Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Wednesday Morning 2-11-26
The Federal Court Dismisses The Lawsuit Filed Against The Customs Tariff.
Money and Business Economy News – Baghdad Member of Parliament Mohammed Al-Khafaji announced on Wednesday that the Supreme Federal Court had rejected the lawsuit filed against Resolution 957 concerning customs identification. Al-Khafaji wrote in a post on the social networking site Facebook today that "the lawsuit related to increasing the customs tariff was dismissed due to the lack of a legitimate interest."https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=65586
Iraq Advances In The Corruption Perceptions Index Report
Money and Business Economy News – Baghdad Iraq has made progress in the Corruption Perceptions Index report issued by Transparency International, as its score rose for the first time to (28) points, advancing four places, in a step that reflects the increasing pace of reforms and national efforts in the field of integrity and combating corruption.
The Integrity Commission’s media office stated in a statement received by “Al-Eqtisad News” that “this progress is due to a number of ongoing governmental and judicial measures and the efforts of oversight bodies to facilitate procedures within service departments, reduce opportunities for direct contact between the employee and the client, as well as the implementation of the National Strategy for Integrity and Combating Corruption, and the accelerated procedures in the field of digital transformation and e-governance.”
“Iraq’s commitment to international and regional anti-corruption agreements, expanding partnerships with the private sector and civil society, involving youth and women in integrity efforts, achieving advanced levels of electoral integrity, and striving to pass a law on the right to access information have all contributed to strengthening this positive path.”
He noted that "this progress confirms that Iraq is moving steadily towards improving its international standing and consolidating the international community's confidence in its efforts to combat corruption and build more transparent and efficient institutions."
It is noted that the Commission has intensified its cooperation and coordination with Transparency International in its endeavor to advance in the Corruption Perceptions Index issued by the organization. The latest of these activities was a meeting that brought together the head of the Iraqi delegation to the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption, the head of the Federal Integrity Commission, Dr. (Mohammed Ali Al-Lami), with the head of Transparency International, Mr. (François Valérien), in the Qatari capital, Doha.https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=65553
UN: Digital Transformation In Iraq Reduces Corruption Risks And Strengthens Institutional Confidence
INA–Baghdad The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) project to strengthen arbitration and combat corruption in Iraq confirmed on Tuesday that Iraq’s score of 28 out of 100 on the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index reflects ongoing reform efforts. While noting that the National Anti-Corruption Strategy has enhanced institutional coordination, the project emphasized that Iraq’s expansion in digital public services has contributed to reducing opportunities for corruption.
Project Manager Yama Torabi told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that Iraq’s score “was not surprising to many Iraqis, given the accumulated effects of corruption on citizens, particularly in obtaining licenses and approvals, accessing public services, and building trust in institutions.
” He added that “the fundamental question is not whether corruption exists, but what this result reveals about Iraq’s current position and its potential for future development.”
Torabi explained that the Corruption Perceptions Index is often misunderstood as a simple numerical ranking, whereas it is, in fact, a confidence indicator reflecting the views of citizens, the business community, investors, and international partners regarding the reliability of state institutions, the consistency of rule enforcement, the reality of accountability, and the sustainability of reforms.
He stressed the importance of the index for Iraq, noting that its direct impact influences the decisions of investors, lenders, and development partners, who rely on it to assess risks and determine the nature of economic engagement—whether short-term or long-term, speculative or productive, and limited or broad-based.
Torabi noted that Iraq has taken clear steps in recent years to strengthen its anti-corruption framework, including the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (2021–2025), which helped align institutions around shared priorities. He also pointed to the preparation of a follow-up strategy for 2025–2030, reflecting the intention to sustain reform efforts.
He observed that perception indicators, including the Corruption Perceptions Index, tend to improve very slowly, particularly at the stage where plans and announcements must be translated into consistent institutional practices.
In this context, he emphasized that institutions such as the Federal Integrity Commission and its counterpart in the Kurdistan Region are expected to go beyond case investigations and contribute to building a comprehensive integrity system encompassing prevention, oversight, coordination, and inter-agency cooperation.
Torabi explained that this shift reflects a broader understanding of corruption as not merely a legal issue but a governance challenge that arises when power remains unchecked, rules are unclear, and enforcement is uneven.
He noted that international experiences show many countries stumble after adopting strategies, before institutions are able to demonstrate equal application of rules across sectors and political phases.
He described Iraq as being in a similarly challenging consolidation phase, highlighting digital transformation as one of the most prominent examples. He stressed that Iraq’s expansion in digital public services—such as passport issuance, national ID cards, and the government portal—has reduced direct interaction, thereby limiting opportunities for corruption, enhancing transparency through standardized procedures, and increasing traceability. He added that these measures have been met with tangible public approval.
Torabi pointed out that international experience confirms digital transformation alone does not enhance credibility unless it is embedded within broader governance reforms. He cited Georgia and Estonia as examples where digitalization was accompanied by administrative and institutional reforms that strengthened discipline and accountability, making technology an essential tool for enforcing institutional rules.
He emphasized that digital transformation is fundamentally a governance choice, explaining that technology can build trust and limit discretionary power when rules are clear and oversight is effective. Conversely, digital systems may replicate existing power imbalances if these conditions are absent.
Torabi underscored the importance of digital public infrastructure that shifts the focus from individual services to integrated foundational systems through which institutional credibility is built on a wider scale. He noted that the Corruption Perceptions Index also reflects the daily concerns of Iraqis regarding equal rule enforcement, the independence of oversight bodies, and the consistency of accountability mechanisms.
He added that these challenges intersect with environmental and climate-related pressures, such as water scarcity, land degradation, and climate investment requirements, which further heighten the need for integrity and transparency in governance. He stressed that Iraq’s low score in the 2025 index highlights a gap between reform intentions and citizens’ lived experience.
Torabi concluded by emphasizing that UNDP’s engagement in Iraq—including its project to strengthen arbitration and combat corruption for environmental justice—focuses on institutionalizing reform, enhancing coordination, and consolidating digital transformation grounded in governance principles.
He noted that while perception indicators respond slowly, their improvement signals real and sustainable reforms, and that the core challenge remains transforming reform momentum into institutional trust and, ultimately, long-term prosperity.
Gold Prices Climb In Baghdad, Steady In Erbil
2026-02-11 Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil Gold prices increased in Baghdad on Wednesday while remaining stable in Erbil, according to a survey by Shafaq News Agency.
In Baghdad’s wholesale markets on Al-Nahr Street, the selling price of one mithqal (approximately five grams) of 21-carat Gulf, Turkish, and European gold reached 1,066,000 IQD, with a buying price of 1,062,000 IQD. The same category had recorded 1,063,000 IQD on Tuesday.
The selling price of 21-carat Iraqi gold stood at 1,036,000 IQD, while the buying price was 1,032,000 IQD.
At retail jewelry shops, 21-carat Gulf gold was offered between 1,065,000 and 1,075,000 IQD per mithqal, whereas Iraqi gold ranged from 1,035,000 to 1,045,000 IQD.
In Erbil, gold rates held steady, with 22-carat gold priced at 1,157,000 IQD per mithqal, 21-carat at 1,105,000 IQD, and 18-carat at 948,000 IQD. https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Gold-prices-climb-in-Baghdad-steady-in-Erbil-5-5
Dollar Slips In Baghdad And Erbil
2026-02-11 Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil The US dollar opened Wednesday’s trading slightly lower in Iraq, slipping by 100 dinars in Baghdad and Erbil.
According to a Shafaq News market survey, the dollar traded in Baghdad's Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya exchanges at 150,100 dinars per 100 dollars, down from Tuesday’s 150,200 dinars.
In the Iraqi capital, exchange shops sold the dollar at 150,500 dinars and bought it at 149,500 dinars.
In Erbil, selling prices stood at 149,850 dinars per 100 dollars and buying prices at 149,750 dinars.
https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Dollar-slips-in-Baghdad-and-Erbil-7-3