Allawi presents his cabinet in two weeks, and its names will only be announced in Parliament

[Baghdad-Ain] An Iraqi deputy confirmed that the Prime Minister-designate Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi intends to present a ministerial formation free from partisan quotas within 10 to 15 days.

MP Hussein Arab said, “Allawi discussed with all political blocs that the government formation is free of partisan quotas, and that there is a green light to move the government according to what the designated Prime Minister desires,” adding that he could announce his cabinet formation within 10 to 15 days.

He explained that “the next formation will consist of 23 ministers, the same number of ministers of the resigned government, and that the House of Representatives is free to accept or reject any minister who does not have the level of responsibility or ability required to lead a ministry.”

He stressed that “Allawi chose a large part of the government formation, and there are only minor things left to complete it, but he will not announce any name until they are presented to the House of Representatives,” stressing the need to scrutinize the options for the possibility of rejecting some options by the House of Representatives.

Today, Iraqi provinces are witnessing preparations to escalate the protest demonstrations to demand the speedy formation of a new government away from partisan quotas, as well as calling for stopping the targeting of demonstrators by members of the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr, who aim to break up the demonstrations by force.

alliraqnews.com

Political analyst: Sadr lost four things because of his positions in the demonstrations

Baghdad / news: Political analyst, Mujahid al-Tai, confirmed that the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, had lost four things because of his positions on the demonstrations in Baghdad and the provinces.

Al-Taei told Al-Akhbariya that “Al-Sadr lost many things because of his position on the recent demonstrations, as confidence between him and the masses fell.”

He added that “Al-Sadr’s proposals for reform, change and combating corruption have become questionable, as have his allegations of wanting to confine arms to the state and controlling the militias have become ridiculed.”

Al-Taie added, “Al-Sadr also lost the support of the Europeans, who were counting on his hostility with Iran.”

Ikhnews.com

Allawi: If I cannot fulfill the demands of the Iraqi people, I will withdraw from the position of prime minister

Baghdad today – The Information Office of the Prime Minister announced, on Thursday, that Prime Minister-designate Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi will deliver a speech at four o’clock in the evening.

The office stated in a brief statement, which it received (Baghdad today), that ” at four o’clock in the afternoon, the speech of Prime Minister-designate Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi will be broadcast.”

On Saturday (1 February 2020), President of the Republic Barham Salih commissioned Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi to form the interim government to succeed resigned Adel Abdul Mahdi.

After that, Allawi pledged to withdraw from the post of prime minister, if he did not fulfill all the popular demands arising from the demonstrations.

Allawi said, in a speech to him: “If I cannot fulfill the demands of the Iraqi people, I will withdraw from the position of prime minister, and this is a promise I made to the Iraqis.”

https://baghdadtoday.news/news/109651

IMF director steps down, paving way for Trump appointee

David Lipton’s resignation could allow US president to increase influence over financial watchdog

One of the most senior figures at the International Monetary Fund is stepping down in a move that will allow the Trump administration to influence who will take over as second-in-command at the financial watchdog.

David Lipton, 66, will step down as first deputy managing director after a nine-year tenure that made him the longest-serving official to hold what is effectively the number two position.

When he leaves at the end of this month he will be joined by Carla Grasso, chief administrative officer and one of three deputy managing directors appointed in 2015.

The moves will allow the IMF’s managing director Kristalina Georgieva to stamp her mark on the organisation four months after she took on the top job. It is understood she wants to raise the profile of the departmental directors who are the key people who will implement her policy on the ground.

However, according to precedent, the first deputy managing director of the IMF has traditionally been an American national, offsetting the fact that Europeans have always held the top job of the Washington-based multilateral lender.

Traditionally the White House submits a shortlist of candidates from which the managing director will pick her nomination, who is then approved by the fund’s executive board based on consensus.

The process will revive concerns among NGOs and campaign groups that senior roles at the IMF and its sister organisation, the World Bank, are chosen by politicians rather than through a competitive recruitment process.

Luiz Vieira, coordinator of the Bretton Woods Project (BWP), a network of NGOs, said: “We would say it is ridiculous to have a process by which the choice of all the candidates is restricted to one country. We will definitely be calling for an open, transparent and merit-based approach to the recruitment for a very senior post.”

Ms Georgieva, a Bulgarian, was appointed as managing director in October after no other candidate was put forward by a member state. The post has gone to a European national since the IMF was established in the 1940s.

A year ago, David Malpass, a senior Treasury official, was appointed as president of the World Bank after being nominated by US president Donald Trump.

Last month BWP raised its concerns that, soon after she was appointed, Ms Georgieva had given her support to the reforms instituted by Mr Trump, which include a $1.5 trillion (£1.16tn) tax cut that slashes corporate rates.

Mr Vieira said that contrasted with the more critical stance taken by her predecessor Christine Lagarde, who in 2018 identified Mr Trump’s tax reforms as a hazard that “could destabilise the current economic recovery”.

“Georgieva is still getting her feet under the table but if she is more favourable to a US line then having her and the first deputy MD becoming aligned behind those policies could be interesting,” he said. “Lagarde was able to say some pretty critical things about the US.”

Ms Georgieva lauded Mr Lipton for his “intellectual leadership and innovative insights” and said that he commands “wide respect across the IMF’s 189 member countries” as well as among IMF staff.

She added: “David has provided an invaluable service to the fund’s membership and the global economy more broadly with his outstanding economic experience and expertise.”

independent.co.uk

Legal expert: Iraq can recover the smuggled money in accordance with international law

Baghdad / news – Legal expert, Ali Al-Tamimi, stressed that Iraq can recover the smuggled money in accordance with international law.

Al-Tamimi told Al-Ikhbaria that there is an agreement to combat administrative and financial corruption for the year 2005, and Iraq joined it in 2007, and it allows Iraq to request assistance in recovering the smuggled money, which was estimated at 500 billion dollars.

He added that “Article 50 of the Charter of the United Nations allows Iraq to request international assistance, as Security Council Resolution 2170 of 2014, which placed ISIS under Chapter VII, allows that.”

He added that “Iraq can request the Security Council to refer the file to the International Criminal Court, where it considers corruption crimes and considered genocide and crimes against humanity.”

Ikhnews.com

Nassif Allawi: Whales of corruption are feeling safe

Baghdad / NNC- Deputy Alia Nassif, on Monday, called on Prime Minister-designate Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi to “fulfill his promises” and open corruption files “seriously” and refer spoilers to the judiciary, saying that “whales of corruption are feeling safe”.

Nassif said in a statement that NNC obtained a copy of it, “It is financial corruption that has brought the country into what it is today from many crises and problems that have been reflected in all areas of life. The mafias expanded and spread their arms to various sectors of the state, and they now have offices and companies abroad that manage corruption at home, coordinate and conclude suspicious deals and charge commissions.

Nassif added, “Whoever intends to stand up to all this corruption must ask: What files do we start with? The answer is that the file of electricity and energy is the one that deserves to start investigating its corruption, because this important vital sector is the most corrupt, with terrifying numbers equivalent to the budgets of countries.

Nassif stressed “the importance of (Prime Minister-designate Muhammad Tawfiq) Allawi proceeding to open corruption files seriously in order to gain the confidence of the people in the transitional period and for these measures to be calculated as an achievement recorded for him if he had the courage and courage”

Nnciraq.com

Allawi pledges to close down the economic offices of the armed factions and refer the corruption files to the judiciary without hesitation

Baghdad / Al-Ikhbaria: Prime Minister-designate Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi vowed, on Saturday, to close down the economic offices of armed factions and transmit corruption files to the judiciary without hesitation.

Allawi said in a televised speech followed the “news” I pledge to close the economic offices of the armed factions and to refer the files of corruption to eliminate without hesitation. ”
He added , ” I extend my thanks to the President of the Republic, Halbusi, deputies and powers of parliamentary and activists, trade unions and all those who placed their trust in us through the assigned task, and I extend thanks sincere to The reference to its patriarchal and directive role for all our dear countrymen.

Allawi explained,“ The blood of the martyrs from the demonstrators and the security forces will not be in vain, ”stressing that“ the state’s weapon will not be carried against the people but rather to protect the borders and enhance security. ”

He continued, “I affirm my keen interest in following up the investigation events against the demonstrations and holding those responsible for the violence and those causing the sabotage public and private property, and I pledge to form a government that is far from narrow partisan quotas.”

He continued, “I salute with appreciation and honor the peaceful demonstrators martyrs,” stressing: “I strive for a serious attempt to build a state of citizenship and institutions, and a state of justice, freedom, welfare and peace.”

Ikhnews.com

Iraq protests: Mohammed Allawi named prime minister

Iraq has named a new prime minister after four months of protests.

Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi, a former communications minister, was appointed by President Barham Salih.

His predecessor Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned in November, amid mass anti-government demonstrations. Hundreds of protesters have been killed.

Mr Allawi now has a month to form a new government, which he will lead until early elections. He immediately expressed support for the protests.

Earlier this week, local media reported that President Saleh had given parliament an ultimatum to decide on a new prime minister before he took the decision himself, after previous candidates were rejected by protesters.

In a video released on his social media accounts on Saturday, Mr Allawi announced that he had been nominated and called on Iraqis to continue protesting until their demands were met.

“If not for your sacrifices and your bravery, there would have been no change in the country,” he said. “I believe in you, and for this reason I will ask you to continue protesting.”

He promised to hold those responsible for the killing of protesters accountable and to combat corruption.

Mr Allawi, who is Shia, studied and worked in Lebanon and the UK before entering Iraqi politics following the 2003 invasion. He served as minister of communications twice.

BBC.com

Mohammed Allawi appointed new Iraq PM, protesters reject him

Ex-minister named as Iraq prime minister-designate, but anti-government demonstrators say he is part of ruling elite.

Baghdad, Iraq – Anti-government protesters in Iraq were quick to dismiss President Barham Salih’s appointment of Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi as prime minister-designate, as rallies took place in the capital and cities in the country’s southern provinces.

The president’s announcement came after he issued an ultimatum to Iraq’s fractious parliament, warning that if they did not appoint a new premier by Saturday he would do so himself.

But anti-government protesters did not welcome the announcement, with hundreds in the capital’s Tahrir Square chanting “Mohammed Allawi, rejected!”, videos posted on social media showed.

In the southern city of Nasiriyah, protesters issued a statement saying they categorically rejected Allawi’s selection.

“He is the compromised candidate that belongs to the sectarian power sharing political system (muhasasa) we are protesting against, and does not represent the aspirations of the protest sites,” the statement said. “Based on this, our response will be to escalate things stronger than on previous occasions.”

Allawi’s appointment, the statement continued, was brought about “by the same criminal, corrupt class that brought us to where we are now”.

Since October, anti-government protesters have called for a complete overhaul of the country’s ruling political elite and an end to corruption. Their demands include the appointment of a politically independent candidate as prime minister, early elections, and holding accountable those who have killed at least 500 protesters so far.

Despite ex-prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi formally resigning on November 30, he agreed to continue in a caretaker capacity until a new prime minister was chosen, with the resulting deadlock leading protesters to accuse the government of deliberate stalling.

‘We will escalate’

Allawi, 65, served as a communications minister under the government of former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki in 2006 and 2010. Two years later, he resigned from his post, accusing al-Maliki of “political interference” in his ministry.

Moments after his appointment was announced, Allawi shared a pre-recorded video on his Twitter page, where he addressed the protesters directly.

“My power is derived from you,” he began. “If it were not for your courage and sacrifices then there would have been no changes in the country.”

“You protested for your homeland, and if I am not able to fulfill your demands that I am unworthy of this position,” he added.

However, protesters in the capital reacted with dismay, saying that he represented the old ruling elite.

One protester, 25-year-old Yousef Abd, said there is “no doubt we reject Allawi in the position of prime minister”.

“If the government insists on forcing him on us we will definitely escalate things,” he told Al Jazeera via telephone from Tahrir Square.

Mohammed Aqeel, another protester agreed.

“The general feeling from most protest sites is that they view Allawi as being cut from the same cloth as the politicians in power,” he told Al Jazeera. “He belongs to the same system we don’t want.”

According to Aqeel, large student demonstrations were expected to take place on Sunday against Allawi’s appointment, which he hoped would unite the protest movement in Tahrir.

Earlier on Saturday, skirmishes had taken place between Sadrist supporters and politically independent protesters, after the former took over the strategic Turkish restaurant building and drove out the other protesters from there.

The Sadrists, along with members of an affiliated militia Saraya al-Salam, had rejoined the protest a week after their leader and head of the largest bloc in parliament Muqtada al-Sadr announced his withdrawal. But on Friday, Sadr called for a renewal of “the peaceful reformist revolution”.

Test of ‘independence’

Sajad Jiyad, managing director of Bayan Centre, a think-tank, told Al Jazeera there had been an agreement between the largest parties in Parliament to nominate Allawi.

“Now that has happened we can expect a lot of negotiation around cabinet formation and this will be a test to see how much independence Allawi has and how much support for his nominees to the cabinet he can get from the parties in Parliament,” he said.

Jiyad added that protesters who have rejected Allawi’s nomination believe he will be “beholden to the same political system they accuse of corruption and are protesting against”.

Political analyst Sarmad al-Bayati, said it was still too early to see what affect the appointment of Allawi would have.

“Allawi was not a new name to be suggested as a candidate … But I don’t think he represents the aspirations of the Iraqi people,” he told Al Jazeera.

“He will probably face the same limitations that Adel Abdul Mahdi experienced,” he noted.

According to the constitution, a replacement for Abdul Mahdi should have been identified fifteen days after his resignation in early December. Instead, it has taken rival blocs nearly two months of jockeying to select Allawi as their consensus candidate.

Abdul Mahdi’s rise to power was the product of a provisional alliance between parliament’s two main blocs – Sairoon, led by Shia leader Moqtada al-Sadr, and Fatah, which is headed by Hadi al-Amiri and includes leaders associated with the paramilitary Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF, or Hasdh al-Shaabi).

Aljazeera.com

Serious Questions on the Appreciation of Iraqi Dinar

The Iraqi Economists Network (IEN) has just published a new report from our Expert Blogger Dr Amer K. Hirmis:

M. Saleh’s testimony re: the appreciation of Iraqi Dinar in 2006-8, raises serious questions?

The purpose of this note is to shed light, and comment, on two views expressed recently in relation to the appreciation of the Iraq Dinar (IQD) in 2006-2008.

Muhammad Tawfiq Alawi (henceforth M. Alawi), former minister of communications in Iraq, gave a talk on December 13, 2019 in Washington D.C. to an Iraqi audience, in which he mentioned the appreciation of the Iraqi Dinar (IQD) during 2006-2008 as an example of lack of economic planning in Iraq.

Mudher Muhammad Saleh (henceforth M. Saleh), former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI), and currently finance advisor to the outgoing prime minister, responded the following day, in an article published at the ‘Iraqi Economists Net.’

This note focuses on two observations, set out below:

Firstly, that the “independence” of the CBI was compromised in negotiating and signing a ‘Stand-By Agreement’ with the IMF in late 2005.

Secondly, by following the IMF programme in Iraq, the CBI’s administration focused its attention on limited instruments of monetary policy as dictated by the IMF, and much less on contributing to national economic growth and leveraging badly needed major structural changes in the economy.

Iraq-businessnews.com