 15, CLDP, at the behest of the U.S. Consulate in Basrah, led a meeting with the Governor of Basrah, Dr. Maged Al-Nasrawi, and 20 other Governorate officials to develop the next programmatic steps in implementing the recently signed Sister-City Agreement between Houston and Basra. The meeting led to identifying main government initiatives representing high-value opportunities that would attract U.S. companies specialized in infrastructure projects.

On June 16 and 17, CLDP conducted two workshops at the U.S. Consulate in Basrah, Iraq, to promote strategic alliances between Iraqi and U.S. companies. The first workshop focused on developing effective due diligence practices that foster a conducive environment for US-Iraq commercial partnerships. Business leaders and Governorate representatives from the southern provinces of Iraq, as well as representatives from the National Investment Commission and the Ministry of Planning, participated in the workshop and identified practical next steps for how Iraqi's private sector can contribute to the country’s economic recovery. The next day, CLDP conducted a business round table with Basrah private sector representatives and government officials on identifying current legal and commercial challenges that impede U.S. companies in considering the Iraqi market within the more stable and secure environment of Basra.