Expert: Iraqi banks need comprehensive reform to free themselves from the restrictions of dollar transactions.
Financial and banking expert Mustafa Hantoush confirmed on Monday that the banking sector in Iraq stands today on the threshold of a new phase, as it approaches liberation from restrictions on dealing in the dollar. However, at the same time, it needs radical reforms to modernize its operational structure and enhance its efficiency.
Hantoush said in a statement to Al-Maalouma Agency, that “about 90% of the Iraqi banking system is still subject to the influence of dollar restrictions due to suspicions and problems it has experienced over the past years,” noting that “it is expected that within less than three months, some banks will begin to gradually free themselves from these restrictions.”
He added that “the banking process in Iraq is still limited in activity, as it requires the introduction of an integrated system that includes deposits, loan financing, and expanding investment areas, in addition to updating the standards in force in cooperation with the Central Bank of Iraq.”
He explained that “achieving full financial inclusion represents a fundamental step in developing the sector, through diversifying banking services and not being limited to current accounts only,” while stressing “the importance of strengthening relations with international banks and opening new correspondence channels that enable Iraqi banks to effectively integrate into the international financial system,” adding that “updating technical systems and simplifying procedures to serve citizens is a crucial stage in the reform process, provided that complications and administrative routine that hinder development and limit the efficiency of banking performance are avoided.”
Almaalomah.me