Delta, MilitiaMan and Mon. Night CC Replay for 5-18-2020
KTFA:
Samson: Minister of Communications: We are working on implementing a project to automate border crossings
18th May, 2020
On Monday, Minister of Communications Arkan Shihab Ahmed confirmed that the ministry will implement the border crossing automation project, which in turn will provide the state treasury with a lot of financial revenue
A statement of the ministry seen by "Al-Iqtisad News" stated that "this came during a meeting with the delegation of the Parliamentary Services Committee headed by MP Walid Al-Sahlani," noting that "the Minister of Communications gave a full explanation of the future plans of the ministry and the most important projects that are working to implement them during the coming period, which Among the most important of these is the International Gate Project, which will mainly work to eliminate Internet smuggling operations, maintain the security of the country, and preserve the financial resources of the Ministry of Communications
He stressed that "the Ministry of Communications will have an important and significant role in preserving the security of the country and the security of communications, eliminating electronic blackmail, preserving the social fabric and eliminating the electronic delusion that works to harm the reputation of our beloved country
And the Minister of Communications stated that "the ministry started to open the doors of joint cooperation with the Media and Communications Authority and that the ministry will implement the project of automating border outlets, which in turn will provide the state treasury with a lot of financial revenues and eliminate fraud, forgery and administrative routine
He added, "He has granted all the powers granted to public companies in accordance with Law 22 of 1997 in order to accelerate and start the process of construction and reconstruction in order to provide the best services to our esteemed citizens LINK
MilitiaMan: We all should know that they have a massive amount of income to tap into at the borders. This is or should be a powder keg of money to help in supporting the country revenues.. May even exceed all oil revenues with oil being at $30+- x2.
That is a load of cash to help support the country. Boy do they need it too.
My take is they are at critical mass. The new PM has a very big job ahead of him, as noted by the IBBC 13 page letter he recieved. Can he get the atmosphere to be in full Article 8 compliance by raising the IQD to a new international rate with the CBI, that is in sync with the 2019 Amended /2020 Budgets? We apparently will be seeing soon enough.. imo
If that is the case, and they do go pass and or formulate the budget(s) and adjust to an internationally accepted currency reflecting and or creating a legal avenue for borrowing, that will also allow for the acceleration of reforms by ushering in that ability to borrow internally and or externally.
They look to be doing exactly that, I'll bet though it is going still be a long road for them even after they do.
The culture with the elites, can be stifling to the progress of reforms. So, we see they are looking to open the borders in the coming days.
That just may coincide with the lock down coming later this week. For a purpose? We shall see.. imo The IBBC report, suggests this time frame is URGENT and needs acceleration!!!... imo ~ MM
IBBC LINK
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Samson: Iraq 2020: A Country at the Crossroads
18th May, 2020
Members of the IBBC Advisory Council have published a paper entitled 'Iraq 2020: A country at the crossroads.'
The purpose of this extensive paper is to provide insight and advice to the new Iraqi Government. It particularly focuses on the political and economic backdrop to the country, with analysis and solutions from a private sector perspective.
The papers authors are Professor Frank Gunter (lead author), Prof, Mohammed Al Uzri, Dr Renad Mansour, Mr Hani Akkawi, Mr Hussein Al Uzri, Mr Shwan Aziz Ahmed, and Mr Christophe Michels for the IBBC's management.
The paper provides a broad view on how to support Iraq's transition, with a call to action ranging from the requirement to engage the Iraqi people, to solutions for the banking and investment sector, defeating ISIS and responding to COVID and healthcare specific solutions, and how to develop the private sector with a regulatory regime for successful business.
The paper has been sent to the Prime Minister, to the President, the President of Parliament, a number of Ministers and officials.
Christophe Michels, IBBC MD, says:
"Iraq is facing a deepening multifaceted crisis without precedent in recent times. This article has been published in support of the Iraqi Government which has the opportunity to use this crisis to change Iraq and prepare it for a better and more prosperous future".
13 page report - Iraq 2020: a country at the crossroads - English LINK
KTFA MONDAY CALL REPLAY WITH DELTA, AG-1 & MILITIA MAN
Playback Number: 605-313-5163 PIN: 156996#
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DELTA: DEMONSTRATORS GAVE AL-KAZEMI A MONTH, TO IMPLEMENT LIST OF DEMANDS
05/14/20
Demonstrators in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, gave Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kazemi a month to implement eight demands, including the trial of his predecessor, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, for the murder of protesters.
This came in a statement read out in the middle of Tahrir Square (the center of protests in Baghdad) yesterday, Wednesday, in the name of the "United Fajr Iraq Front", the first organization to emerge from the womb of the protests that started last October.
The statement praised the reformist direction of the Al-Kazemi government, which began its duties last Saturday, two days after it gained confidence from Parliament.
The statement gave Al-Kazemi a month to implement the demands, threatening, if not implemented, to escalate the protests until the entire political process was toppled, at the first deadline for protesters to the new government.
The demands included the trial of the demonstrators' killers - chiefly Abdul-Mahdi - to compensate their families, set a date for early elections, and administer retired independent election commission judges.
It also included returning the displaced to their areas of residence, revealing the fate of the missing, in addition to reducing the salaries of senior officials, activating the law of parties, achieving economic and political reform, and abolishing "ineffective" local councils.
In its first session last Saturday, the Al-Kazemi government decided to release all detained protesters, set up a committee to try those involved in killing protesters, and to seek a date for early elections.
The demonstrators in Baghdad - and Iraqi cities in the center and south - last Sunday resumed their anti-government protests and influential parties.
It is noteworthy that Baghdad and other provinces have witnessed since last October, protests calling for wide reforms in the country, accountability for the corrupt, and interspersed with violence that killed more than six hundred people and wounded thousands, as well as the arrest of hundreds of others, before these protests receded in mid-March / Last March, for fear of an outbreak of the Corona virus.
MilitiaMan: Thank you Delta, today is see nothing but URGENCY and ACCELERATION, in respect to reforms.. They report from the IBBC is all about urgency and change! That includes monetary reforms at the Borders, etc.. It includes the citizens demands as noted about too.. They mean business and so does the report. The good thing is that that 13 page report wasn't written in totality yesterday, but, over time and updated along the way to present. The pressure is on!! It may take 30 days for some things, but, imo they have no liquidity.. Hence, the argument is sooner than later imo.. ! ~ MM
"An open investigation into the persons who were responsible for the killing of protesters
over the last six months. Not just those who fired the guns but those who gave the
orders. Since confidence in the probity of the government leadership is currently low,
this investigation may require the involvement of an international organization. The
results should lead at a minimum to naming of those responsible although prosecution
would make a stronger statement that the government supports justice for the victims. "