Prime Highlights-
- ISS Group and VisionAID sign a partnership linking North East England with Iraq and the wider MENA region.
- The deal centers on ISS Airview at Newcastle, billed as the UK’s first dedicated International Trade Centre.
Key Facts-
- The partnership focuses on three pillars including education, enterprise and trade, and innovation.
- Ammar Mirza and Professor Dr Mohammed Ahmed lead ISS Group and VisionAID respectively in the agreement.
Background-
ISS Group and VisionAID have entered a strategic partnership connecting North East England with Iraq and the broader Middle East and North Africa region, spanning trade, investment, education and innovation.
The deal is built around ISS Airview at Newcastle International Airport, billed as the UK’s first dedicated International Trade Centre, together with ISS Group’s logistics and freeport activities in the area.
The partnership sets up a two-way channel for businesses, universities, investors and public bodies.
Organizations based in Iraq and across the Middle East gain a foothold in the UK with help on market entry, workspace and logistics support, while North East businesses gain entry into Iraq and nearby markets through VisionAID’s local networks and knowledge.
Work under the agreement will center on three pillars. On education, the partners plan entrepreneurship schemes, leadership training and closer ties between academic institutions and industry.
On the commercial side, focus areas include export support, inward investment and helping companies enter new markets. Innovation efforts will span digital transformation, artificial intelligence and turning research into commercial ventures.
Ammar Mirza, Executive Chair of ISS Group, said the deal forms a working link between the North East and the Iraq-MENA region, noting the area already has the airport access, logistics infrastructure and universities needed to support international business.
He said the intention is to turn the partnership into real outcomes such as jobs, trade and investment rather than a document that goes unused.
Professor Dr Mohammed Ahmed, Founder and CEO of VisionAID, said the region holds significant untapped potential, and the partnership opens a UK platform for Iraqi and MENA organizations while giving North East businesses trusted local contacts and insight as they look to expand into these markets.
