Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economics Updates Tuesday Evening 7-2-24

Good Evening Dinar Recaps,

WHAT EXACTLY IS A STABLECOIN

"Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency that seeks to maintain a stable value by pegging their market value to an external reference. This reference could be a fiat currency like the U.S. dollar, a commodity such as gold, or another financial instrument."

"Stablecoins play a crucial role in the cryptocurrency ecosystem due to their stability."

"They aim to provide the speed and security of a blockchain while eliminating the volatility that most cryptocurrencies endure. Initially used primarily to buy cryptocurrencies on trading platforms that did not offer fiat currency trading pairs, stablecoins have seen their adoption grow. They are now used in several blockchain-based financial services, such as lending platforms, and can even be used to pay for goods and services.

© Newshounds News™

Read more:  CoinBase

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DO YOU UNDERSTAND BLOCKCHAINS?

Blockchains are the critical infrastructure underlying cryptocurrencies. The common feature of these distributed ledgers is the sequential updating of a cryptographically secure, verifiable transaction record among a network of peers all operating under a certain set of rules enforced through the software itself. This record is owned and operated in common by anyone anywhere.

While research in shared ledger technology goes back decades, the arrival of the Bitcoin blockchain introduced the first distributed ledger technology that was thoroughly decentralized and resistant to censorship, seizure and collusion.

Blockchain technology, in its various manifestations including the Ethereum blockchain and others, is ultimately a global consensus system — i.e., it allows people to coordinate and cooperate around a neutral source of information without trusting each other or a central administrator. The use cases are wide-ranging, from finance and energy trading to supply chain management.

At Cointelegraph, we are chronicling the evolving blockchain industry. Is it revolutionary or overhyped? Or both? Will it become the solution to securing trust in finance and global trade? What will be the rate of blockchain transactions in the coming years?

Stay tuned to find out.

© Newshounds News™

SOURCE:  Coin Telegraph 

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Crypto-Friendly Silvergate Bank Pays $63M to Settle Charges With SEC, Fed, California Regulator

Silvergate's executives were aware of 'critical deficiencies' in the bank's anti-money laundering protections, the SEC alleged.

Silvergate Bank's parent company settled charges with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Reserve and California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation alleging it failed to maintain a proper anti-money laundering program and made misleading disclosures about the program's effectiveness.

The SEC also charged Silvergate's former executives. Former CEO Alan Lane and former COO Kathleen Fraher agreed to settlements, while former CFO Antonio Martino denied the charges.

Read more:  Coin Desk

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Coinbase files motion to reinforce judge's ruling on Binance case: Secondary market transactions not securities

The SEC is suing Coinbase for selling unregistered securities, but the definition of a security under US law is unclear as applied to crypto, according to Coinbase.

Coinbase uses Judge Jackson's ruling to argue for consistent securities law enforcement in crypto.

The motion calls for clarity in the application of the Howey test to crypto transactions.

Read more:  Crypto Briefing

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CFTC Announces Supervisory Stress Test Results

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today issued Supervisory Stress Test of Derivatives Clearing Organizations: Reverse Stress Test Analysis and Results, a report detailing the results of its fourth Supervisory Stress Test (SST) of derivatives clearing organization (DCO) resources. Among other findings, the 2024 report concluded the DCOs studied hold sufficient financial resources to withstand many extreme and often implausible price shocks.

The Risk Surveillance Branch of the Division of Clearing and Risk conducts periodic SSTs to assess how DCOs might fare under extreme stress. Staff previously conducted SSTs in 2016, 2017, and 2019. The 2019 SST included a reverse stress test component, and this 2024 SST is a major expansion of that, which includes nine DCOs, representing 11 clearing services across four asset classes (futures and options on futures, cleared interest rate swaps, credit default swaps, and foreign exchange products).

The purpose of the analysis was twofold: (1) to identify hypothetical combinations of extreme market shocks, concurrent with varying numbers of clearing member (CM) defaults, that would exhaust prefunded resources (DCO committed capital, and default fund), and unfunded resources available to the DCOs (this represents the reverse stress test component), and (2) to analyze the impacts of DCO use of mutualized resources on non-defaulted CMs.

Read more:  CFTC

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Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Tuesday Afternoon 7-2-24

Expert identifies reasons for Iraq’s economic growth forecast to exceed 5% in 2026

Time: 2024/07/01 20:48:59 Read: 2,249 times

Expert identifies reasons for Iraq’s economic growth forecast to exceed 5% in 2026

{Economic: Al Furat News} The economic expert, Qusay Safwan, identified the reasons for expectations of economic growth in Iraq reaching more than 5% in 2026.

Safwan told {Euphrates News} that: "The International Monetary Fund's expectations went towards the external view of the Iraqi economy in light of the success of the government of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in reducing external debts from $20 million to $9 million, which gives reassurance to the status of the Iraqi economy for the coming years, considering that the interest on those debts will be low."

He added, "There are also projects that the government of al-Sudani has started at the level of stopping gas flaring and investing associated gas in supplying electricity, meaning reducing outward cash flows to reduce the import of electricity and gas, as well as completing the Faw port in mid-2025 and entering the operational testing phase until it is linked to the European Union."

Safwan continued, "This means adding non-oil revenues, and these indicators indicate a positive outlook that could contribute to reclassifying Iraq's credit rating from C3 Plus to B Minus," noting that "the possibility of Iraq's GDP rising to 5% in the event of adding initiatives by the Central Bank to pay small and medium-sized projects, which is currently at a rate of $270 billion annually."

He added, "Iraq is currently a partner with the International Finance Corporation, which is trying to rebuild Iraqi airports, and there are two billion dollars that will be pumped into developing and expanding Baghdad International Airport, which indicates that there is confidence in Iraq's ability to operate these amounts and return them to lenders."

Safwan stressed that "the process of developing the energy sector in terms of gas and oil through licensing rounds will contribute to increasing Iraq's future revenues, as it is looking forward to 6 million barrels for export purposes, meaning that there is a possibility of increasing the ability to spend oil revenues on investment projects," noting "the importance of transforming understandings into a studied reality in the field of foreign investment."

The World Bank expected Iraq to achieve economic growth of more than 5% in 2026, noting that the recovery in the oil sector in 2025 will contribute significantly to enhancing this growth.

In its report, the bank stated that Iraq's economic growth for the year 2022 reached 7.6%, and in 2023 it decreased to -2.9.

The report also expected that Iraq's economic growth would decline to -0.3% in 2024, achieve growth of 3.8% in 2025, and reach 5.3% in 2026.

The report indicated that oil-exporting countries outside the Gulf Cooperation Council, such as Iraq and Algeria, would benefit from the expected recovery in the oil sector in 2025, which would help boost economic growth in these countries.  LINK

Chairman Of The Securities Commission: The Value Of Traded Shares During The First Half Of 2024 Amounted To 321 Billion Dinars

Market  Economy News – Baghdad  The Chairman of the Securities Commission, Faisal Al-Haimas, announced today, Tuesday, the stock trading indicators on the Iraq Stock Exchange during the first half of 2024, as the value of traded shares amounted to 321,951,474,384 Iraqi dinars.

Al-Haimas said in a statement followed by "Al-Eqtisad News": "The number of shares traded during the first half of the current year amounted to 281,150,586,973 shares," noting that "the number of listed companies and companies registered in the market amounted to 109 joint-stock companies, distributed between regular and secondary trading platforms and unlisted companies."

Al-Haimas added: “The government bonds that were traded are construction bonds with two issues, and reconstruction bonds with three issues,” stressing that “the number of companies registered on the ISX-OTC platform for unlisted companies increased to 6 companies after accepting three new companies at the end of June 2024.”

The Chairman of the Securities Commission explained that “the number of companies whose shares were traded during the first half of this year amounted to 87 companies.”

The number of traded shares reached 281,150,586,973 shares, and the value of traded shares reached 321,951,474,384 dinars.

Al-Haimas pointed out that “the ISX60 index closed in the last session of June at 882.03, recording a decrease of 1.25% from the closing of 2023, while the ISX15 index closed at 1005.49 points, achieving an increase of 0.5% from its starting value in the base session.”

Al-Haimas concluded his statement by saying: “The number of contracts executed during the first half of the year reached 86,268 contracts, which reflects continuous activity and dynamic movement in the Iraq Stock Exchange.” 07/02/2024 - https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=44820

Implementation Of The Comprehensive Banking System Of Rafidain Bank In 31 Branches

Economy | 08:47 - 02/07/2024  Baghdad - Mawazine News  Rafidain Bank announced today, Tuesday, the implementation of the comprehensive banking system in the Pharmacists Branch in Basra, thus joining the branches that have activated the comprehensive system in Baghdad and the governorates, in addition to the border crossing branches (Zurbatiya - Safwan - Arar - Trebil).

The bank confirmed in a statement today that "the digital transformation plan and the adoption of the comprehensive banking system are proceeding according to the scheduled timings to include all the bank's branches in the implementation of the system, especially since one of the priorities and adoptions of the government program is the electronic transformation in financial transactions, reducing the circles of routine for citizens, shortening time, simplifying procedures, overcoming obstacles, and intensifying efforts to improve the level of services provided to customers and completing their transactions."

He added, "Thus, the number of branches that have implemented and completed the system becomes (31) branches, in an important step to strengthen the banking system, achieve its requirements, and leave paper work and move completely to electronic systems." https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=250611

Global Oil Price Stability

Economy | 10:12 - 02/07/2024  Follow-up - Mawazine News

Oil prices stabilized on Tuesday, remaining near their highest levels in two months reached in the previous session, driven by expectations of increased fuel demand during the summer travel season and the possibility of a cut in US interest rates.

Brent crude futures rose slightly by 20 cents to $86.80 a barrel, after rising 1.9% in the previous session to record the highest closing level since April 30.

US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 13 cents to $83.51 a barrel, after rising 2.3% to its highest level since April 26.   https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=250618

Central Bank Sells About $269 Million In Auction Today

Banks Economy News – Baghdad The Central Bank of Iraq announced on Tuesday its sales of hard currency, which amounted to more than $269 million in today's transactions, according to the official exchange rate of 1310.

The bank's data showed that the total internal cash withdrawals amounted to $30,250,000, while the total amounts of transfers abroad, including remittances and credits, amounted to $239,000,000, while the total sales amounted to $269,250,000.   https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=44821

To read more current and reliable Iraqi news please visit :  https://www.bondladyscorner.com/

Provoking Thoughts and Points To Ponder On Adversity:

Adversity has ever been considered as the state in which a man most easily becomes acquainted with himself, being free from flatterers.  - Samuel Johnson

In all things preserve integrity; and the consciousness of thine own uprightness will alleviate the toil of business, soften the hardness of ill-success and disappointments, and give thee an humble confidence before God, when the ingratitude of man, or the iniquity of the times may rob thee of other rewards. - Barbara Paley

He knows not his own strength who hath not met adversity.  - Samuel Johnson

Adversity leads us to think properly of our state, and so is most beneficial to us.  - Samuel Johnson

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.  - Albert Camus

http://famousquotesandauthors.com/topics/adversity_quotes.html

http://famousquotesandauthors.com/quotes_by_topic.html

Raising the three zeros from the Iraqi currency and the interim evaluation (2016 Article)

TNT:

Tishwash:  This article is from 2016. It’s a great reminder of how far we have come.

Raising the three zeros from the Iraqi currency and the interim evaluation (2016 Article)

Amer Al-Abadi

The value of the Iraqi dinar began to be worth (7) grams of gold at the beginning of its issuance according to the issuance law in the year 1931, and in 1959 a new law was issued for the Iraqi national currency, and  the Iraqi monetary and banking system continued to develop, and the value of the Iraqi dinar reached (3.3) dollars until the beginning of the war. With Iran, which led to a major collapse in the Iraqi currency

In 2004, the former Governing Council replaced the previous currency, which symbolized the previous regime, with a new currency that is currently in circulation, and the currency was dealt with in seven denominations: 50, 250, 500, 1,000, 10,000, and 25,000 dinars.

Unlike Arab countries, there have been no coins in Iraq for about 25 years. 

The project to delete the three zeros was scheduled to be completed in 2011, but it was not completed, then it was postponed to 2013, then postponed to 2015, and now the plan is scheduled to be implemented in early 2017, noting that the process of deleting the zeros took place in several countries.

Three zeros were deleted from the Zimbabwean dollar in 2006. Romania deleted four zeros from its currency in 2005. Bolivia deleted three zeros from its currency in 2008. Turkey deleted six zeros from its currency in 2005. Sudan deleted two zeros from its currency in 2007.

Central Bank Director Mahdi Al-Alaq said, saying: “The central bank began the first steps of the project by choosing the designs, companies and country in which the currencies will be printed.”

He pointed out that "the introduction of the new currency does not mean destroying the old currencies, but they will continue in circulation for about ten years," pointing out that "this period will enable the central bank to withdraw the old currency according to the known dynamics in order to preserve liquidity in the market."

 Justifications for the replacement process

 1. The existence of a large monetary block worth 30 trillion dinars, with a number of 4 billion notes.  

 2. Currently, the largest denomination of cash is 25 thousand dinars, equivalent to approximately 21 dollars, and this requires a large volume and effort to settle daily transactions, so the amounts that exceed 20 in value are now Million is made in dollars.

 3. The presence of damage to a large percentage of the currency, especially the small denominations, and their inadmissibility in circulation, which constitute approximately one-third of the monetary mass. 

 4. The difficulty of performing calculations in light of numbers with more than 14 zeros from a practical and technical standpoint, and the possibility of an error occurring, whether adding or deleting a zero.

 Benefits of the exchange process

 1. Security: It reduces the risks resulting from carrying large sums of money.

 2. The costs of counting, sorting, and auditing will decrease if larger denominations are issued.     

 3. Raising the zeros will create a psychological impact on the citizen by strengthening his currency and adopting it more widely instead of foreign currency   

 4. Including the Iraqi dinar in the basket of global currencies and dealing in it officially on the world’s stock exchanges and financial markets.

5. The possibility of concluding economic agreements to deal in the national currency, and this will cover a very large portion of foreign transfers, which are a waste of the national wealth of hard currencies.

6. Manipulation of the currency exchange market will be eliminated

 7. The work of corrupt suspicious banks and their agents and brokers will stop.

 8. A higher ceiling will be set for the amounts transferred abroad from the active exchange currency to ensure that the currency is not smuggled.

 9. Changing the currency affects the psychological aspect represented by the desire for a currency with a high exchange rate. This rise brings joy to the return of the dinar to its rich past.

 Disadvantages of the replacement process:

1. The emergence of a mathematical problem between the old and new numbers in transactions and in reading and managing trillion numbers.

2. The need to print large denominations.

3. Foreign shares of the stock exchange will decrease by 20% because foreign investors believe that changing the currency will reduce profits.

4. Removing three zeros from the currency may contribute to creating a state of monetary illusion  

 5. It will cost the state budget large sums of money, in addition to being a door to financial corruption, in addition to not addressing the problem of financial inflation because the Iraqi market imports all goods and services from abroad, which means a drain on hard currencies.

6. There is no official data on the cost of Iraqi banknotes. Note that the cost of a banknote in Britain is 7 US cents. It is sufficient to know the number of notes in circulation to give an idea of the total cost.

7. Four billion notes. Thus, the cost of printing them becomes 289 million dollars. This amount is huge 

8. Add to that another amount to mint coins, not to mention the money needed to face the consequences of deleting zeros, such as replacing postage and financial stamps

9. Feeling poor: Deleting zeros makes a person feel poor, as someone who had ten million dinars now only has ten thousand of them

10. Expecting prices to rise.

11. In light of the inevitability of introducing the Kurdish language to the first issue of the currency after the new constitution comes into effect, it is necessary to benefit from the experiences of other currencies.

 For example, the euro is the currency of many peoples in Europe, but it does not contain any language, only symbols, numbers and pictures.

 Amer Al-Abadi   11/15/2016

link

Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economics Updates Tuesday Afternoon 7-2-24

Good afternoon Dinar Recaps,

THE CHEVRON DOCTRINE OVERTURNED BY THE SUPREME COURT

A 40 year PRECEDENT called the Chevron Doctrine WAS OVERTURNED by SCOTUS on June 28th. How could this affect the RV of CURENCY in the U.S.?
The overturning of the Chevron Doctrine stripped 3 letter agencies from enacting enforceable policies from ambiguous laws.

"Under that doctrine, if Congress has not directly addressed the question at the center of a dispute, a court was required to uphold the agency’s interpretation of the statute as long as it was reasonable. But in a 35-page ruling by Chief Justice John Roberts, the justices rejected that doctrine, calling it “fundamentally misguided.”

How will this affect the SEC and the CFTC moving forward as they address Crypto and Digital Asset guidelines?

© Newshounds News™

Read more:  SCOTUS Blog

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STOCK MARKET CORRECTION ON THE HORIZON?

"Leading global investment bank JP Morgan has predicted a major US stock market crash. The bank remains cautious on the S&P 500 index noting that a 20% downside could be on the cards. JP Morgan’s doomsday stock market prediction comes when BRICS is looking to uproot the dollar and damage the US economy."

" If the US stock market dips 23% according to JP Morgan, BRICS currencies will gain strength in the forex markets. While the US stock market will look at ways to stop the crash, BRICS could cause further damage by cutting ties with the dollar."

"JP Morgan’s bearish forecast for the US stock market is bullish for BRICS as it wants to pull the dollar down. The weakening of the US dollar is a boon to BRICS which wants to push local currencies ahead for trade."

© Newshounds News™

Read more:  Watcher Guru

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DO YOU OWN GOLD?

"The vast majority of professional investors in North America own at least some gold and the number has been growing in recent years. A World Gold Council survey of 525 North American investors found a steadily growing trend of gold ownership. The survey included large institutions, consultants, and financial advisors."

"Over one-quarter of respondents said they plan to increase gold allocations in the next 12 to 18 months. That was more than double the number who said they plan to reduce their exposure to gold."

"In fact, gold has outperformed most asset classes over the last 25 years. In fact, with an average 8 percent return each year, gold has outperformed equities over the last quarter century. "

© Newshounds News™

Read more:  ZeroHedge

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U.S. SENATE PICKS UP CRYPTO LEGISLATION

H.R. 4763 passed in the Congress late May giving the U.S. their first look at crypto legislation. The Senate has yet to act upon any Crypto/Digital Asset bill until now as Senator JD Vance (R-OH) is now crafting legislation.

"On June 26, Politico reported that Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) has been circulating the draft of a digital assets bill that he hopes to introduce in July. Vance’s bill will reportedly give ‘crypto’ operators even more latitude than the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT21) approved by the House of Representatives last month."

"And yet Vance’s draft bill reportedly takes “a more industry-friendly approach” than FIT21, which is saying something, given that FIT21’s passage set champagne corks-a-poppin’ within the halls of U.S. digital asset firms. Vance’s bill will reportedly “take a simpler approach to determining which digital assets the SEC would oversee versus the CFTC.”

© Newshounds News™

Read more:  Coin Geek

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MiCA AND STABLECOIN RESTRICTIONS

"A few press reports have raised concerns about stablecoin limits under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCAR). The stablecoin elements of the regulation came into force at the end of June. The regulation does indeed have some draconian limits, at which point the stablecoin must cease activity. The European Banking Authority has relaxed the rules in its final iteration."

"The EU is saying if you want to use stablecoins to buy crypto and do DeFi stuff, have at it. But if you want to use stablecoins to pay for goods and services like your coffee or your rent, then you need to use Euro (or other EU currency) stablecoins. The limits are really about monetary sovereignty."

© Newshounds News™

Read more:  Ledger Insights

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“Tidbits From TNT” Tuesday 7-2-2024

TNT:

Tishwash:  Parliamentary Finance reveals the effects of the oil price increase and its differences in the 2023 and 2024 budgets

Member of the Finance Committee in the Iraqi Council of Representatives, Mustafa Al-Karawi, revealed today, Monday, the effects of the increase in the price of oil and its difference in the 2023 and 2024 budgets, while he spoke about the fate of the revenues of the difference in the price of a barrel, which is approaching the $10 limit for each barrel sold.

Al-Karawi said, "90 percent of the country's revenues depend mainly on oil, and the more oil revenues or the price of a barrel of oil increase, the lower the expected deficit in Iraq's budget."

He added, "There is no big difference between the 2023-2024 budgets, as the government relied on a price difference of about $10 if it built its budget on $70 per barrel and expected the current price of $80 per barrel."

Al-Karawi explained that "the increase in oil revenues will contribute to bridging the deficit, and since the expected difference is $10, the deficit coverage will be 16 trillion dinars in the 2024 budget."

It is noteworthy that Iraq sells about four million and 250 thousand barrels of oil per day, and needs about 54 trillion dinars as salaries ,  as the 2024 budget was approved at a fixed price of $70 per barrel, while the current price of a barrel is $90, which  reflects the fluctuations of the oil market.    link

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Tishwash:  Prime Minister's Advisor Announces Iraq's Completion of Integration Steps by Providing Safe Environments to Attract Investment

 The financial advisor to the Prime Minister, Mazhar Mohammed Salih, identified on Sunday the important strategic, field and organizational factors that encourage international investors to work in Iraq, while pointing out two basic starting points for the development of the investment environment in the country.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani confirmed last week, while chairing the eighth meeting of the Higher Committee for Reconstruction and Investment, that Iraq has become a safe and attractive environment for capital from international companies, and a preferred market for businessmen and investors, thanks to the facilities and legislation provided by the government since its formation. 

Saleh said, in a statement reported by the official news agency, and reviewed by "Al-Eqtisad News", that "the Prime Minister's statement regarding the development of the investment environment in Iraq comes from two main starting points: the first is Iraq's completion of its integration steps in providing safe and appropriate environments to attract foreign investment in Iraq, the latest of which is our country's accession to the agreement sponsored by the United Nations and called the Singapore Investment Agreement."

He added, "This agreement seeks to improve the investment climate in member states by enhancing transparency and fair regulatory procedures, in addition to providing mechanisms for resolving disputes between investors and countries through faster mediation or international arbitration, which gives investors a legal means to guarantee their rights, all of which are factors that the government of the Republic of Iraq believes in to encourage international investors to invest in our country with high resources."

Saleh stressed that "the Singapore Agreement and joining it is an important step towards enhancing international trade and investment, which contributes to achieving economic growth and improving economic relations between international groups."

He added that "the second part, which the Prime Minister referred to, is the momentum of the natural and human material resources of an important strategic country like Iraq, which ranked ninth among the countries of the world in terms of natural resources, and first in the world in possessing one square kilometer of resources in the ground."

He explained that "the geographical location of Iraq, which connects European countries by land with Asian countries by sea, encouraged the launch of the Development Road project, which took its executive steps from the Faw Port upwards within the construction of the dry canal and the upcoming related industrial, agricultural and service projects and in accordance with an important regional and international cooperation framework to attract global investments." 

He pointed out that "all these strategic, field and organizational factors represent a positive invitation for international investors to work in Iraq under the direct sponsorship of the executive authority to facilitate their work and with high-precision legal protection   link

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Tishwash:  Rafidain Bank announces the implementation of the comprehensive banking system in 31 of its branches in Iraq

Rafidain Bank announced today, Tuesday, the implementation of the comprehensive banking system in the Pharmacists Branch in Basra, thus joining the branches that have activated the comprehensive system in Baghdad and the governorates, in addition to the border crossing branches (Zurbatiya - Safwan - Arar - Trebil).

Thus, the number of effective and completed branches of the system becomes (31) branches, in an important step to strengthen the banking system, achieve its requirements, and move away from paper work and completely towards electronic systems.

The bank confirmed in a statement today that the digital transformation plan and the adoption of the comprehensive banking system are proceeding according to the set timetables to include all the bank’s branches in the implementation of the system, especially since the priorities and adoptions of the government program include electronic transformation in financial transactions, reducing the circles of routine for citizens, shortening time, simplifying procedures, overcoming obstacles, and intensifying efforts to improve the level of services provided to customers and completing their transactions    link

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Tishwash: The Ministerial Council for Economy issues decisions, including obligating government agencies to purchase national products

The Ministerial Council for Economy issued several decisions during its meeting in Baghdad, today, Monday, including obligating government agencies to purchase the national product in support of the country's economy, and the Ministry of Water Resources submitting a detailed report on the salinity treatment project, while approving several projects in the Rutba district in Anbar Governorate.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) - said: "Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Ministerial Council for the Economy, Fuad Hussein, chaired the nineteenth session of the Ministerial Council for the Economy, in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning, the Ministers of Agriculture, Industry, Labor and Social Affairs, the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, the Chairman of the Securities Commission, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Oil, and the Prime Minister's Advisors for Economic and Legal Affairs."

He added, "The Council hosted representatives of the Ministry of Oil to discuss facilitating customs procedures related to goods belonging to the Ministry of Oil (national effort contracts, licensing round contracts, and strategic contracts for the Ministry."

The Council confirmed - according to the statement - its decision and the circular of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers to allow the clearance of goods belonging to ministries, entities not affiliated with a ministry, and government institutions after submitting an official pledge to complete all customs procedures in accordance with the Customs Law when due. The Council also decided that the Ministry of Water Resources would submit a detailed report on the project to treat salinity and prevent the rise of salt tides in the Shatt al-Arab and the opinion of the advisory body regarding it.

The Council decided to emphasize to all ministries and entities not affiliated with a ministry the commitment to implement Article 30/Second of the Federal General Budget Law (purchase of the national product) in support of the national economy and national industry, especially with regard to liquefaction seals (which close containers for transporting goods and track them electronically), and the Ministry of Industry to proceed with procedures to impose product protection fees.

The Council also decided to approve the project to rehabilitate streets in the neighborhoods of Al-Mithaq Al-Jadeed, Al-Matar Al-Jadeed, and Al-Intisar in Rutba District, and to direct The Reconstruction Fund for Areas Affected by Terrorist Operations will follow up on the implementation of the work items during implementation and not upon initial receipt.

The Council also decided to recommend to the Council of Ministers to approve the recommendations of the committee on establishing mechanisms to regulate the import of used materials, with the review of controls every six months instead of three months.  link

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Mot: Going to da Doctors While Raising the ""Wee Folks"" 

Mot:  .. Breaking news! Its July

Iraq News Highlights and Points To Ponder Tuesday AM 7-2-24

Iraq's Economy Under The Bullets: How Violence Affects Investment

July 2, 2024  Baghdad/Al-Masala Event: The spread of weapons in Iraq represents a major challenge to security and stability in Iraq, while it is difficult to reach an accurate number that limits the number of weapons that Iraqis possess.

However, unofficial reports indicate that the number exceeds 15 million weapons, ranging from light, medium and heavy.

This widespread proliferation of weapons is mainly due to the inability to enforce the law on everyone, which creates a chaotic environment dominated by armed conflicts.

Tribal conflicts, especially in the southern and central Euphrates regions, are among the most prominent manifestations of this chaos, as tribes fight using heavy and medium weapons, leading to many casualties.

International armed groups are spreading in Iraq, whether on the border with Syria or in the northern regions of the country. These groups are often linked to neighboring countries, such as the Kurdistan Workers' Party, contributing to increasing the complexity of the security scene in Iraq and exacerbating the problem of the spread of weapons.

Dozens of Iraqis are killed every month due to the use of weapons, whether in tribal conflicts or in individual crimes.

As for the arms market in Iraq, it is difficult to control, according to a security source who says: “Weapons are traded illegally and at high prices, which makes it difficult for the authorities to control this market.”

Even doctors in Iraq face death threats while working in hospitals, reflecting the extent to which the spread of weapons affects various aspects of daily life.

The Iraqi police forces find it difficult to confront the loose weapons, as they fear intervening in armed conflicts for fear of being attacked.

This situation reflects the state's weakness in imposing its control over all areas and maintaining security effectively.

Under these circumstances, it becomes necessary to take serious measures to limit the spread of weapons in Iraq, by strengthening the capabilities of the security services and strictly enforcing the law on everyone, in addition to enhancing cooperation with the international community to limit the flow of weapons into the country.

In his government program, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani pledged to end the phenomenon of loose weapons outside the official and legitimate institutions.

The spread of weapons in Iraq has significant negative effects on the lives of individuals and society in general, as it contributes to the rise in rates of violent crimes, such as murder, theft, and armed assaults, which makes the daily lives of individuals more dangerous and increases the feeling of insecurity.

Armed conflicts between clans result in many casualties and destruction of property, and these conflicts are often long-lasting and exacerbate social tensions. https://almasalah.com/archives/95819

The Dollar In The Parallel Market.. Al-Sudani’s Advisor Presents A Different Vision And Economic Experts: An Imaginary Stability

2024-07-02 Shafaq News/ The advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister disagreed with what four economic experts said regarding the "stability" of the US dollar exchange rate against the Iraqi dinar, stressing that "the stability of the dollar is real and solid and not imaginary as some believe."

However, the economic experts said that the stability is "not reassuring," and what is happening now is a decrease in the dollar's volatility, while stability will occur when the dollar returns to the official price of the Central Bank.

The Prime Minister’s Advisor for Financial Affairs, Mazhar Mohammed Saleh, says, “The exchange rate of the dollar to the dinar in the parallel market today in our country does not constitute any relative importance in influencing the stability of the general price level, which has become stable in its components and trends due to the influence of the official exchange rate factor currently dominating the financing of foreign trade (imports), amounting to 1,220 dinars per dollar.

It is a stable trend for the exchange rate and the stable external value of the dinar revolves around it, which is embodied by the state of stability in the relative prices of goods and services to a large extent.”

Saleh added to Shafaq News Agency, "Based on the above, and in light of the strength of the foreign reserves supporting the Iraqi dinar, whose value as liquid foreign assets exceeds $100 billion,

which is the highest in the history of Iraq in the development of its international reserves, the official exchange market, as a general trend, will remain dominant in containing any colored noise or ambiguous information that affects the parallel exchange market due to urgent international or regional political events here and there."

He explains, "After the decline of the dollarization phenomenon in domestic transactions, especially in contracts, obligations and payments within the country since last year, legally, the parallel exchange market has become such that its general effects today only form a narrow economic scope of prohibited transactions practiced by informal markets and at a rate of 10 percent of the total supply and demand transactions for the currency."

Saleh concluded by saying, “Accordingly, the stability of the exchange rate of the dinar to the dollar that the country is witnessing, even in the secondary markets above, is a real and solid stability and not an illusion as some believe.

Rather, it is derived from the strength of the impact of the price and quantity factors of the monetary and fiscal policies and their integration in imposing overall price stability in the country and containing the inflationary expectations that were caused by the forces of the parallel exchange market during the past years.”

But the economic researcher, Ali Abdul-Kazem, explained that “the stability of the dollar occurs when the dollar returns to the official price of the Central Bank, but until now its price is more than 15 points above the official price in the budget, so there is no stability, but the fluctuation in the parallel market is somewhat stable as a result of several things, including the increase in the number of dollars that were for pilgrims.”

Abdul-Kazem added to Shafaq News Agency, "The budget has not been launched yet and its implementation began this month, and this also has an impact, as well as increasing the Central Bank's sales of dollars, and the recession witnessed by the markets reduces import operations, and all these reasons and others have helped to keep the dollar low in the current markets, as for the stabilization process, when the dollar reaches the official price, then it can be said that the dollar price has stabilized between the parallel and official."

The economic expert, Karim Al-Helou, agrees with what Ali Abdul-Kazem said regarding the instability of the dollar, “but these are temporary cases, because the issue of the dollar in Iraq is supply and demand. When bank transfers abroad increase without obstacles and routine, the demand for the dollar decreases, which leads to its decline.

When there are obstacles in Iraqi banks, especially with Iran, from which Iraq imports 13 billion dollars annually, we need hard currency to deliver it to Iran, or some places where a platform has not been opened, such as Iran and others, these require going to the market.”

Al-Halou explained to Shafaq News Agency, "This stability is temporary and lasts for days, and there are mafias specializing in the dollar that have huge amounts of dollars that they put down in the market, which leads to a decrease in its price, and then they buy it again and the supply decreases, which leads to demand for it and its price rises again."

He points out that "the budget has not been launched yet, and many projects are stalled due to the lack of advances for these projects, although the Prime Minister recently launched the delivery of advances, but it takes time due to the bureaucracy. Therefore, in this case, the demand for imported materials from abroad decreases, and therefore the demand for the dollar decreases, which leads to a kind of calm and stability that exists."

He explains, "Iraq imports 90 percent of its materials from abroad, most of which are in dollars. Some countries have opened platforms for them, and the Central Bank's transfers amount to 280 million dollars, which is a huge amount. In addition, citizens' travel for Hajj and other purposes, in addition to the summer vacation not starting for the sixth grade, all of this leads to a decrease in demand for the dollar."

“Therefore, all these factors lead the dollar to calm and stability. It previously fell to 144, but then rose again to 148, and the difference with the official 1320 is more than 15 points. Therefore, this is not stability. Rather, the correct stability is as it was before, when it was 1120 in the Central Bank and 1121 abroad. This situation continued for years, and strategic projects were set at 1121 for the dollar.

However, after former Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi raised the dollar price against the dinar, the current Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, came and restored it, but the fluctuation continued, due to the presence of mafias, a political lobby, and banks affiliated with parties that have a relationship with the dollar file.”

Al-Halou concluded his speech by saying, “Therefore, the stability is not reassuring and not natural. Rather, it is merely periods for certain cases related to imports, travel, and all factors related to the exit of the dollar from Iraq.”

This is what the economic expert, Diaa Mohsen, also went to, who explained that “what is rumored about the stability of the US dollar exchange rate in the local market is a lie that some of those who ride the government ship are trying to promote, because the citizen knows that when the Prime Minister presented his government program to the Iraqi Council of Representatives, one of his priorities was to reduce the dollar exchange rate against the Iraqi dinar, and many pages were created to promote this topic, but to no avail,” he said.

Speaking to Shafaq News Agency, Mohsen attributed the rise in the US dollar exchange rate in the local market to a number of reasons that the Central Bank of Iraq could not address.

Either because it knows these reasons (and this is a disaster) but it cannot confront those responsible for this rise, or because it does not know these reasons (and this disaster is greater than the previous one) because the Central Bank of Iraq is entrusted with the money of the Iraqi people and not following up on this money and its spending doors is a breach of trust, he said.

He added, "Therefore, the talk about the stability of the US dollar in the local market is not true, because everyone knows that the decline in the exchange rate of the US dollar occurred during the Eid al-Adha holiday, and there is a relatively long holiday. In addition to that, Iraqi traders have begun to use other methods than smuggling the dollar out of Iraq, which is represented by buying gold and smuggling it."

He continued, "In general, we do not believe that the monetary authority, with its confusion in taking measures, can control the exchange rate of the US dollar, nor do the executive authority's measures have the ability to limit currency smuggling operations, whether foreign currency or gold. As for prices, they will not exceed 1,500 dinars per dollar and will not fall below 1,450 dinars per dollar."

While the economic expert, Abdul Rahman Al-Shaikhli, believes that “the fluctuation in the dollar price is a natural matter, and it continues from time to time as a result of being affected by the smallest details, including the departure and return of pilgrims, so the price will remain between 1450 and 1500 dinars continuously, and the fluctuation between these two numbers is a natural thing.”

Al-Shaikhli pointed out during his interview with Shafaq News Agency, "There are some residents abroad who control the currency by issuing and withdrawing the dollar when anything happens inside Iraq, taking advantage of opportunities to manipulate its price. This situation exists in all countries of the world and may be very clear in Iraq because we have not witnessed this experience before, but this remains a natural issue, and we should not worry about it, but if it continues for a long time, it can then be considered an abnormal event."  LINK

Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economics Updates Monday Evening 7-1-24

Good Evening Dinar Recaps

NEW JAPANESE BANKNOTES TO BE ISSUED FROM JULY 2024 

"The banknotes feature as an anti-counterfeiting measure the world’s first three-dimensional holograms that make the portraits on bills appear to rotate when tilted. Tactile marks allow the visually impaired to identify the denominations."

"From the time that they are issued, the new banknotes will be available from financial institutions and ATMs. Currently issued banknotes will continue to be legal tender."

This ISN'T a revaluation of Japan's currency.

© Newshounds News™

Read more:  Nippon

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COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FACING UNCERTAIN TIMES

"US Banks Dumping Exposure To $2,500,000,000,000 Market Before ‘Inevitable Losses’ Hammer Balance Sheets: Report"

"Some of the biggest banks in America are quietly selling their exposure to a troubled sector of the US economy, according to a new report.
The banks are beginning to dump commercial real estate loans in a push to “cut their losses,” reports the New York Times."

“…These steps indicate a grudging acceptance by some lenders that the banking industry’s strategy of ‘extend and pretend’ is running out of steam, and that many property owners – especially owners of office buildings – are going to default on mortgages. That means big losses for lenders are inevitable and bank earnings will suffer.”

© Newshounds News™

Read more:  Daily Hodl

~~~~~~~~~

WHAT EXACTLY IS FEDNOW?

"The FedNow Service is a new service for instant payments built by the Federal Reserve to help make everyday payments fast and convenient for American households and businesses. Banks and credit unions of all sizes can sign up for the FedNow Service and offer new instant payment services to their customers. In the coming years, customers of banks and credit unions who sign up for the FedNow Service will be able to use their financial institution's app, website, and other interfaces to send instant payments directly from their bank accounts quickly and securely. "

"The FedNow Service enables individuals and businesses to send and receive payments within seconds at any time of the day, on any day of the year, so that the receiver of a payment can use the funds immediately."

Instant payments allow consumers and businesses to send and receive funds from their accounts at banks and credit unions in real-time, any time of day, any day of the year, with immediate funds available to receivers.

© Newshounds News™

Read more:  FederalReserve

~~~~~~~~~

IS FEDNOW A CBDC?

"Is the FedNow Service replacing cash? Is it a central bank digital currency?
No. The FedNow Service is not related to a digital currency. The FedNow Service is a payment service the Federal Reserve is making available for banks and credit unions to transfer funds for their customers."

"Does the Fed have access to my bank account with the FedNow Service?
No. The Federal Reserve and the FedNow Service cannot access individuals' bank accounts or control how they choose to spend their money."

© Newshounds News™

Read more:  FederalReserve

~~~~~~~~~

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Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economics Updates Monday Afternoon 7-1-2

Good Evening Dinar Recaps,

"Stripe and Coinbase have partnered to expand the global adoption of cryptocurrency and provide faster, cheaper financial infrastructure."

"This collaboration aims to serve businesses and people around the world, Coinbase said in a Thursday (June 27) blog post."

"With this partnership, Stripe will add USDC on Base to its crypto payouts product, according to the post. This will enable Stripe platforms to make “faster, cheaper” money transfers to more than 150 countries."

"In addition, Stripe will add USDC on Base to its fiat-to-crypto onramp, allowing customers in the U.S. to make faster fiat-to-crypto conversions, the post said."

"In a third key integration that’s part of this collaboration, Coinbase will add Stripe’s fiat-to-crypto onramp to Coinbase Wallet. This integration will enable instant purchase of crypto with credit cards and Apple Pay, per the post."

Read more:  PYMNTS

~~~~~~~~~

Circle Snags First Stablecoin License Under EU's New MiCA Crypto Rules

Circle Mint France will issue the euro-denominated EURC stablecoin and USDC in the European Union in compliance with MiCA.

Circle is claiming bragging rights as the first global stablecoin issuer to comply with MiCA.

Before the rules took effect on June 30, some exchanges delisted euro-denominated stablecoins, such as Tether’s EURT.

Circle became the first global stablecoin issuer to secure an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license, a prerequisite to offering dollar- and euro-pegged crypto tokens in the European Union (EU) under the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework.

Read more:  CoinDesk

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U.S. Marshals Service Announces Partnership With Coinbase To Manage and Dispose Cryptocurrencies

The US government has announced it is using American crypto exchange Coinbase to custody its digital assets.

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), a sub-tier of the Department of Justice (DOJ), has revealed that it is custodying digital assets with Coinbase as part of its program to manage and dispose of large amounts of “Class 1” cryptocurrencies.

“The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Department of Justice (DOJ), on behalf of the Asset Forfeiture Division (AFD) has a requirement for managing and disposing of large quantities of popular cryptocurrency assets, known as Class 1 cryptocurrencies. This will require the use of multiple, industry leading, storage and liquidation techniques employed in a manner that is professional, lawful, and consistent with Department and USMS policy.

This contract will also streamline custody, management, and disposal processes for cryptocurrency assets while allowing for the diversification of the type of cryptocurrency assets that can be managed and disposed of under the Government’s forfeiture programs.”

In a blog post, Coinbase says it has a “longstanding history” of working with government agencies.

“Coinbase has a longstanding history of supporting law enforcement agencies, dating back to the founding of our law enforcement program in 2014. Today, Coinbase works with every major U.S. federal, state, and local law enforcement agency, as well as international agencies on every continent.

Read More:  Daily Hodl 

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DE-DOLLARIZATION

Is Saudi Arabia pulling back from the dollar for oil trade? It appears SA is looking to diversify its oil trade.

"American economic dominance is no longer as stark, with its share of world GDP falling from 40% to 25% since 1960. Moreover, US dependence on Saudi oil has slid considerably, given a historic explosion in US domestic production."

"For instance, Saudi Arabia is among potential BRICS candidates, an economic bloc that has become one of the leading voices against the dollar. It's also linked with China to help establish mBridge, a cross-border payments system that uses central bank digital currencies."

Read more:  Markets Business Insider

~~~~~~~~~

WILL CBDC's TURN US INTO A CASHLESS SOCIETY?

"Digital economies require digital currencies."
"Personal, government and business payments shifted away from mainly cash to online and digital payments, embraced FinTech (eg, for financial market transactions, lending, wealth management), with tech companies such as Apple and Alibaba disintermediating banks."

"Retail, wholesale, cross-border and financial payment systems now enable e-commerce and digital finance including digital assets and cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. Data suggests there is substantial appetite for cryptocurrencies in the Middle East and North Africa: the region had the sixth largest crypto economy globally, with an estimated $389.8 billion in on-chain value received, in the year ending June 2023 (about 7.2 percent of global transaction volumes)."

"Saudi Arabia reported the highest growth globally in the volume of cryptocurrency transactions during this period."

Read more:  Currency Insider

~~~~~~~~~

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Q & A Classroom Link  

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“Tidbits From TNT” Monday Morning 7-1-2024

TNT:

Tishwash:  Postponement of pensioner salaries distribution until tomorrow due to bank holiday

An informed source expected that the distribution of retirees' salaries would be postponed until tomorrow, Tuesday, due to the date of their distribution coinciding with the holiday of all banks today, Monday, due to the implementation of the semi-annual inventory.

The source explained to Shafaq News Agency that all banks in Iraq are closed today to conduct semi-annual inventory and financial systems operations, which affects the process of distributing salaries. 

The source pointed out that the Ministry of Finance and the retirement departments are working to expedite the necessary procedures to ensure that salaries are paid as soon as possible after the end of the bank holiday.

It is noteworthy that the semi-annual inventory process carried out by banks includes reviewing accounts and ensuring conformity of financial records, which is a periodic procedure carried out in order to maintain the accuracy of financial and banking operations. link

***********

Al-Sudani: The world has realized the importance of Iraq's stability for international and regional security

Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani confirmed that the world realized the importance of Iraq’s stability for international and regional security, during his reception of the delegation of the European Foundation for Dialogue and Development.

During the meeting, according to a statement received by {Al-Furat News}, Al-Sudani reiterated “the importance of the cultural and social diversity enjoyed by the Iraqi people, which represents a social wealth that supports communication between fraternal factions, and consolidates unity of ranks against extremism, which represents an ideology alien to our people and its history.” ".

Rais stressed the government's "continuous support for this diversity, and the strengthening of places of worship for all religions and sects and freedom of practices in them, and throughout Iraq, which is full of mosques, Islamic mosques, Christian churches, Sabian-Mandaean and Yazidi temples, and the rest of the components of the Iraqi spectrum."

Al-Sudani mentioned, “The attempt of terrorism to dismantle this heritage and historical fabric, and the victory of the Iraqis and their overcoming that ordeal, and the recovery that Iraq is now going through in various fields, just as the world has realized the importance of Iraq’s stability for international and regional security, and what the government has followed in its program strengthening the principle of government of services and community care.”

“And setting priorities in public service, economic reform, combating corruption, and fighting poverty and unemployment, to enhance the value of citizenship.”

Al-Sudani also explained to the European Foundation delegation “the nature of the constructive relations that the government has adopted with the countries of the world, and the prospects for fruitful partnerships with the countries of the European Union and the agreements and memoranda of understanding that have been signed, or with neighboring countries and regional countries, through adopting the principle of mutual interests, which is one of the results of the stability of the Iraqi experience, despite the problems it faced that the Iraqis overcame through democratic construction and consolidation of constitutional institutions of government, in the best way among the forms of democracies existing in the region.”  

The Prime Minister addressed "the events in Gaza and the continued brutal aggression against our Palestinian people, stressing Iraq's firm and principled position, and stating that the government is working with the countries of the region to prevent the expansion of the conflict arena, in addition to continuing to send relief and humanitarian aid."

For its part, “the delegation of the European Foundation expressed its appreciation for the warm reception, and praised the tangible state of stability in Iraq, through the tours it made in the capital, Baghdad, and its briefing on various development projects, stressing the necessity of conveying this image away from attempts to mislead.”  link

************

Tishwash: This is in Iraqi news

Japan.. New banknotes using "3D" images

Japan is set to issue new banknotes that will use, for the first time in the world, advanced holograms, as an anti-counterfeiting measure.

The Japanese Kyodo News Agency said that this change is the first in the design of Japanese currency in 20 years, explaining that the size of the printing of the face value numbers on the new 10,000-yen, 5,000-yen and 1,000-yen banknotes will be larger than on the current issues, so that all people can easily recognize them, while the tactile marks will make it easier for the visually impaired to know their value.

The process of printing currencies using the new technology is scheduled to begin next Wednesday.

By the end of March next year, approximately 7.5 billion new banknotes will be printed.

Kyodo quoted the government as confirming that the current banknotes will remain valid even after the new banknotes are introduced  link 

************

Mot: .. and then just Like That --- Pooooof!!!!

Mot: Extra Hungry

Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Late Sunday Evening 6-30-24

Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Late Sunday Evening 6-30-24

The Prime Minister's Advisor Announces That Iraq Has Completed Its Integration Steps By Providing Safe Environments To Attract Investment

Economy News – Baghdad  On Sunday, the financial advisor to the Prime Minister, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, identified the important strategic, field and organizational factors encouraging international investors to work in Iraq, while pointing out two basic starting points for the development of the investment environment in the country.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani confirmed last week, while chairing the eighth meeting of the Higher Committee for Reconstruction and Investment, that Iraq has become a safe and attractive environment for capital from international companies, and a preferred market for businessmen and investors, thanks to the facilities and legislation provided by the government since its formation.

Saleh said, in a statement reported by the official news agency, and reviewed by "Al-Eqtisad News", that "the Prime Minister's statement regarding the development of the investment environment in Iraq comes from two main starting points: the first is Iraq's completion of its integration steps in providing safe and appropriate environments to attract foreign investment in Iraq, the latest of which is our country's accession to the agreement sponsored by the United Nations and called the Singapore Investment Agreement."

He added, "This agreement seeks to improve the investment climate in member states by enhancing transparency and fair regulatory procedures, in addition to providing mechanisms for resolving disputes between investors and countries through faster mediation or international arbitration, which gives investors a legal means to guarantee their rights, all of which are factors that the government of the Republic of Iraq believes in to encourage international investors to invest in our country with high resources."

Saleh stressed that "the Singapore Agreement and joining it is an important step towards enhancing international trade and investment, which contributes to achieving economic growth and improving economic relations between international groups."

He added that "the second part, which the Prime Minister referred to, is the momentum of the natural and human material resources of an important strategic country like Iraq, which ranked ninth among the countries of the world in terms of natural resources, and first in the world in possessing one square kilometer of resources in the ground."

He explained that "the geographical location of Iraq, which connects European countries by land with Asian countries by sea, encouraged the launch of the Development Road project, which took its executive steps from the Faw Port upwards within the construction of the dry canal and the upcoming related industrial, agricultural and service projects and in accordance with an important regional and international cooperation framework to attract global investments."

He pointed out that "all these strategic, field and organizational factors represent a positive invitation for international investors to work in Iraq under the direct sponsorship of the executive authority to facilitate their work and with high-precision legal protection." 154 views 06/30/2024 https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=44769

Central Bank Sales For Today Exceeded $279 Million

Sunday 30 June 2024 13:10 | Economic Number of readings: 167

Baghdad / NINA / The Central Bank of Iraq announced, today, Sunday, the total sales of foreign currency through the electronic window.

The window recorded the total amounts of transfers abroad (remittances, credits) of $ 254,007,407, while the total cash sales amounted to $ 25,860,000, and the total sales amounted to $ 279,867,407.

The selling price for transfers and cash was assigned at 1310 dinars per dollar, while the bond credits and international settlements for the electronic card were at 1305 dinars. / End 11

https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1137912

Dollar Prices In Baghdad And Erbil Markets Now

Economy  06/30/2024  Baghdad - Mawazine News publishes an evening list of dollar prices against the Iraqi dinar in the markets of the capital, Baghdad, and Erbil. The list is as follows:

Baghdad  Selling prices: 148,000    Buying prices: 146,500

Erbil  Selling prices: 147,750    Buying prices: 146,500

https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=250522

Economist: Direct Banking Investment Is Prohibited By Order Of The Central Bank

 Economy   Central Bank of Iraq  Investment law   2024-06-30 02:32  Shafaq News/ Economic expert Mustafa Akram Hantoush explained on Sunday that   the Central Bank of Iraq is adopting a “strict” central policy in its dealings with the banking sector, which limits the ability of banks to engage in direct investment and financing economic projects.

Hantoush told Shafaq News Agency that this policy makes it difficult for the banking system and investors to invest their capital in new projects without obtaining special approvals from the Central Bank.

Hantoush added that   the current procedures followed by the Central Bank prevent banks from entering the fields of direct investment, which hinders the realization of a vital role for the banking sector in moving the wheel of the national economy. He explained that

 the banking system, in light of these procedures, does not have sufficient capacity to play an effective investment role in line with normal banking rules, but rather the investment decision becomes subject to the directions and approvals of the Central Bank.

Hantoush stressed that  this approach lacks the concept of "financial liberalization" for banks, which would provide the banking sector the opportunity to enter the Iraqi market directly and support investment opportunities, while adhering to banking and legal controls.

He stressed that  reviewing these policies may be a necessary step to activate the role of banks in supporting economic projects and promoting investment in Iraq.    https://shafaq.com/ar/اقتصـاد/خبير-اقتصادي-الاستثمار-المصرفي-المباشر-محظور-ب-مر-البنك-المركزي    

Iraq, Saudi Arabia Conclude A Deal For A Submarine Cable Construction Project

     Amr Salem June 30, 2024   Underwater internet cables. Photo: Shafaq News Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Ministry of Communications signed on Thursday a contract for a submarine cable construction project with the Saudi Telecom Company (STC) to increase internet capacity in Iraq.

 In a press conference after signing the deal, the Iraqi Minister of Communications, Hiyam Al-Yasiri, said that this is the third deal signed by the current Iraqi government.

The director of the media department in the Iraqi Communications Ministry, Omar Al-Amiri, explained that the project will help facilitate the movement of global communications and link the countries of Africa and Asia to Europe via Iraq.

 Al-Amiri noted that such projects will have a positive economic impact on Iraq by utilizing its geographical location.

In June 2023, the Iraqi Ministry of Communications announced that it was launching internet service through space to provide the best internet service to people in Iraq.

 Projects to provide internet via fiber-optic cables require a relatively long time to complete the deployment of cables in all areas because of the difficulties represented in the excavation works and the expensive costs of these projects.

In order to diversify the sources of internet service, increase competitiveness, and reduce prices, the concerned department in the Iraqi Ministry of Communications started the contractual procedures to introduce ‘internet via space’ service in Iraq for the first time.

Iraq is following in the footsteps of developed countries that employ low-orbit satellite technology to deliver internet access directly to people via a vast network of satellites operated by reputable corporations.  

https://www.iraqinews.com/iraq/iraq-saudi-arabia-conclude-a-deal-for-a-submarine-cable-construction-project/

To read more current and reliable Iraqi news please visit :  https://www.bondladyscorner.com/

Provoking Thoughts and Points To Ponder On Adversity:

Even if misfortune is only good for bringing a fool to his senses, it would still be just to deem it good for something.  - Jean de la Fontaine

Never does a man know the force that is in him till some mighty affection or grief has humanized the soul.  - Frederick W. Robertson

Disappointment is the nurse of wisdom.  - Sir Boyle Roche

Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew. They're what make the instrument stretch, what make you go beyond the norm.  - Cicely Tyson

A woman is like a tea bag: you never know her strength until you drop her in hot water.  - Nancy Reagan

http://famousquotesandauthors.com/topics/adversity_quotes.html

http://famousquotesandauthors.com/quotes_by_topic.html

Seeds of Wisdom RV And Economics Updates Sunday Afternoon 6-30-24

Seeds of Wisdom RV And Economics Updates Sunday Afternoon 6-30-24

Good Evening Dinar Recaps,

XRP News Today: Did the Binance Ruling Sink SEC Plans to Appeal?

XRP gained 0.28% on Saturday, June 29, closing the session at $0.4722.

SEC vs. crypto case-related news drove buyer demand for XRP.

On Sunday, investors should consider the possible influence of the latest court ruling on ongoing SEC vs. crypto cases.

Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty shared the news of the court ruling, saying:

“For all the SEC has done to muddy the waters with its inconsistent legal theories, the Courts are seeing right through them. The Binance decision last night is long but absolutely worth a read.”

Read more:  FX Empire

~~~~~~~~~

Ripple vs SEC Case As of June 30, 2024: Torres’s Verdict On XRP Stands

The legal landscape surrounding cryptocurrencies in the U.S., especially XRP, is gaining much-needed clarity. Two recent court decisions have significantly impacted the ongoing lawsuit between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Ripple and broader industry regulations.

In a significant victory for the crypto industry, District Judge Amy Berman Jackson has bolstered the legal precedent set by Judge Analisa Torres in the SEC vs. Ripple case. Judge Jackson’s decision in the Binance vs. SEC case centered on the classification of Binance’s BNB token.

The SEC argues that secondary sales of BNB by users on crypto exchanges constituted unregistered securities offerings. However, Judge Jackson disagreed,  dismissing the SEC’s claim.

This ruling, shared on X by Fox Business journalist Eleanor Terrett, aligns with Judge Torres’ previous decision in the Ripple case.

Read more:  Times Tabloid 

~~~~~~~~~

XRP Secondary Sales Deemed Non-Securities, Judge Torres’ Doctrine Stands

Judge Jackson’s ruling that XRP secondary sales aren’t securities boosts Ripple and sets a crucial precedent for the entire crypto industry.

Judge Jackson and Torres’ aligned decisions clarify that crypto assets traded by individuals on exchanges do not qualify as securities.

XRP price jumped over 1% after the ruling, aiming to regain $0.50, with increased interest from derivatives traders on OKX and BitMEX.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson has upheld Judge Torres’ doctrine, asserting that XRP’s secondary sales are not securities. This ruling came during the Binance vs. SEC case, where the SEC’s claim regarding secondary sales of Binance’s BNB was dismissed. To that end, the ruling by Judge Jackson, in concurrence with that of Judge Torres on the sale of XRP, sets an example in the crypto industry.

Read more:  Crypto News Land

~~~~~~~~~

Pro-XRP Lawyer Sees Binance Ruling as Boost for XRP Non-Security Status

Attorney Bill Morgan says Binance case ruling boosts XRP’s non-security status.

Judge Jackson cited Judge Torres’ Ripple case decision when dismissing parts of the SEC’s case against Binance.

Morgan highlights that the ruling aligns with Judge Torres’ interpretation of the Howey test.

Read more:  Coin Edition

~~~~~~~~~

XRP Lawsuit: Ripple Notches Massive Wins as CEO Brad Garlinghouse Clarifies XRP’s Security Status

Ripple Labs CEO Brad Garlinghouse has taken swipes at news outlets over inaccurate reporting of a court decision involving XRP and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The fiasco began following a ruling by Judge Phyllis Hamilton of the US District Court for the Northern District of California, which threw out a class action suit against the issuers of the XRP token. While considered a massive win for Ripple Labs, the judge allowed an individual state law claim to proceed to trial based on alleged “misleading statements” made by Garlinghouse in 2017.

As XRP’s community celebrated the dismissal of securities law violation, CoinDesk and a raft of crypto news outlets reported that Hamilton’s decision could imply that XRP may be a security. The reporting triggered a stir in the ecosystem as XRP enthusiasts believe the question of the asset being a security was finalized in a 2023 decision by District Judge Analisa Torres in New York’s Southern District.

CoinDesk described the ruling as a “fly in the ointment,” but the report elicited fierce kickbacks from XRP’s community, with Garlinghouse leading the charge. According to Garlinghouse on X (formerly Twitter), Garlinghouse described the report as “embarrassing,” noting that Hamilton did not expressly term XRP as a security.

Read more:  ZyCrypto

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The Latest RV And Economics Updates from the Seeds of Wisdom Sunday AM 6-30-24

The Latest RV And Economics Updates from the Seeds of Wisdom Sunday AM 6-30-24

Good Morning Dinar Recaps,

Iraqi Dinar: IBBC ISSUES MAJOR NEW PAPER ON DE-DOLLARISATION OF IRAQ 

Professor Frank Gunter publishes a new paper commissioned as part of a series by IBBC's advisory council on the challenges of de-dollarisation for Iraq.

The Advisory Council members and IBBC members have actively contributed to the paper in the past 4 months. It will be presented online on the 18th June in a webinar and in person at the Spring Conference on 2nd July. The Arabic translation will be published soon.

Previous advisory papers include 2020, 'Iraq 2020: Country at the Crossroads', 'Corruption Worse Than ISIS: Causes and Cures Cures for Iraqi Corruption', 'Seaports and Airports of Iraq: Rules Versus Infrastructure' and 'Privatization of State-Owned Enterprises'.

Professor Gunter provides an analysis of the drivers of impact on the dinar exchange rate and examines how best to deal with the parallel market of dinars to dollars. He outlines the practical policy initiatives that should reduce the gap between the official and parallel exchange rates in the medium-term.

In particular he lauds the Government of Iraq on its commitment to tackle corruption and to modernise the banking system in one fell swoop but warns of the pressure on the dinar exchange rate as budgets are overstretched and the new banking recipients (state banks) receive the liquidity to enable the economy to perform.

He writes 'All three of these forces - the anti-corruption effort, the banking liberalization, and the lavish 2023-2025 budget - will create challenges for the management of the dinar exchange rate. One could argue that over the last two decades the Government of Iraq (GoI) had little control over its exchange rate; that exchange rate policy was determined by other sectors of the political economy in Iraq.

But even if this is true, the level of the exchange rate and changes in that level are believed by many Iraqis and foreigners as providing valuable insight into the quality of economic management in Iraq.

This importance is exemplified by the current efforts to de-dollarize the Iraqi economy while there is excess demand for dollars. This excess demand is shown by a parallel exchange rate of roughly 1500 dinars per dollar compared to the official exchange rate of 1310 dinars per dollar.

An important cause of this exchange rate gap is that the GoI, with the strong encouragement of the U.S. Federal Reserve, is attempting to reduce the use of the U.S. dollar in both Iraq's internal economy and its external transactions. Since 2003, the U.S. dollar has facilitated economic growth in Iraq by providing a widely accepted medium of exchange for purchases as well as a reliable store of value for savings. In the long run, whether de-dollarization will have a significant adverse impact on the Iraq economy will depend on how rapidly the GoI can increase both the efficiency of alternative mediums of exchange and the perceived security of alternative stores of value.'

© Newshounds News™

Source:  Iraq Business News

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To Boost Foreign Investments, Iraq signs Singapore Convention

From the UN Development Programme (UNDP). Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

In a landmark move to attract foreign investors to Iraq, the country celebrated its signing of the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation ("Singapore Convention").

Under the patronage of H.E. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the National Investment Commission (NIC) of Iraq hosted a high-profile conference on mediation today [Wednesday 26th June, 2o24].

Creating an environment for global investors

Kick-starting the conference on behalf of H.E. the Prime Minister Mohammed Shia` Al-Sudani, the Advisor to the Prime Minister, Nasser Saleh Abdulnabi Al-Asadi reiterated the government's unwavering focus on foreign investment.

"We are steadfast in our progressive reforms, striving to transform Iraq into an inviting and secure investment destination. Iraq's accession to the Singapore Convention is a significant milestone, fortifying our efforts to build a robust business sector. We will persist in our endeavours to bolster investment, combat corruption, and generate employment opportunities for our youth," he said.

On April 17, 2024, Iraq took a significant step by signing the Singapore Convention, as the Convention eases enforcement of mediated settlement agreements, paving the way for enhanced international trade and commerce between countries.

"Iraq is ready to strengthen its collaboration with countries across the globe to foster investment as well as diversify and increase its trade, and the Convention is an important tool for us to operationalize this," ` said Dr. Hayder Makiya [Makiyya], Chairman of the National Investment Commission.

Iraq enters its new chapter

The conference, generously backed by the European Union, was joined by the European Union Ambassador to Iraq, Thomas Seiler.

"We are working hand in hand with the government and UNDP to support the government's ambition to make Iraq a secure and attractive destination for foreign investments, including from the 27 EU Member States. Effective mediation opens a new door for Iraq's international trade and business."

Through its Anti-Corruption and Commercial Dispute Resolution Initiatives funded by the European Union, UNDP has also been working with Iraqi universities to build the capacities of law students in commercial dispute resolution, including mediation.

"With the signing of the Singapore Convention, Iraq is committed to transforming the landscape of commercial cross-border dispute resolution which will significantly impact businesses engaged in international trade and commerce. We will continue supporting the Government in legislation and building the necessary institutional and human capacity to make mediation work." said Auke Lootsma, Resident Representative of UNDP.

The hope is that Iraq's signing of the Singapore Convention is the foundational beginning the country needs in order to attract and instill confidence in investors who wish to do business there - creating a climate that is conducive and safe for foreign investment.

About the Singapore Convention

The Singapore Convention is a multilateral treaty that provides a uniform and efficient framework for the enforcement of international settlement agreements resulting from mediation. It applies to agreements concluded by parties to resolve commercial disputes and facilitates international trade by enabling easy cross-border enforcement of these settlements. As of 11 June 2024, the Convention has 57 signatories and 14 parties. Iraq is the most recent signatory of the convention.

About UNDP's Commercial Dispute Resolution Initiative

To create an inclusive ecosystem for investors and boost foreign investment, UNDP has been strengthening commercial dispute resolution legislation and practices in Iraq. In addition to the support for mediation, the initiative includes technical support for drafting new law on arbitration in compliance with the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration and international best practices. By facilitating consultations, workshops, and discussions with a broad range of stakeholders, UNDP aims to enhance capacity building and mainstream efficient commercial dispute resolution practices across the country.

© Newshounds News™

Source:  Iraq Business News

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DRAGON BOND: What it Means, How it Works

What Is a Dragon Bond?

A dragon bond is a long-term debt security issued by firms operating in Asian nations (excluding Japan), but denominated in foreign, stable currencies, such as the U.S. dollar (USD) or the Japanese yen (JPY).

Dragon bonds are Asian corporate bonds, ex-Japan, but denominated in a foreign currency.

Dragon bonds are denominated in currencies deemed to be more stable than the home currency to help mitigate the foreign exchange risk.

Dragon bonds, introduced by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 1991, are analogous to eurobonds issued by European corporations in foreign currencies.

Understanding Dragon Bonds

A dragon bond is a fixed-income security denominated in currencies deemed more stable than the home currency; it is seen as more attractive to foreign investors as a result. The rationale for structuring them to be as appealing as possible to investors outside of Asia is because they mitigate the foreign exchange risk that can impact returns as currency values fluctuate. Dragon bonds are similar to eurobonds in that they are denominated in foreign currencies that are liquid and stable, but in the Asian context instead of Europe.

Dragon bonds were first introduced in 1991 by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Because of the foreign denomination, these can be more complex than other bonds because of international differences in taxation, regulatory compliance issues facing firms that issue them, plus limited liquidity in trading them in secondary markets.

Dragon Bonds and Currency Risk

Dragon bonds were created to broaden the market for fixed-income securities in Asia and develop more active Asian financial markets. Although Asian companies had issued bonds in local currencies, they appealed mostly to domestic investors limiting access to capital. Foreign investors were often reluctant to buy bonds dominated in currencies that could fluctuate rapidly. Currencies such as the U.S. dollar and Japanese yen were considered stable enough for accumulating assets.

For example, an Indonesian company might issue a 20-year bond denominated in Indonesian rupiah (IDR), with a coupon rate of 4-percent paid annually. If the U.S. dollar-Indonesian rupiah (USD/IDR) were 10,000 rupiahs per one U.S. dollar, then a 100-million rupiah bond would be the equivalent of $10,000. Each interest payment of 4 million rupiah would represent $400 at the time the bond is issued.

To an Indonesian investor, an investment of 100 million rupiah would pay 4 million rupiah per year with return of principal after 20 years. But for an investor buying such a bond with U.S. dollars, an unfavorable movement between the relative value of the two currencies could create extra risk.

If in the next year the exchange rate shifted from 10,000 IDR/1 USD to 11,000 IDR/1 USD, then the first coupon payment of 4 million rupiah would only be worth only about $364 instead of $400 as anticipated when the bond was first issued. The bond's 100-million rupiah face value would be worth about $9,091. And if the prevailing interest rate moves up, the value of the bond would be even lower.

However, a dragon bond denominated in USD, while still subject to interest rate risk, would not be subject to currency risk. The regional economy has changed significantly in the years since the introduction of dragon bonds in 1991, including the 1997 Asian financial crisis, and the growth of the Chinese economy. However, dragon bonds continue to help Asian markets attract more foreign investment.

© Newshounds News™

Read more:  Investopedia

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“Tidbits From TNT” Sunday Morning 6-30-2024

TNT:

Tishwash:  In the presence of Al-Sudani...the launch of the central celebration of the National Day of the Iraqi Press

The activities of the central ceremony held by the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate on the occasion of the National Day of the Iraqi Press were launched at the Al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad this morning, under the slogan (Iraqi journalists give freedom and inspiration to build)

In the presence of Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, Acting Speaker of the House of Representatives Mohsen Al-Mandalawi, and the Head of the Journalists Syndicate.Iraqis, President of the Union of Arab Journalists, Muayyad Al-Lami, and a number of ministers, leaders, officials, ambassadors, and Arab and foreign delegations.  ink

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Tishwash:  Next month...the salaries of retired workers will increase

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs will begin increasing the salaries of retired workers next July.

The Ministry's official spokesman, Najm Al-Uqabi, said in a statement received by Al-Maalouma, “The Ministry will begin implementing the increase in the salaries of retired workers starting in July, indicating that it will be in the amount of 150 thousand dinars distributed according to a retirement formula."

He pointed out that “the maximum limit for the worker’s pension will be 700 thousand dinars according to a retirement formula.” The one who receives the minimum amount of 350 thousand will have a salary of 500 thousand after adding the increase, and so on.”  link

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Tishwash:  Will the state adopt the provision of sovereign guarantees to finance private industrial projects?

The financial and economic advisor to the Prime Minister, Mazhar Muhammad Saleh, explained today, Friday, that the state has adopted a policy of providing sovereign guarantees for loans obtained by the private sector to finance an important package of private industrial projects.

Saleh told Al Furat News Agency: “There is a fundamental link in financing and implementation adopted by the government program and general policy in development, and its basics are summarized in the high implementation of the listed and ongoing government investment projects that faced procrastination and halting for many years.” 

He added, "The current investment program is based on completing the implementation of investment projects without interruption and in accordance with the financial resources allocated to them included in the Federal General Budget Law, while ensuring the sustainability of the funding sources necessary for the continuation of implementation, especially in the field of high-service infrastructure such as projects to develop electricity, drinking water, roads, sewers, etc., with priority that touches the lives of citizens."

 He pointed out: "Based on the above, the increase in revenues is one of the important financing levers in overcoming the problems that were facing government projects, which are called (slowed), and which have now entered into implementation and completion, in accordance with the approved policy (No more slowed projects)." 

 He expressed: "Therefore, there is a clear correlation between the capacity to implement urban projects in the country and the growth of public revenue sources (whether oil or non-oil) and harnessing their high financial flows to serve the requirements of economic development in our country in a way that maximizes the gross domestic product and provides high and sustainable employment sources at the same time.

The private sector assumes an important responsibility in implementation as it is the effective strategic partner in developing the Iraqi economy and advancing its infrastructure and various production activities."

 Saleh noted that "the state has adopted a policy of providing sovereign guarantees for loans obtained by the private sector to finance an important package of civil industrial projects, most notably projects to produce industrial and construction outputs related to the advancement of reconstruction, housing and infrastructure, with sovereign guarantees for the private sector amounting to 85% of the value of private activity, specifically industrial activity."    link

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Tishwash:  Economist reveals the main factors that influenced the implementation of the Maronites

 Former Director of the Financial Supervision Bureau, Salah Nouri, revealed today, Friday, the basic factors that influenced the implementation of the budget approval.

Nouri told Al Furat News Agency: “The main factors affecting the proper implementation of the Maronites are: 

_Approval of the budget early, at least in the third month of the fiscal year 

_Accuracy of financial allocations according to the priorities of the government program 

-The speed of cash financing for public spending units. This concerns the duties of the Ministries of Finance and Planning, the Council of Ministers, and the Representatives

As for the executive departments, Salah added, “Transparency, integrity and quality in the use and spending of funds according to the approved financial allocations.” 

He stated, “The efficiency of the executive human resources in the public spending units, based on the basics of implementing the aforementioned general budget, will greatly affect the achievement this year in terms of delays in approving the budget and delays in financing, in addition to the weakness of efficiency, transparency, integrity, and quality, especially in investment projects.”  link

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Mot: ... the Wisdom of ole ""Earl""

Mot:  Perfect It Was !!! Ideal Saturday