Iraq retreats 3 ranks among the largest holders of US bonds

Shafaq News / The US Treasury announced, on Tuesday, that Iraq has fallen three ranks among the largest foreign holders of US bonds.

The treasury said in the latest table seen by Shafaq News agency, “Iraq fell three ranks after it reduced its holdings of bonds during last April, to reach the 36th rank among the countries with the largest possession of US Treasury bonds, which number 38 countries listed in the table of countries that must It has more than $28 billion.

And she added, “Iraq’s possession of these bonds amounted to $34.8 billion for the month of April, down by 11.45% from last March, which Iraq’s possession of bonds amounted to $39.3 billion, but it increased by 23% from March 2022.”

The treasury also indicated that “Iraq was the fourth largest Arab country after Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait, while Japan came at the top of the countries with the largest possession of these bonds at $1.127.2 trillion, followed by China second with $869 billion, the United Kingdom third with $680 billion, and Belgium fourth.” with 336 billion dollars, and Luxembourg fifth with 332 billion dollars.

And she indicated that “the total bonds of the countries of the world for the month of April rose by 7 billion dollars from last February, to reach 7 trillion and 580 billion dollars.”

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The Democrat calls on the President of the Republic not to ratify the budget

Information / Baghdad… The Kurdistan Democratic Party called on the President of the Republic, on Tuesday, to refrain from approving the budget law, indicating that he may challenge the budget items before the Federal Supreme Court.

The leader of the party, Wafa Muhammad Karim, said, in a televised interview followed by Al-Maalouma, that “we ask the President of the Republic not to approve the budget, because the changes in the budget were unfair.”

He added, “We have entered a new phase of mistrust between the political forces, and what happened in the budget file is an ‘intentional ambush’,” noting that “the political process is now witnessing a complete lack of trust.”

And he continued, “Sending a budget directly to Sulaymaniyah represents a defection, and that the political differences in the region negatively affected the unification of the Kurdish ranks,” hinting that his party resorted to “submitting an appeal before the Federal Court on the items of the budget.”

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The Deputy Prime Minister confirms to Shafaq News that Kurdistan’s dues will be guaranteed in the budget

Shafaq News / The Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Fouad Hussein confirmed, on Tuesday, that the general budget law guarantees the salaries and dues of the Kurdistan Region, indicating the commitment of all parties to implement the articles and paragraphs of the law.

Hussein told Shafaq News agency, “I was following the developments and discussions that took place on the general budget law,” explaining that “after the parliament voted on the budget law, we are now waiting for the President of the Republic to ratify the law in order for the law to become effective.”

Hussein added, “Differences sometimes exist, but the way to resolve these differences is dialogue,” noting that “there is an intense dialogue.”

Hussein said, “The budget law confirms sending the salaries and dues of the Kurdistan Region,” stressing that “there is a commitment from all parties to implement the articles and paragraphs of the law.”

And the Iraqi parliament voted, on June 12, on the federal budget law for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025, after discussions that lasted for five days.

The value of the current year budget is 197 trillion and 828 billion Iraqi dinars (about 152.2 billion dollars), with a total deficit of 63 trillion dinars (48.3 billion dollars), while the items of the 2023 and 2024 budgets have not been published.

Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’ al-Sudani said that his government will review the parliamentary amendments that were made to it and the extent of their conformity with the government’s goals.

Shafaq.com

The Iraqi Central Bank is moving to open new channels for external transfer

Shafaq News / The Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Ali Mohsen Al-Alaq, noted, on Sunday, the possibility of opening new channels for external transfer of hard currency, and raising the rate of daily transfers.

This came during the periodic meeting of governmental and private banks, which was held in Baghdad, according to a statement received by Shafaq News Agency, and witnessed a discussion of a number of projects that are consistent with the requirements of the economic reality in Iraq.

Al-Alaq stressed that these projects establish a qualitative shift in the Iraqi economy and enhance its stability, revealing at the same time the project to establish a Riyada Bank, and the project to establish a loan guarantee company that facilitates the lending process for medium, small and micro enterprises.

He referred to the direction of the Central Bank of Iraq, in cooperation with the government and the contribution of the financial, banking and business sectors, to establish a “city of financial and business center in Iraq.”

Al-Alaq participated in the discussions put forward by a group of banks regarding the Central Bank’s initiatives, the relationship between banking institutions and customers, and what is related to developing mechanisms for entering the electronic platform for selling foreign currency.

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Al-Sudani: Kurdistan’s share exceeded 12%, and there is no agreement to pass it

Information / special… A member of the House of Representatives, Muhammad Saadoun Al-Sudani, confirmed today, Thursday, that the share of the Kurdistan region in the draft financial budget law exceeded 12%, and while counting the amounts of development of the regions allocated to the southern governorates as “very small”, he indicated a deadline for approval.

Al-Sudani said in an interview with Al-Maalouma agency that “the Kurdistan region’s share of the financial budget for the next three years has not been agreed upon,” stressing that it “exceeded the 12% specified by the government.”

He added, “The budget must take into account justice among all Iraqi governorates,” pointing out that “the amounts for developing the regions allocated to the southern governorates are small.”

The member of the House of Representatives explained that “there are many problems that have caused the obstruction of passing the budget within the parliament,” noting that “the region’s share of the budget received from the government is not a problem.”

And on the date of passing the draft budget, Al-Sudani stressed that “next week will witness an official unveiling of the budget and a vote on it inside the parliament dome.”

A member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Jamal Cougar, had ruled out resolving the negotiations to pass the budget during the coming hours, indicating that determining the percentage of Kurdistan is still the most prominent obstacle in the budget.

The region’s share and some of the paragraphs related to Kurdistan are still controversial, as they have become a stumbling block to the completion of the budget and putting it on the agenda for the purpose of voting on it after waiting for about a year and a half of continuing to run the country financially without any budget.

Almaalomah.me

The Speaker of Parliament announces the vote on the budget next Saturday

Shafaq News / The Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Muhammad al-Halbousi, has set next Saturday as a date for voting on the draft state budget law for the year 2023.

“In general, the budget is in its final touches,” al-Halbousi said, in a statement to the parliament’s media department, which was reported to Shafaq News Agency, noting that “we had a meeting with the Finance Committee and their efforts are appreciated for their continued work to reach an integrated vision regarding the provisions of the law and its allocations.”

He added, “The committee is ready to hand over the budget tomorrow to the House of Representatives,” noting that “there are some observations that will be concluded in the evening. Positively on the service reality in the government program.

He continued, “There are also reform joints in the law, as the committee amended some items to serve the state’s view in general, and also in strengthening the role of government institutions in carrying out reforms and governance in some matters.”

Al-Halbousi confirmed that the vote on the budget will be next Saturday,” noting at the same time that there are “many segments included in the budget for appointments, but the budget law cannot cover everyone who demands appointment, as there is a priority for the government to whom are the segments that need to include them in institutions.” the job”.

For its part, the Parliamentary Finance Committee confirmed its readiness to send the general budget law, and said in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency, that it continued its meeting late at night in order to put technical notes on the federal general budget law.

She also confirmed that she had worked to complete all the remaining matters of the budget items, and the numbers listed in the tables; In order to make transfers between amounts on spending units, according to need and population ratio, as well as the importance of increasing financial allocations in the governorates in implementation of the government program.

The committee renewed its readiness, according to the statement, to send the budget to the Presidency of the House of Representatives to proceed with the legislation of the law as soon as possible.

It is noteworthy that the Iraqi Council of Ministers had sent last March the tripartite budget law to the House of Representatives, but until now the law has not been included in the agenda of the parliamentary sessions.

Shafaq.com

Fuad Hussein: Iraq in the coming years will be a producer country, not just oil

Shafaq News / Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein said, on Thursday, that Iraq will be among the countries producing natural gas in the coming years.

This came in a joint press conference he held with his Czech counterpart, Jan Lipavsky, who is on a visit to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

Fuad Hussein said during the conference that economic and trade relations were the focus of our meeting, adding that representatives of 15 Czech companies accompanying them came to Baghdad with the minister.

He referred to a meeting between representatives of these companies and representatives of the Iraqi private sector, adding: In addition to trade and economic relations, we discussed how to support companies, the government and Czech companies in supporting the Iraqi economy.

Hussein also noted that the industrial knowledge of the Czech Republic is important and that this country can play a role in joint work in building the Iraqi economy.

He pointed out that Iraq is an oil country in the coming years and will be a producer country, and Iraqi-European relations will be based on this area with Iraq.

Shafaq.com

Parliamentary Finance Committee: We need five days before putting the budget to vote

Today, the Parliamentary Finance Committee revealed that there are 5 remaining articles that have not yet been voted on and need further discussion, indicating that they need an additional five days to resolve them.

Committee member Muhammad Nuri said in a press statement, followed by NRT Arabia, that “the committee voted to confirm the contracts before and after the date of 10/2/2019 and included them in the budget, and that there are other paragraphs that will be discussed to include free lecturers and other appendices to the contracts and adapt their financial and legal status.”

He explained that “the remaining paragraphs for discussion within the Finance Committee do not exceed five, including transfers and the region’s budget, and for this the committee needs a period of no more than five days for discussion before presenting the budget for a vote before Parliament.”

A member of the Parliamentary Finance confirmed, “There is no disagreement regarding the region’s budget file, but there is a need to organize the agreement mechanism between Baghdad and Erbil in terms of accounts, numbers, agreements, and a mechanism for collecting revenues, as well as scheduling the region’s debts.”

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Deputy: The Finance Committee will send the 2023 budget to Parliament tomorrow

Information / Baghdad… A member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Representative Mudar Al-Karawi, confirmed, on Wednesday, that the committee will send the 2023 budget to the House of Representatives tomorrow..

Al-Karawi said, in an interview with Al-Maalouma, that “the 2023 budget has reached its conclusion after completing all the duties assigned to the Finance Committee in terms of auditing, transfers, and setting priorities according to a comprehensive vision that addresses many complex files.”

He added, “The committee will hold intensive evening meetings to resolve some of the last paragraphs,” expecting that “the budget will be sent to the House of Representatives tomorrow, and a session may be held for voting or postponed to next Saturday.”

He pointed out that “the 2023 budget was difficult and complex, but it was exceeded,” stressing that “the budget will guarantee the rights of large segments of government ministries and institutions.”

The Finance Committee has been discussing the 2023 budget for several weeks in order to resolve its provisions and overcome its multiple complications, especially the financial deficit.

Almaalomah.me

Integrity announces financial rewards for those who report cases of corruption

Shafaq News / The Federal Integrity Commission announced, on Wednesday, the disbursement of financial rewards to those who submit reports about officials whose money is inflated and those involved in illegal gain.

In a statement received by Shafaq News agency, the authority stated that the prevention department in the authority, in its discussion of granting rewards to whistleblowers, stated that those who initiate a report and information leading to the detection of cases of money inflation and illegal gain are included in Law No. 33 of 2008 rewarding whistleblowers.

The department pointed out that granting a reward to informants about the crime of illegal gain includes state and public sector employees and those who inform about the movable and immovable funds of people whose money was confiscated after the date of 4/9/2003 or the money of non-Iraqis whose confiscation is required by legislation.

She added that whoever gives information leading to the recovery of stolen Iraqi antiquities and whoever informs about cases of administrative and financial corruption and the crime of theft, embezzlement or forgery of official documents, and his information leads to the arrest of the perpetrator, will also be included in the rewards.

And she indicated that, according to the law, the competent minister or the head of the agency not linked to a ministry is granted a financial reward estimated at 5% of the value of the money that does not exceed 100 million dinars, and 3% of the value of the money for more than 100 million dinars, provided that the stipulated reward is paid after deducting The lawsuit, the issuance of a final judgment in it, and the recovery of the money.

The authority stated that the authority’s windows continue to receive information about cases of money inflation and illegal gain, whether via the hotline 07800701653, or the e-mail blaghat@nazaha.iq , or through the “Where did you get this from” page on the official website of the authority.

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