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.

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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

Official: The issue of Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization is coming soon

Shafaq News / Undersecretary of the Minister of Commerce, Sattar Al-Jabri, considered on Tuesday that the issue of Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization was imminent, while he stressed that the current federal government would achieve self-sufficiency and not depend on the importer.

This came during his hosting of a discussion session on the sidelines of the seventh session of the activities of the third day of the Al-Rafidain Forum 2024 – Baghdad, under the title “Humanizing the Global Economy.”

Al-Jabri said during the hosting that the governmental curriculum developed by the Iraqi government is based on a strategy to keep pace with the development taking place in the global economy, as the government signed bilateral international memorandums of understanding in the field of trade and economics.

He stressed that “Iraq is seeking to enter the World Trade Organization, and the issue is coming soon.”

The Iraqi government official spoke about the issue of import and export, saying: There is no trade balance between exported and imported materials, as the monetary mass was going to other countries, and this is what the current government seeks to address by relying on self-sufficiency.

At the beginning of 2024, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced its support for Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization, especially after the political obstacles that prevented it were removed.

Shafaq.com

The National: Iraq must diversify its economy and facilitate business

Information / translation… A report by the British newspaper The National confirmed that Iraq must diversify its economy after decades of wars, corruption, and malpractices obstructed economic reforms.

The report, which was translated by the Maalouma Agency, quoted a senior official at the International Finance Corporation as saying that Iraq must benefit from the current political stability and improved security situation to diversify its oil-dependent economy and implement reforms to strengthen the private sector.

The Regional President of the International Finance Corporation for the Middle East, Central Asia, Turkey and Afghanistan, Hala Shekhorokho, said yesterday, Tuesday, in Baghdad, “The goal requires simplifying how business is managed in the country and fighting rampant corruption,” adding, “Time is of the essence, and we need to act quickly and we need To work hard to implement the necessary steps to improve the quality of services and their accessibility for all Iraqis.”

She explained that “the aim of her visit to Baghdad is to strengthen the role of the private sector in the Iraqi economy and to enhance economic reform efforts in the country, as the country is the largest producer in OPEC after Saudi Arabia and oil revenues constitute about 95 percent of the annual budget,” indicating that “it is very important Enabling the private sector to flourish and be a good destination for investment by local Iraqis, Iraqis in the diaspora, regional investors, and international investors.”

She continued, “This requires simplifying and facilitating doing business, and finding ways to simplify bureaucratic processes.” It also highlighted the need for efficiency in registration and tax systems.

Almaalomah.me

The new Iraqi oil law undermines the dream of Kurdish independence

The new Iraqi oil law undermines the dream of Kurdish independenceWith the increasing importance of the role of energy resources in the independence of countries, the oil dispute between Baghdad and Erbil cannot be viewed as a mere emergency dispute, but rather extends beyond that to political calculations related to the option of Kurdish independence and providing the infrastructure for this independence.

Baghdad – Analysts believe that the new oil law being prepared by the Iraqi government in Baghdad will be the final factor that will end the dream of independence for Iraqi Kurdistan, which in turn will affect the future of Western oil companies operating in the region. On February 21, the Federal Supreme Court ruled that the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government must hand over “all oil and non-oil revenues” to Baghdad.

Economist Simon Watkins says in a report published by the American Oil Price website, “This puts an end to any discussion about the ability of the Kurdistan Regional Government to continue oil sales operations independent of the federal government and the Iraqi Oil Marketing Company (SOMO).” Watkins adds, “Even if the region was able to arrange channels to achieve its goal, it would have to hand over all its oil revenues to the federal government in Baghdad, giving the central government in Iraq complete financial control over it.”

The Federal Supreme Court added that the federal government will be responsible for paying the salaries of public employees in the Erbil government, with the amount paid at the source in Baghdad deducted from the regional government’s share, and the Kurdistan Regional Government must submit monthly accounts detailing each salary paid. This is effectively a more stringent reset of the original “budget payments for oil revenues” deal agreed between the KRG and the federal government in November 2014.

The agreement stipulated that the Kurdistan Regional Government would export up to 550,000 barrels of oil per day from its fields and from Kirkuk via SOMO. In return, Baghdad would send 17 percent of the federal budget, after subtracting sovereign expenses (about $500 million at the time), monthly in budget payments to the Kurds. This arrangement was not satisfactory, as the Kurdistan Regional Government often accused the federal government of not making full budget payments, and the federal government often accused the Kurdistan Regional Government of providing incomplete oil revenues.

It was then decided to replace the deal with an understanding that could be reached between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the new federal government that was formed in October 2018. The federal government focused on the draft national budget law for 2019. This required it to transfer sufficient funds from the budget to pay the salaries of Kurdistan Regional Government employees in addition to To other financial compensation in exchange for the Erbil government handing over export operations of at least 250 thousand barrels per day of crude oil to SOMO. This arrangement did not work satisfactorily either.

The situation deteriorated in late 2017 for two reasons: The first was that September 25, 2017 witnessed a non-binding vote on the complete independence of Iraqi Kurdistan. The United States and its allies implicitly promised Iraqi Kurdistan independence in exchange for the Peshmerga army being at the forefront of the fight against ISIS. More than 92 percent of voters voted in the 2017 referendum in favor of independence. But forces from Iraq and Iran (also supported by Turkey) moved into the Kurdish region shortly after the results were announced, suppressing any further steps toward independence.

Iraq, Iran, and Turkey (countries with large Kurdish populations) cannot tolerate the repercussions of the growing Kurdish independence movement throughout the region. The second reason is Russia’s control over the oil sector in Iraqi Kurdistan through three main mechanisms. Moscow’s goal was not limited to securing large oil and gas reserves in Iraqi Kurdistan, but rather extended to sowing the seeds of destroying Kurdish independence and absorbing it into one Iraq in the long term.

It was Russia that fueled the lack of trust and escalation of discontent between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government regarding the original “budget payments for oil revenues” deal for the year 2014, and this is what caused it to fail. It was the ambiguity of the phrase “oil revenues” in the Iraqi constitution that created the fault line that Moscow exploited to create chaos between the two sides.

The government in Erbil believes that it has the authority to manage oil and gas extracted from fields that were not in production in 2005 under Articles 112 and 115 of the Constitution in the Kurdistan Region. 2005 was the year during which the constitution was adopted by referendum. The Kurdistan Regional Government also confirms that Article 115 stipulates that “whatever is not stipulated in the exclusive powers of the federal authorities shall fall within the jurisdiction of the regions and governorates not organized into a region, and other powers shared between the federal government and the regions shall have priority over the law of the regions and governorates not organized into a region.” Territory, in the event of a dispute between them.

The Kurdistan Regional Government hereby confirms that it has the authority to sell its oil and gas exports and receive the proceeds from this process. The KRG also highlights that the Constitution stipulates that in the event of a conflict, priority is given to the law of the regions and provinces. But the federal government and SOMO argue that “oil and gas belong to all the Iraqi people in all regions and governorates” under Article 111 of the Constitution.

Things got worse for Iraqi Kurdistan at the end of 2021 when the United States ended its combat mission in Iraq, effectively opening the door to greater Iranian, Russian, and Chinese economic, political, and military influence in the country. It is not in the interest of any of these three countries for a pro-American Iraqi Kurdistan to exist. Moscow seems content to continue working in the fields of northern and southern Iraq, under the management of a friendly central authority in Baghdad.

Meanwhile, China is building its influence in southern Iraq, through multiple deals in the oil and gas sector that can then be leveraged into larger infrastructure deals throughout the south. The Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement was concluded between Iran and China for the year 2021. It represented an extension in the size and scope of the “Oil in exchange for Reconstruction and Investment” agreement that Baghdad and Beijing signed in September 2019, which allowed Chinese companies to invest in infrastructure projects in Iraq in exchange for oil.

That is why no one should be surprised by the statement made by Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani on August 3, 2023. He stated at the time that the new unified oil law administered from Baghdad would govern all oil and gas production and investments in Iraq and the Kurdistan region and would constitute a strong factor for the country’s unity.

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Parliament: The lack of unity of position hindered the resolution of the oil and gas law

Information/Baghdad… Member of the Parliamentary Oil, Gas and Natural Resources Committee, Bassem Ngheimesh, confirmed that the lack of unity of position and the differences between the political components and parties are behind the obstruction of many important issues in the country, the most important of which is the oil and gas law.

Naghimesh told Al-Maalouma, “Iraq lacks the unity of the political and component positions, and this makes negotiations with other countries difficult and weak and gives them an element of strength before the Iraqi negotiator.”

He added, “The lack of trust between political parties from different components and the absence of unity of position and decision are behind the neglect of many files, the most important of which is the oil and gas law, which regulates national wealth and grants all governorates their rights and revenues according to the law.”

He stated that “the oil and gas law is one of the main issues in the country, but the Kurdish-Kurdish disputes and the lack of agreement with the rest of the components regarding this law were behind the postponement of its resolution and passage within Parliament. Therefore, unifying positions is sufficient to solve many issues, one of which is the aforementioned law.”

Almaalomah.me