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Tejari highlights gains of online procurement

DUBAI - Tejari, the Middle East online marketplace, has delivered to attendees of this week's Outreach 2004 event insight into how online procurement can benefit the infrastructure reconstruction efforts in Iraq.

With e-government initiatives assuming greater priority across the Middle East, Iraq's lack of legacy systems could enable the country to leapfrog its neighbours, while achieving savings of up to 25 per cent by cutting out paper-based trading practices, according to Tejari Iraq's managing director, Emad Makarem.

As part of Outreach's workshop programme, for which Tejari is a sponsor, Makarem spoke at the event and highlighted the efficiencies of online procurement for Iraq's new government, as well as private sector companies involved in reconstruction initiatives.

"Since the launching Tejari Iraq's operations in mid-November, we have been focusing on obtaining the necessary licensing and recruiting a staff of qualified Iraqi nationals," said Makarem.

"We believe that Iraq, the region's largest developing economy, is ideally positioned to benefit from online procurement, as much of the equipment and raw materials for the vast infrastructure projects being awarded in that market could be purchased via Tejari in a competitive, fair, and transparent manner."

According to figures recently released by the World Bank, rebuilding of Iraq's telecoms and transport sectors could cost up to $3.4 billion, and both of these industries are vital to Iraq's ability to engage in online trade both internally and with regional suppliers.

"Online procurement in Iraq can be seen as a two-step process," said Nawfal Al-Jourani, Tejari's marketing director.