“Iraq News” Posted by Tishwash at TNT 4-9-2026
TNT:
Tishwash: Swiss Ambassador: We will follow up on the frozen Iraqi funds in preparation for their return.
The Federal Integrity Commission discussed on Wednesday with the Swiss Ambassador in Baghdad the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the field of recovering frozen Iraqi funds and combating corruption, while stressing the importance of bilateral partnerships to overcome obstacles to recovering funds and prosecuting the accused.
The Commission’s media office stated in a statement received by Al-Furat News that “the head of the Federal Integrity Commission, Muhammad Ali Al-Lami, during his meeting with the Swiss Ambassador, Daniel Hon, at the Commission’s headquarters, stressed the importance of expanding bilateral partnerships and concluding memoranda of understanding that contribute to overcoming the challenges that hinder the recovery of smuggled funds and accused individuals, and enhance international cooperation in this field.”
The statement added that "during the meeting, discussions were held on concluding a memorandum of understanding between the two sides, particularly in the areas of information exchange, tracking corruption crimes and reducing their spread, as well as developing technical cooperation and updating policies and strategies related to combating it, and addressing obstacles to recovering funds, especially those that were seized during the era of the previous regime."
Al-Lami pointed to the "file of Iraqi assets dating back to the time of the previous regime, explaining that their loss is due to several reasons, including the international sanctions imposed in 1990 and the Oil-for-Food Program, which requires effective international cooperation to recover them."
For his part, the Swiss ambassador expressed his pleasure at strengthening bilateral relations, especially in the field of preventing and combating corruption, stressing his endeavor to coordinate with the competent authorities in his country to study the file of frozen Iraqi funds, in preparation for taking the necessary measures to return them in a way that contributes to supporting reconstruction and development projects in Iraq. link
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Tishwash: The House of Representatives votes on the members of the Finance Committee
The Iraqi Parliament voted today, Wednesday, on the members of the Finance Committee.
Republic of Iraq – Council of Representatives
First Legislative Term
**Agenda for Session No. (16) – May 2024**
* Recitation of verses from the Holy Quran.
**Department of Legislative Affairs**
**First:** Completion of the vote on the members of the Permanent Parliamentary Committees.
**Second:** First Reading of the Proposed Law on the Fifth Amendment to the Civil Aviation Law No. (198) of 1974 (Submitted by the Committee on Transport, Communications, and Governance) – (58 Articles).
**Third:** First Reading of the Proposed Law on Governorates Not Incorporated into a Region (Submitted by the Committee on Regions and Governorates Not Incorporated into a Region, Planning, Government Program, and Endowments) – (71 Articles).
**[Administrative Note]**
The session shall commence at 11:00 AM. link
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Tishwash: Industry: 234 partnership agreements to support the private sector in Iraq
The Ministry of Industry and Minerals announced on Wednesday a plan to rehabilitate and operate stalled factories, confirming the existence of 234 partnership contracts to support the industrial sector in Iraq.
The ministry's spokesperson, Duha al-Jubouri, told the official news agency that "the ministry intends to take concrete steps to support national industry in the coming period, including operating the closed factories."
Al-Jubouri explained that "the public companies affiliated with the ministry number 31 companies, including 28 production and service companies, in addition to three public bodies, namely the Industrial Research and Development Authority, the Geological Survey Authority, and the Million Industrial Authority."
She continued: “The number of factories affiliated with the ministry is 312, of which 225 are operational, while 87 are out of operation,” stressing that “work is underway by the administrations of the out of operation factories, under the guidance and supervision of the Minister of Industry, to rehabilitate and operate the factories.”
She added that "the number of partnership contracts with the private sector is 144 contracts that are still being implemented, while 90 new contracts are being evaluated, bringing the total number of partnership contracts with the private sector to 234 contracts."
She noted that "the ministry has partnership contracts related to strategic industries such as sulfur and phosphate, which may take time to be completed," expecting that "citizens will see the real results of some of these projects during this year link
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Tishwash: He moved to approve an emergency budget of $40 billion.
In light of the economic and financial challenges and the significant decline in oil revenues as a result of the war and regional conflicts, the Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Dr. Mazhar Muhammad Salih, announced that the government is adopting a series of measures to ensure the continuity of the work of state institutions and the provision of basic services in the event of a delay in approving the general budget.
In an interview with Al-Sabah, Saleh confirmed that one of the most prominent of these measures is the application of the temporary spending rule (1/12) of the previous year's budget, based on the amended Federal Financial Management Law No. (6 of 2019). He explained that this procedure allows for the coverage of essential expenditures such as salaries, wages, pensions, and social welfare allocations, which amount to approximately (8) trillion dinars monthly, while funding continues for basic operational costs. New investment projects are suspended or postponed, and only urgent projects are implemented.
Saleh indicated that the government is working on rearranging spending priorities, focusing on vital sectors, and making limited financial transfers between spending categories within the available legal frameworks. In some cases, it may resort to short-term domestic borrowing to cover the temporary deficit and ensure liquidity stability.
In Parliament, MP Ali Salman al-Moussawi revealed a plan to allocate approximately $40 billion as an emergency budget to expedite and complete projects. He explained to Al-Sabah newspaper that some parties within the coordination framework had requested a budget ranging between $30 and $40 billion to achieve this objective.
For his part, Professor of Financial Economics Dr. Ahmed Al-Hathal affirmed Iraq’s ability to secure operational expenses, but pointed out the need to take exceptional measures to cover investment expenses and strategic projects, in light of the sharp decline in oil revenues, disruption of global supplies and increased geopolitical risks.
Al-Hathal explained to Al-Sabah that the move towards an emergency budget aims to stimulate the economic cycle and prevent the cessation of vital projects related to energy, water, food and infrastructure, explaining that any delay in making the decision will lead to an expansion of the recession, an increase in unemployment and a rise in the bill for stalled projects, which will negatively affect citizens and the local market link