Talks to end the coalition’s presence in Iraq may not end until after the US elections!

An Iraqi government official told Reuters that talks with the United States about ending the presence of the military coalition in the country may not end until after the US presidential elections in November.

Last January, Baghdad and Washington began talks to re-evaluate the presence of the US-led coalition in Iraq, which was formed in 2014 to help fight ISIS after the extremist organization invaded large parts of the country.

The decision came after US forces and armed groups launched mutual attacks amid a regional conflict linked to the Israeli war in Gaza.

These attacks stopped more than a month ago to allow room for negotiations.

Politicians view technical talks through a joint military committee as a way to buy time amid different views on how the military relationship between the two countries will develop.

While Washington says the coalition’s mission needs to be reevaluated in light of the defeat of ISIS in Iraq in 2017, it does not see the talks necessarily entailing the withdrawal of American military advisers from the country.

It is worth noting that the United States returned to Iraq in 2014 at the head of an international coalition to fight ISIS, where there are currently about 2,500 American soldiers in Iraq and 900 soldiers in Syria on the mission of providing advice and assistance.

Burathanews.com

Iraq’s ruling coalition may call for early elections

Deputy: Political differences are behind the obstruction of the legislation of the oil and gas law

Information/Baghdad… A member of the Oil and Gas Committee, Bassem Ngheimesh, confirmed today, Monday, that there are political problems and differences between Baghdad and Erbil regarding the oil and gas law, indicating that political differences impede the legislation of the oil and gas law.

Ngheimesh said in an interview with the Maalouma Agency, “The law awaits the understandings of Baghdad and Erbil to legislate the oil and gas law under the dome of the House of Representatives.”

He added, “Passing the oil and gas law in the House of Representatives requires political consensus, which is what is hindering voting on it until now.”

He explained that “the law was transferred many times during previous parliamentary sessions and was not included in the current parliamentary laws and legislation.”
Ngemesh pointed out, “The oil and gas law is still a matter of controversy and disagreement among political parties.”

Almaalomah.me

America imports oil from 4 Arab countries, “including Iraq,” for $1.2 billion in a month

Shafaq News / American oil imports increased by 5%, during the first month of 2024, with 4 Arab countries, led by Saudi Arabia and Iraq, acquiring a share of approximately 7.5% of the total imported by the largest oil consuming country in the world.

United States imports of crude oil amounted to approximately 206.8 million barrels (6.67 million barrels per day) during the month of January 2024, compared to 196.8 million barrels (6.35 million barrels per day) during December 2023, according to recent data published by the Energy Research Unit.

While the volume of US oil imports from 4 Arab countries – Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and Libya – reached approximately 15.4 million barrels during January 2024, representing 7.4% of total US imports during the month.

Saudi Arabia ranked first on the list of the largest Arab oil exporters to the United States, as the volume of its exports reached approximately 9.03 million barrels during the month of January 2024, with a total value amounting to 743.5 million dollars.

Iraq came in second place with a volume of exports to the United States of 4.89 million barrels, with a total value of $370.2 billion during the first month of 2024.

While Kuwait ranked third on the list in terms of export volume, amounting to 0.77 million barrels, equivalent to $58.9 million.

As for Libya, it ranked fourth in terms of export volume, amounting to 0.7 million barrels, but it surpassed Kuwait in the ranking in terms of value ($66.5 million) during January 2024, according to the latest data issued by the US Census Bureau.

Shafaq.com

A parliamentary committee confirms that a cabinet reshuffle is imminent: There is a clear failure

Shafaq News / The Parliamentary Strategic Planning Committee revealed, on Monday, the imminent Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, while explaining the reason for that.

The deputy head of the committee, Muhammad Al-Baldawi, told Shafaq News Agency, “There are ministries that performed their duties well over the past period, and had clear procedures, and at the same time there are ministries that did not complete their programs and did not provide their full capacity and potential, and for this reason there are ministries that need to be reconsidered.” Management and strategy.

Al-Baldawi, who is a representative of the coordination framework, added, “According to the evaluation, there are ministries that can be evaluated as (good), and there are ministries that are evaluated as (average), and some ministries are evaluated as (below acceptable), and for this reason there is an expected ministerial change within the government reform that the Prime Minister emphasizes.” Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani.

It is noteworthy that Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, since assuming the presidency of the government, has made many administrative changes in a number of ministries and state institutions, and in December 2022, Al-Sudani decided to set a period of six months to evaluate the government’s work in light of its approved government program, and the evaluation will include ministers and undersecretaries. Governors, advisors and general managers according to specific timings, and the general directors were given three months after which to conduct an evaluation of their performance.

Shafaq.com

With its rise locally… Iraq’s gold reserves were revealed

The economic advisor to the Prime Minister, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, revealed the size of the Iraqi gold reserve at the Central Bank of Iraq.

Saleh told {Al-Furat News} agency, “There should be a distinction between fundamentally imported commercial gold and monetary gold, which is an integral part of the country’s foreign reserves, as monetary gold falls within the diversification of the monetary authority’s investment portfolio, and the numbers indicate that it exceeds 132 tons of monetary gold and within the safe range of reserves.” foreign to the country.

He added, “As for commercial gold, it is regulated by a law and instructions that are subject to the controls of commercial systems and the gold marking law, which the Central Agency for Standardization and Quality Control undertakes to mark and protect gold assets supplied to the country as national wealth.”

Local markets in Baghdad are witnessing an increase in gold prices, as the selling price of a gram (the mithqal) reached 465 thousand dinars.

An economist, Salah Nouri, revealed the reasons for the rise in gold prices.
Nouri told Al-Furat News, “What is happening at the present time in terms of the increase in gold jewelry is the result of an increase in demand for it. When the demand for it increases, its price increases, and so far this is economically logical.”

Nouri added, “But more importantly, why has the demand for gold jewelry increased at the present time? I think that the citizen tends to save in it instead of the dollar, and this is a weak reason. It is more likely that traders speculating in the dollar are turning to gold instead of the dollar for reasons of speculation or smuggling, because Individual citizens’ need for gold jewelry is limited to special occasions.”

Meanwhile, an informed source told {Al-Furat News} that one of the reasons for the rise in gold prices was due to “citizens’ weak confidence in banks,” so they withdrew the amounts deposited in banks and turned to gold.”

Alforatnews.iq

Iraqi Integrity announces the recovery of “billions of dinars” and gold jewelry from government officials

Shafaq News / The Iraqi Integrity Commission announced, on Sunday, the recovery of billions of dinars, hundreds of thousands of dollars, and gold jewelry from government officials convicted and arrested by government authorities in cases related to financial corruption.

The head of the Integrity Commission, Judge Haider Hanoun, said during a press conference attended by Shafaq News Agency, “One million and 630 thousand US dollars were recovered as part of the illegal gain from the inflated funds of the convict sentenced to severe imprisonment for four years, Raad Qasim Muhammad Ali,” indicating that “the convict He held the position of director of the economic department in the Ministry of Electricity, and upon investigation, gold jewelry was found, but it had not yet been evaluated or priced.”

Hanoun pointed out that “the second amount is one billion and 843 million dinars recovered from the detainee in Maysan’s office, Alaa Shawhi Abu Ali Al-Saadi, who was the director of the individual accounts department at Maysan Company.”

Hanoun stated that “$250,000 in rent for a hospital built in the Al-Dawi area belongs to the convict, Muhammad Hanash Mahmoud, who previously held the position of director of the Trebil port,” noting that he is “currently under severe imprisonment for five years.”

He pointed out that “42 million dinars were recovered from the wife of the accused Osama Jawdat, the former director of taxes, for the tax crime,” pointing out that “the funds from the real estate that were seized are from embezzlement funds due to inflation and not theft of taxes.”

Shafaq.com

Approaching the decision to choose a new president for the Iraqi parliament: the nomination of Salem Al-Issawi

The coalition of Sunni forces in Iraq, “Sovereignty, Determination, and Decisiveness,” decided to nominate Representative Salem Al-Issawi for the position of Speaker of Parliament, calling on the ruling “Coordination Framework” coalition in the country to vote for the candidate to resolve the file.

The coalition of Sunni forces in Iraq, “Sovereignty, Determination, and Decisiveness,” was formed last week, separately from the “Taqaddam” party of former Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi.

Following meetings held in the past two days between the leaders of the new Sunni alliance and assurances from the “coordination framework” of the necessity of choosing one candidate for the position, the alliance nominated “Al-Issawi,” who is a representative from Anbar Governorate.

Local Iraqi news agencies reported, after midnight yesterday, Friday-Saturday, a document signed by the leaders of the coalition (Khamis Al-Khanjar, Muthanna Al-Samarrai, and Thabet Al-Abbasi), addressed to the leaders of the “Coordination Framework” coalition, which stipulated the nomination of Al-Issawi, “because of the specifications required to manage it.” Position,” stressing “the necessity of expediting the determination of the next session of Parliament to elect its president.”

They added, “Your support (coordination framework) for our candidate completes the constitutional obligations towards consolidating the political process.”

The leader of the “State of Law” coalition within the ruling “Coordination Framework” coalition in Iraq, Nouri al-Maliki, had confirmed, the day before yesterday, Thursday, his coalition’s support for deciding on the selection of a new speaker of parliament to succeed Muhammad al-Halbousi, who was dismissed by a judicial decision 3 months ago, indicating that the “framework” had informed The Sunni forces need to agree on one candidate.

The Presidency of Parliament has not yet set a date for holding the session to select the president, which is expected to take place this week.

A representative of the “Coordination Framework” coalition said, “The Framework Alliance has no objection to Al-Issawi as a candidate for the presidency of Parliament, and that it (the Framework) had urged the Sunni forces to choose only one candidate to vote on.”

He explained to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, on the condition that his name not be mentioned, that “many understandings and dialogues took place last week between the leaders of the framework and the leaders of the Sunni coalition regarding the position and the candidate for it.”

He suggested that “the session will not be held until after an understanding is reached and the vote on the candidate is decided, meaning that holding the session means voting for the candidate, and that it may be held this week,” stressing that “the Framework Alliance, with its parliamentary seats, has a major impact on resolving the file, and that its vote will be Decisive.”

Al-Halbousi’s “Taqaddam” party had considered the formation of the new coalition and its attempt to win the position of Speaker of Parliament “an infringement on entitlements and an attempt to seize the position.”

The “Coordination Framework” coalition supported the formation of the new Sunni alliance, which includes forces close to the framework, in an effort to exclude Al-Halbousi and his party from the position, especially since the party had presented a candidate who did not receive the support of the framework.

Over the course of four attempts to elect an alternative to Al-Halbousi, Parliament failed successively due to a lack of consensus on a single candidate, as the three Sunni Arab blocs, “Taqadum,” “Sayyada,” and “Azm,” stuck to their candidates, namely Shaalan al-Karim, Salem al-Issawi, and Mahmoud. Al-Mashhadani supported the “coordination framework” for the position.

On November 14, the Federal Supreme Court in Iraq ruled to terminate Al-Halbousi’s membership due to a lawsuit filed by a parliamentarian in which he was accused of forging his resignation from Parliament. Since that time, disputes have erupted between the various political forces regarding choosing an alternative to Al-Halbousi.

Rawabetcenter.com

An Iranian official indicates a decline in banking activities with Iraq due to US sanctions

Shafaq News / The head of the Joint Iranian-Iraqi Chamber of Commerce, Yahya Al-Ishaq, confirmed that banking interactions and activities between his country and Iraq have declined due to the US sanctions imposed on Tehran, according to what was published by Mehr Agency on Saturday.

Regarding the cessation of the suspension of the activity of the National Bank of Iran in Iraq by the Central Bank of Iraq, Al-Ishaq said in a press interview, “Several Iranian banks had licenses to operate in Iraq, but due to financial problems and American sanctions, the activity of these banks in Iraq decreased, and the Central Bank of Iraq proposed Suspension of his activity.

He added, “But the Central Bank of Iraq recently announced that the activity of the National Bank of Iran in Iraq will continue,” adding: “We are seeking to create conditions for the continuation of the activity of the National Bank in Iraq while increasing the volume of activities, and this can be achieved through cooperation and agreement between the Central Bank of Iran and the bank.” Iraqi Central Bank.

The head of the Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce confirmed, saying: “Therefore, the measures related to suspending the activity of the National Bank of Iran in Iraq have been canceled based on the announcement of the Central Bank of Iraq.”

Al-Ishaq pointed out that the volume of trade relations between Iran and Iraq currently amounts to about 10 billion dollars, and said: “On this basis, banking interactions and activities between Iran and Iraq can increase significantly, but due to the issue of sanctions and the US dollar, these interactions have become slightly limited.” He added, “Iran and Iraq are interested in further increasing monetary, banking, and trade relations between them, and for this to be achieved, the two sides must work to create an appropriate environment to strengthen relations.”

The head of the Iranian-Iraqi Chamber of Commerce continued by saying that “the work or non-work of Iranian banks in Iraq does not have a significant impact on the current trade relations between the two countries, but expanding the scope of the banks’ work could be beneficial,” stressing that “the volume of trade exchanges between Iran and Iraq is about $10 billion, as the bulk of these exchanges are carried out by the private sector, and there are currently no problems in this sector.”

Shafaq.com

Announcing the formation of an alliance to “support the private sector” in Baghdad, and these are its goals

Shafaq News / It was announced in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on Saturday, the formation of the “Baghdad Alliance to Support the Private Sector”, to enhance participation between representatives of the private sector and the federal and local governments.

A member of the “Baghdad Alliance to Support the Private Sector,” Ali Nimah, said during the coalition’s launch conference, which was attended by a Shafaq News Agency correspondent, “Since mid-2023, a focused group of decision-makers and representatives of the private sector and civil society has worked intensively to study the reality of the private sector, and evaluate the steps that have been taken.” Taken at the executive and legislative levels to support the market-oriented economy.”

He stressed “monitoring real and serious steps from the government and local sides to work to address all the challenges facing the private sector,” stressing “the participatory approach in making decisions related to the market economy, because it is the most important tool for developing the private sector.”

He continued, “The participatory approach must include the inclusion of representatives of the private sector, owners of entrepreneurial projects and representatives of civil society in the process of formulating policies that support investment and development, especially at the local level.”

He added, “In continuation of the efforts made at the executive and legislative levels in this regard, we announce the formation of the Baghdad Alliance to Support the Private Sector, which is the first space of its kind at the level of Baghdad Governorate to enhance the approach based on participation between representatives of the private sector, the federal and local government, and civil society organizations.”

Nimah explained, “The Baghdad Alliance is working on a set of goals, including being an advisory body for decision-makers. The Alliance provides practical recommendations that contribute to formulating policies related to investment and development, and creating an interactive environment between the allied parties that work to create an interactive environment among themselves to point out the problems that arise.” On the ground and proposing practical solutions to them.

He pointed out that “one of the coalition’s primary tasks is to strengthen strategic partnerships between the private sector, the government, and academic institutions, to achieve sustainable development that serves the interest of the nation and society.”

He stressed the commitment, “to achieving goals in the spirit of teamwork and continuous cooperation,” calling on all interested companies, institutions and individuals to join the Baghdad Alliance to support the private sector, in order to build a prosperous and developed future.

Shafaq.com