KDP nominates KRG’s interior minister for Iraq’s presidency

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has nominated the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) interior minister as its candidate for the Iraqi presidency following Sunday’s ban on the party’s previous candidate, the party’s spokesperson confirmed on Monday.

Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court temporarily suspended the candidacy of KDP’s Hoshyar Zebari for Iraq’s presidency last week following a lawsuit against him. The court ruled on Sunday to ban Zebari from running for the position “for failing to meet the conditions.”
Sunday was the deadline for political parties to field their candidates for the position. Zebari told reporters hours after his removal that his case is politically motivated. He said that the KDP had not fielded any other candidate to replace him.

However, an informed source from the KDP told Rudaw on Monday that the party has nominated the KRG’s interior minister, Reber Ahmed, for the Iraqi presidency. Mahmoud Mohammed, KDP spokesperson, confirmed the KDP’s nomination in a statement shortly after.

Iraq held snap parliamentary elections on October 10. The speaker of parliament was elected last month following a deal between the Kurdistan Region’s ruling KDP, Sadrist bloc and most Sunnis. The deal also stipulates that the KDP will have the position of Iraq’s presidency and the Sadrist movement will choose the prime minister.

According to a long-standing customary agreement, the three main leadership positions in the Iraqi government are divided among Kurds, Shiites, and Sunnis. Kurds get the presidency, Shiites get the premiership, and Sunnis get the parliamentary speaker. Among Kurds, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) has held on to the presidency position since 2005.

PUK leader Bafel Talabani is leading a party delegation in Baghdad to resume campaigning for their candidate, the Iraqi President Barham Salih – who held the position since 2018 when a similar rift between the KDP and PUK took place.

Talabani met with the leaders of the Coordination Framework – a group of political parties affiliated to Iran – on Monday. The Framework has claimed that the elections were rigged and it acts as a rival to the alliance which is led by the Sadrists.

“Political and security issues as well as the steps to form a new government in Iraq were discussed,” read a statement from Talabani’s office regarding the meeting, adding that the leaders emphasised on the formation of a “national consensus government.”

However, the rival alliance has been calling for a national majority government.

PUK and the Framework “reiterated their insistence on the resolution of all issues in a political and peaceful way,” added the statement.

Rudaw.net

Iraqi court removes KDP presidential candidate

The Federal Court held its session in the morning to resolve the corruption case filed against KDP’s presidential candidate Hoshyar Zebari by a number of MPs.

The court decided against Zebari’s nomination for the post, reported state media shortly after the session ended.

Zebari is set to hold a press conference at 3:30 pm and is expected to address the court’s decision.

Zebari on Sunday afternoon said the court’s decision was “unjust and politically motivated,” while reiterating his respect for the Federal Court’s call.

The judiciary last week ruled to temporarily suspend Zebari’s candidacy until his case was resolved. The ruling was made on the grounds that he did not meet the conditions of “good reputation and integrity” required by the constitution.

Zebari was one of the two frontrunners for the presidential race as the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) has nominated the incumbent Iraqi President Barham Salih for the position.

During the press conference, Zebari also confirmed that the KDP does not have a potential candidate for the post yet.

The court’s decision comes as the leaders of the two main Kurdish parties are in talks to discuss the Iraqi presidency post, which lies with them, amid rising tensions.

The KDP was expected to hold an advantage over the PUK for the presidency race given their alliance with the Sadrist Movement, the largest parliamentary bloc, led by Muqtada al-Sadr.

Iraq was scheduled to vote in a new president on Monday, but the required quorum of two-thirds attendance of the 329 members of the legislature was not met as the KDP, Sunnis, and Sadrists boycotted the session.

Rudaw.net

Al-Kazemi in Al-Hananah to meet Al-Sadr

Shafaq News / Today, Monday, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi intends to visit the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, at his home in Najaf.

An informed source in Najaf Governorate told Shafaq News Agency that Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi will visit later today, Al-Hanana area in Najaf to meet with Mr. Muqtada Al-Sadr, without further details.

During the past weeks, the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, received at his home in Al-Hanana in Najaf, a number of high-ranking political figures, including the President of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, and the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Muhammad al-Halbousi, the last of which was the visit of Iranian General Ismail Qaani.

The Sadrist bloc topped the October 10 elections, with 73 seats, followed by the Progress Alliance with 37, the State of Law coalition with 33, and the Kurdistan Democratic Party with 31.

Al-Sadr seeks to form a national majority government by excluding some forces from it, led by the State of Law coalition led by former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, unlike the rest of the Shiite forces within the coordination framework that demand a consensual government in which all political forces in Parliament participate, similar to previous sessions.

It is reported that Al-Sadr received, on January 6, Al-Kazemi at his home in Al-Hanana, without issuing any clarification from the two sides about the meeting, but observers believe that Al-Kazemi is seeking new support to win a second term to head the Iraqi government.

Shafaq.com

Saleh: The rise in central bank reserves ensures the stability of the local currency

Mazhar Muhammad Salih, Advisor to the Prime Minister, said today, Monday, that the high reserves of the Central Bank of Iraq of hard currency guarantees the stability of the local currency.

Saleh stressed that the reserves of the Central Bank decreased during the last period against the background of the two health and financial crises, but the monetary policy of the Central Bank, which he described as balanced, was able to restore the reserves by more than 23% at the present time to reach 64 billion dollars, pointing out that the rise in the hard currency gives a positive signal to the economy. Iraqi and gives reassurance of the stability of the Iraqi dinar.

Altaghier.tv

Iraq’s foreign reserves are a treasure in a ruined house..

The size of the official foreign reserve reached the level of 91 trillion Iraqi dinars, a level it has not reached since May 2014, when it reached more than 94 trillion Iraqi dinars.

With the amount of dollar supplied in the local market, Iraq’s retention of high reserves can be compared to a person who hoards gold while he lives in a ruined house and does not have the basic services of life.

Except for the oil sector) with a high rate of GDP, in addition to the high levels of poverty and unemployment, which is evidence of the misuse of state resources and poor planning for the development and diversification of the Iraqi economy.

It was more useful, instead of raising foreign reserves, to work on launching various initiatives that contribute to strengthening the Iraqi economy, working on building infrastructure projects for the country by financing these project, and also working on adopting initiatives that reduce inflation and poverty levels by supporting various basic products that contribute to increasing Inflation rates and reducing the level
of poverty.

The Central Bank should expedite the launch of financing initiatives for real industrial, agricultural and tourism projects and work to launch financing initiatives to support education and increase human capital in addition to launching initiatives to support the poor and destitute classes, and that its goal is to work on building a sustainable economy and work to reduce the level of poverty illiteracy and reduce the level of inflation, and after improving these levels and making them normal, it is then possible to work on increasing foreign reserves and to be proud of their rise.

The rise in reserves is similar to the story of a man who wished that everything he owned would turn into gold, and his wish was fulfilled, which made even food turn into gold, which made him starve to death.

Yesiraq.com

Dijlah.tv

The exchange rate and change…

Aqeel Al-Ansari: Commercial markets are always looking for stability and do not like change, especially in the basics such as the exchange rate in a country that depends on imports for most of its goods.

Therefore, changing the exchange rate to any direction is a mistake that will lose the confidence of the citizen, the merchant, and the one who deals with the markets and in the local markets, and increases the chances of manipulating the prices of goods through monopoly operations.

As for the state of anticipation in the markets now, it is because of the large number of rumors, and the government, represented by the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank, must take a firm stance towards those who spread these rumors, and they are only a group that benefits, either to collect electoral votes and tickle the feelings of the citizen, or speculators benefit from the price difference when they fall And go up to make a profit.

As for the increase in prices in the local market, it is due to the high prices globally and the costs of shipping and insurance, and what to change the exchange rate in Iraq to a small effect if we take the other factors.

There is now a surplus that the government has earned due to the change in the exchange rate and the rise in oil prices. This money should be directed to vulnerable groups and provide direct support to them through the establishment of sovereign investment funds that supervise and support the private sector and private start-up projects, as well as through programs to support the social welfare network for most groups need.

Yesiraq.com

We Will Not Accept A Government That Does Not Return The Dinar Exchange Rate To Its Previous Rate

Earth News / The representative of the Al- Fateh Alliance , Ahmed Al-Moussawi, confirmed today , Monday, that he will not accept a government that will not restore the dinar exchange rate to its previous rate.

Al-Moussawi wrote , in a tweet , with tension followed by the Earth News Agency , saying , ” Good morning to our venerable government, the price of oil is 97 dollars. When will the conscience of politicians move to reduce the dollar ‘s exchange and return it to its previous era … the high prices are slaughtering people . ”

Al-Moussawi continued , “The people demand you to know the proceeds of the increase in oil prices ,” noting , ” We accept a government that comes before it restores the exchange to its predecessor and that it takes into account the people and their livelihood.”

Earthiq.news

After paying all compensation to Kuwait… Has the Iraqi economy been liberated?

The Kuwaiti ambassador to Baghdad, Salem Al-Zamanan, confirmed that the United Nations Compensation Committee will issue a decision to permanently close the file of financial compensation between the two countries, after Iraq paid the last payment to Kuwait a few days ago.

Al-Zamanan indicated to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), on Saturday, that Iraq has fulfilled all the obligations imposed on it under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter and relevant Security Council resolutions in 1991.

What are the implications for Iraq’s economic situation?

On this subject, the guest of the “Where is the Truth” program on Radio “Sputnik”, the economist Dr. Nabil Al-Marsoumi, says:

After it has paid all its compensation to Kuwait, Iraq must submit a request to the Security Council, in order to transfer it from Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations to the provisions of Chapter VI of the Charter, a subject that will liberate the Iraqi banking system and integrate it with the global banking system, and will also liberate the accounts Iraqi finances are with the US Federal Bank, because any financial returns in hard currency do not go directly to Iraq, but through the United States, so that compensation for Kuwait can be completed.”

Al-Marsoumi added: “Also, Iraq should submit a request to the UN Security Council to protect its money and deposits in the global banking system from the claims of private companies and some countries for compensation or other debts, as obtaining such a decision can free two billion dollars annually, used in development and investment, Which constitutes a strong boost to the Iraqi national economy , as the money was delayed until it reached the Iraqi Ministry of Finance, so the next government will be more fortunate than the current government.”

Thenationalnews.com

Iraq fulfilled its obligations.. The UN committee supervising compensation for Kuwait ends its mandate

Shafaq News/ The United Nations Compensation Authority announced on Thursday that Iraq has completed paying $52.4 billion to compensate individuals, companies and governments for the damages of the 1990 invasion and occupation of Kuwait.

overall; About 2.7 million claims have been filed, with a confirmed value of $352.5 billion, but the UN Compensation Commission has agreed to pay $52.4 billion covering 1.5 million successful claims.

The largest claim approved by the UN Compensation Commission was $14.7 billion in damages to the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) in which departing Iraqi forces set oil wells ablaze.

Payments were suspended between October 2014 and April 2018 due to the Iraqi government’s security and budgetary problems in its fight against Islamic State militants.

“With the final payment of compensation made on January 13, 2022, all compensation awarded by the commission has now been paid in full,” the Geneva-based body said in a statement following a closed-door meeting of its board of directors.

She added that “the government of Iraq has fulfilled its international obligations to compensate all the claimants who were awarded compensation by the committee for the losses and damages they incurred as a direct result of Iraq’s illegal invasion of Kuwait.”

Shafaq.com