Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani inaugurated a world-class American hotel franchise and a new mall in Erbil on Sunday.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by local officials and members of the diplomatic community from Baghdad and Erbil.

Despite the development projects in the region slowing down in 2014 due to the fight against ISIS, construction for the two projects continued, and PM Barzani commended investors for not giving up on the region.

He pledged to support the private sector to work alongside the public sector to serve the public. The two multi-million projects have created 1,500 jobs in total, according to a tweet by Barzani on Sunday.

PM Barzani emphasized that investments in these projects are crucial for attracting tourists to the Kurdistan Region and creating job opportunities for the youth.

He pledged that the government would continue to enact business-friendly legislation to encourage further job-creating opportunities.

During the inauguration ceremony, PM Barzani called on ambassadors and diplomats to encourage companies from their respective countries to invest in the Kurdistan Region, which would boost economic growth and revitalization in the wider region.