6 points of contention between Baghdad and Erbil may plague the new draft oil and gas law… What are they?

Today, economist Nabil Al-Marsoumi revealed 6 differences between the central government of Baghdad and the Kurdistan region that may plague the new draft oil law.

Al-Marsoumi said in a post followed by Al-Sumaria News,

The first difference: Article 5 of the new draft oil and gas law stipulates the following…

1. Federal Minister of Oil
2. Federal Minister of Finance
3. Federal Minister of Planning
4. Governor of the Central Bank
5. Minister of Natural Resources in the region
6. Governors of three oil-producing provinces that are not affiliated with a region
7. Three experts

Second: Decisions are taken by the majority
while the region sees thatFederal CouncilFor oil and gas, it should include in its membership;

First: It shall include Federal Council for oil and gas, each of:

1. The federal government (ministers of oil, finance, and planning)
2. The regional government (ministers of natural resources, finance, and planning)
3. Governors of oil-producing governorates that are not affiliated with a region

Second: The presidency in the council is periodic

Third: Decisions are taken unanimously.

The draft law stipulates in Article 8 first the following: The Federal Ministry of Oil Management of oil and gas producing fields in Iraq In coordination with the producing region and governorates. As for the vision of the region, it is summarized as follows: The federal government manages the oil and gas extracted from the current fields (which were extracted, developed and commercially produced before the constitution ran out in 2005) with the regional government and the producing provinces that are not organized in a region.

The government of the producing region or provinces shall have the authority concerned with managing oil and gas in the current and future fields (which are the fields from which oil and gas have been extracted, developed, and produced commercially after the constitution runs out). He is the one who grants approval for oil licensing contracts, while the region considers it the competent authority for exploration, development and production contracts, or any other contracts with the contractor who is chosen, and this does not require Federal Council approval.

He also pointed out that “the fourth difference: in Article 16 of the draft law, the ministry is the supreme authority responsible for the obligations of the contractors, while the region believes that the competent authority in the region is responsible for the obligations of the contractors in the contracting areas within the region.”

Al-Marsoumi explained, “The fifth discrepancy: In Article 24 of the draft law, the main pipelines are owned by the federal government, while the region says that the federal government, the regional government, and the producing provinces establish and own pipelines to transport oil and gas.”

He added, “The sixth difference: Although the new draft oil law did not include any article indicating the marketing of oil and the party responsible for it, but as is currently in force and confirmed by the Federal Court, the Ministry of Oil represented by SOMO is the only party responsible for marketing all Iraqi oil, regardless of Its production site, while the territory finds that He sets marketing and sales policies, and the sales process is carried out by marketing companies belonging to the regional government or the producing governorates that are not affiliated with a region.

Despite the economic importance of the Iraqi Oil and Gas Law, which has been awaiting legislation in parliament since 2005, which stipulates that the responsibility for managing the country’s oil fields should be entrusted to a national oil company, which will supervise it. However, the dispute over the issue of managing the fields of the region has prevented it from being voted on for many years, as the law was passed many times during previous parliamentary sessions and was not included in parliamentary laws and legislation.

The stalled oil and gas law in the Iraqi parliament since its first session, in 2005, is one of the most prominent points on which a preliminary agreement was reached between the two governments of Baghdad and Kurdistan.

And on February 15 of last year 2022, the Federal Supreme Court issued a judgment which made unconstitutional of the oil and gas law of the territorial government of 2007, which regulates the oil industry and its extraction in the region, and this ruling came after the territorial government concluded contracts with foreign oil companies. Kurdistan Regional Government refused the Federal Court decision, giving up control over oil exports.

Alsumaria.tv

“To prevent the situation from exploding.” The law calls for an extraordinary session on Kirkuk

Information /exclusive… Today, Sunday, the State of Law Coalition called on the House of Representatives to hold an extraordinary session to discuss the situation in Kirkuk Governorate, while warning that matters would reach the stage of a security explosion.

The leader of the coalition, Haider al-Lami, said in an interview with Al-Maalouma agency, that “the language of dialogue must prevail, and unrealistic decisions must not be taken, and the government’s voice is the loudest and strongest,” noting that “solving the matter with weapons will expose all neighboring regions and provinces to great security risks.”
And he continued, “Political leaders must be responsible in ending the violations and attacks that occur in Kirkuk,” warning that “things will reach the stage of security explosion due to the absence of solutions that satisfy all parties.”

Al-Lami stressed, “The need for the government to be the official sponsor of resolving the issue of Kirkuk and not adopting the issue from one side trying to impose wills on other parties,” adding that “Parliament is required to hold an extraordinary session of the Council in order to discuss the outstanding issues in Kirkuk from all parties.”

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammad Shia’ al-Sudani, had earlier directed the imposition of a curfew in Kirkuk and the initiation of large-scale security operations, calling for preventing strife and maintaining security, stability and order in the province.

Yesterday, Kirkuk witnessed serious security tensions, after gunmen fired live bullets at the tents of the protesters in front of the Operations Command headquarters, and those who rejected the return of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Peshmerga to Kirkuk.

Almaalomah.me

More than half a billion dollars… Iraq’s oil revenues increased by 6.67% last August

Shafaq News / Iraq’s oil revenues increased by 6.67% on a monthly basis, to reach $8.846 billion, while an economist attributed this to the rise in oil prices.

According to a set of data and statistics issued by the Ministry of Oil, seen by Shafaq News Agency, the total oil revenues for the month of August increased by $553 million, or 6.67%, to reach $8.846 billion on a monthly basis, compared to July, when revenues amounted to $8.293 billion.

Total oil revenues from Basra oil exports through southern ports increased by 7% on a monthly basis to reach $8.781 billion, compared to July, when revenues amounted to $8.207 billion.

According to the data, Iraq exported crude oil to Jordan through basins, with revenues amounting to $33 million, amounting to 464,000 barrels.

Economic expert Muhammad al-Hassani attributed the increase in financial revenues to “the increase in Iraq’s oil exports for the month of August by one million barrels to reach 106 million barrels,” adding that “these exports remained restricted due to delays in modernizing the infrastructure, due to delays in modernizing pumping stations.”

He added, “Prices got support from the rise in global oil prices, which amounted to between 84 and 87 dollars, due to the agreement of the OPEC + organization to make cuts in its production, which led to a reduction in the oil supply, which led to a rise in global oil prices despite the slowdown in the growth of the Chinese economy and the raising of The United States interest due to inflation, which leads to a slowdown in its economy.”

Shafaq.com

Al-Sudani’s advisor: The step of linking Iraq to Iran with a railway network is very important

The government advisor for financial affairs, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, confirmed: “The step of linking Iraq with Iran with a railway network is a very important step that will contribute to organizing the transportation of goods and merchandise and even Iranian visitors with Iraq.”

Muhammad Salih said in a press statement: “Iran is a major trading partner for Iraq, and historically Iranian goods flow easily into Iraq,” noting that imports of goods and merchandise except (gas) constitute at least $7 billion, which is a large figure for Iraqi imports, and it constitutes More than 10% of Iraq’s international imports.”

And he stressed that “this line will contribute to organizing the transportation of goods, merchandise, and even visitors, which is an important issue,” explaining that the easier the transportation cost, the lower the costs, regardless of the noise between the linkage at the regional level and the world, which is an issue Regulatory is very important, whether trucking or train.

And the advisor continued: “Iraq is a country in which there is a large religious visit, being a great Islamic center, and this line will facilitate the transportation of visitors,” calling for not expanding other political strategies and theories on this issue, and it should be limited to a limited issue, especially (trade and visitors) between Iraq and Iran.

Kirkuktv.net

The Iraqi Central Bank is taking new measures to exchange dollars to travelers

Shafaq News / The Central Bank of Iraq has recently taken new measures within the dollar exchange mechanism to travelers in order to prevent fraud, according to what was reported by the Finance Committee in Parliament.

Committee member, MP Mueen Al-Kadhimi, told Shafaq News agency, that the Central Bank has recently taken several measures, the latest of which is the fingerprint and a webcam for the purpose of disbursing $3,000 to real travelers and not repeating it with more than one person more than once.

And Al-Kazemi indicated that some people are using tricks in order to receive the dollar at the official price by purchasing 50-100 travel tickets and an entry visa (Visa) by land, whose price is 25 dollars, in collusion with tourism and exchange companies, indicating that these people receive each A passport of 3 thousand dollars, and a month later they repeat the same entry visa, receiving 3 thousand dollars again for the same passports.

And he indicated that real travelers were denied receiving the dollar, because of these people and the complicity of travel and exchange companies, stressing that the recent measures will prevent this fraud from continuing.

The Iraqi authorities require travelers to present their travel ticket and “Visa” to enter the country they want to travel to, in front of selling them three thousand dollars at the official price set by the Central Bank of Iraq.

Currency traders took advantage of this decision by collecting hundreds of passports from simple people and buying travel tickets and entry visas, in order to buy dollars at the official price and sell them at the parallel market price, collecting profits estimated at millions of dinars daily.

Shafaq.com

Economic proposals to reduce the differences between the official and parallel dollar price

Information / Baghdad… The researcher in economic affairs, Muhammad Al-Saadi, explained how to reduce the differences between the official dollar exchange rate and the one sold in the parallel market through government procedures and decisions.

Al-Saadi told Al-Maalouma, that “there is a commission that exchange companies receive when buying and selling dollars, and it is assumed that there will be a commitment to the specified commission according to the Central Bank’s policies.”

He added, “The competent authorities can reduce the demand for dollars by reducing money transfers and pushing for imports through documentary credits, so that the process of obtaining dollars at the official price takes place smoothly, away from any complications that push the merchant to resort to the black market.”

And he indicated that “there are many options available to the government in order to reduce the withdrawal of the dollar from the markets, especially the parallel one, impose control and monitor any cases of manipulation or speculation, and support the dinar in the local markets, as well as providing more facilities for merchants to push them towards registering on the electronic platform in order to obtain dollars in order to import their goods.

Almaalomah.me

Sabah Sobhi: The oil and gas law is still in the drafting process

The Parliamentary Oil, Gas and Natural Resources Committee revealed today, Thursday, that the draft oil and gas law, which has been stalled for years, is still in the process of “writing its draft.” Reliance that the law will be approved in the current parliamentary session if it is completed by the government.

Committee member Sabah Sobhi told Al-Sabah newspaper, followed by NRT Arabia, that “the oil and gas law is still in the process of writing its draft, which is the first stage in the enactment of any law, as this law needs a comprehensive political consensus, as it is a sensitive law that needs In-depth study and discussion by political parties.

Sobhi explained, “The law includes many dimensions, the most important of which is the economic dimension, which is the most important, because the enactment of this law leads to the structuring of the Iraqi economy, and the second dimension is the legal one because until now there is a legal vacuum with the existence of a constitutional article related to oil that requires the enactment of a law of its own.”

He added, “As for the third dimension, it is political, given that the issue of the oil commodity is very important from a political point of view, as it is the main revenue on which the economy and the Iraqi state depend, because 90% of the country’s budget depends on oil imports, so we need to legislate this law, and another after It is the technical dimension because oil is full of techniques from exploration until we reach sale, so we are in the process of enacting an important, complex, sensitive and fateful law for Iraq.

Nrttv.com

Iraq is advancing globally and settling in the Arab world with the largest economy in the world in 2023

Shafaq News / Iraq ranked 49th in the world’s largest economies for the year 2023, after it was ranked 52nd last year, within a list of 190 countries, according to a report by the International Monetary Fund.

According to the report, which was based on GDP data, for each country, and seen by Shafaq News agency, Iraq advanced three ranks globally compared to 2022, while it maintained fourth place among Arab countries for the second year in a row, with a GDP of $267.89 billion.

Saudi Arabia came first in the Arab world and 18th in the world with a gross domestic product of $1.06 trillion, followed by the UAE with a total of $498.98 billion, then Egypt with a total of $387 billion, then Iraq came fourth in 49th place globally, followed by Qatar with an output of $219 billion, then Algeria with $2.6 billion. Kuwait with $164 billion, then Morocco with $138 billion, then Oman with $104 billion, then Jordan with $52 billion, while Tunisia came in tenth place with a GDP of $49 billion.

According to the Fund’s report, “the five largest economies in the world in 2023 were the United States, China, Japan, Germany and India.

The United States maintained its position as the leading global economy and the richest country, retaining its first position with a GDP of $26.85 trillion, followed by China in second place with a GDP of $19.37 trillion, then Japan third with a total of $4.41 trillion, and then Germany in fourth place. With a total of 4.31 trillion dollars, then India is in fifth place, with a total of 3.74 trillion.

The United Kingdom came sixth with a total of $3.16 trillion, France seventh with a total of $2.92 trillion, then Italy came eighth with a total of $2.17 trillion, followed by Canada in ninth place with a total of $2.09 trillion, and Brazil in tenth place with a total of $2.08 trillion.

The International Monetary Fund report indicated that Tuvalu was at the bottom of the ranking table with a total of $7 million, followed by Nauru with an output of $15 million, then Kiribati with a total of $25 million.

Shafaq.com

Citizens complain about “impossible conditions” set by banks to obtain dollars

Shafaq News / Obtaining the dollar at the official rate has become a haunting issue for citizens, despite the availability of the required conditions.

Duraid Salman, who underwent a liver transplant for his daughter in India, said, “For the second time, he had a medical trip to complete the recovery of his daughter and his donor wife. He went to a Rafidain bank to obtain dollars at the official price for the purpose of paying the costs of treatment to the hospital instead of buying dollars from the parallel market at high prices.” .

He continued, “During his submission of the required documents for him, including an official visa, a travel ticket, and all the required conditions, he was surprised that he was not included in the dollar, justifying that he does not have a residence permit, and it was not mentioned in the ticket at the time of return.”

He pointed out that “residency cannot be granted for such cases, but the patient is granted a visa for a period of 6 months, and the date of return is not determined by the patient, but rather by the hospital upon completion of treatment.”

He asked about “the reasons for the complexity and routine in obtaining the dollar for the real person who needs the dollar in such humanitarian matters,” noting that “the bank’s auditors suffer from excessive crowding and staying under the hot sun to obtain 3 thousand dollars for the traveler.”

He called on “officials to put an end to the suffering of citizens, especially for those who have a patient because he needs treatment and to provide medicine,” noting that “these complications and routine push us to obtain dollars from the parallel market.”

Shafaq.com

The World Bank is discussing the Iraqi Central Bank with “tarsin” the external transfer

Baghdad today – Today, the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Ali Al-Alaq, and a delegation from the World Bank discussed “Tarseen” the external transfer process in accordance with international standards, while prospective amendments to simplify tax and customs procedures were discussed.

The central bank said in a statement received by “Baghdad Today”, that “the governor of Al-Alaq received today, Thursday, a high-level delegation from the World Bank headed by Farid Belhadj, Vice President of the World Bank for the Middle East and North Africa.”

According to the statement, the meeting “discussed the efforts of the Central Bank of Iraq to organize and consolidate external transfers in accordance with compliance requirements and international standards and encourage merchants to enter the electronic platform to buy dollars by providing facilities and simplifying tax and customs procedures that the government is making anticipated amendments to.”

The central bank stated that “the meeting discussed granting small loans through the “Riyada” bank, which will be responsible for providing various loans with the support of the Central Bank of Iraq and private banks and working to establish a company to guarantee loans, as well as paying attention to compliance standards and risks to develop the banking sector.

The meeting also dealt with “the conditions of government banks, which constitute approximately 80% of the size of the Iraqi banking sector, and dealt with plans to improve their work, including amending their internal systems to implement institutional governance issued by the Central Bank, and plans to restructure those banks,” according to the bank’s statement.

The bank indicated that “the World Bank delegation praised the efforts and procedures of the Central Bank of Iraq at all levels, expressing its readiness to provide any advice or technical expertise in these areas, and to continue implementing the programs it is working on with the Central Bank.”

Baghdadtoday.news