Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Tuesday Afternoon 11-18-25
Government Advisor: Medium-Term Financial Plan To Ensure The Sustainability Of Vital Projects
Time: 2025/11/18 20:51:04 Reading: 60 times {Economic: Al-Furat News} Mazhar Muhammad Saleh, the economic advisor to the Prime Minister, confirmed that the government is capable of managing the 2026 fiscal year even if the federal general budget law is not approved, noting the possibility of working with the current Federal Financial Management Law No. 6 of 2019, as amended, with spending at a rate of 1/12 of the actual current expenditures that took place in 2025.
Saleh said in a statement to Al-Furat News: “It is important to adhere to high fiscal discipline without resorting to austerity, while taking into account low-income, poor and vulnerable groups, and working to diversify non-oil public revenues through reforming customs and tax policies, especially on large taxpayers, while ensuring fair and transparent governance.”
He explained that "the government is now seeking to create major investment partnerships with the national and foreign private sector to reduce pressure on public spending and achieve the implementation of income-generating and job-creating investment projects, with a focus on automating the economy and moving towards the digital age."
Saleh stressed that "reforming the energy sector at all levels will boost government revenues as it is a leading sector for development within a coordinated policy for electronic government collection to ensure speed and accuracy of collection."
The economic advisor concluded by emphasizing the need to "adopt a medium-term budget plan that ensures sustainable financing for vital projects, thereby achieving sustainable development and targeted growth in accordance with the National Development Plan 2024-2028 and Iraq Vision 2025." LINK
Finance Minister: Public Debt Is At Safe Levels And We Are Working To Reduce Spending
Localities Finance Minister Taif Sami confirmed on Tuesday that the level of public debt in Iraq is still within safe limits, noting that the ministry is working to maximize revenues and reduce spending.
The Minister of Finance said that "the ministry has maintained the sustainability of public debt through its rescheduling," indicating that "the remaining external debt does not exceed $3 billion within the Paris Club agreement, and there is $40 billion that is not recognized," noting that "the external debt is paid annually on an ongoing basis."
She explained that "domestic debt, in turn, is managed according to internationally approved natural contexts."
She stressed that "improving tax and customs collection and automating the work of the Ministry of Electricity will contribute to reducing the pressure on the public treasury," noting that "the ministry is working to reduce the deficit by reducing spending in the upcoming budgets."nnnhttps://economy-news.net/content.php?id=62443
A Sudanese Advisor Predicts A Rise In Gold Prices And Identifies Three Factors Behind Its Increase.
Money and Business Economy News — Baghdad The Prime Minister's advisor, Mazhar Muhammad Saleh, predicted on Tuesday that gold prices would rise, and identified three factors behind the increase.
Saleh said: “In the short term, until the end of 2025, the general trend for gold prices appears to be upward, with strong possibilities for continued growth,” explaining that “this is due to the close link between the US dollar, its interest rates, and the global geopolitical situation, a triad that now precisely determines the movement of gold.”
Therefore, it is unlikely, in Saleh’s view, that a significant and sustained decline in gold prices will occur in the short term (i.e., for several weeks or months) or even the medium term, unless there are fundamental changes in the basic factors, such as a sudden and large increase in US interest rates or a tangible decrease in the intensity of geopolitical tensions, as well as a broad rise in the value of the US dollar.
He added that “gold remains a reliable hedge against inflation or the decline in the value of the dollar, which is important for Iraq in managing its future financial surpluses and financing its basic investments,” noting that “the gold donation here is not just a monetary value added to the reserve balance, but it is a symbol of economic sovereignty and an enhancement of Iraq’s position in international financial negotiations, giving it a wider margin of movement in managing reserves, away from unilateral dependence on the dollar or others.”
Saleh pointed out that any gold addition to Iraq’s reserves would constitute a strategic message to the world that the country is moving towards diversifying its financial instruments, not just accumulating idle assets. Under the current international monetary system, this step would give Iraq additional flexibility in the face of external shocks and reduce the fragility of the sharp link to the dollar or another currency, especially with fluctuating oil prices and global financial volatility.
The government advisor continued, saying: “Based on the standard rules set by international financial institutions for the optimal management and diversification of foreign reserves, Iraq can expand its gold reserves as a strategic pillar supporting the sustainability of economic stability, according to specific relative, not absolute, standard ratios.”
According to the World Gold Council, Iraq currently possesses about 170.9 tons of gold, thus maintaining its 29th place globally and fourth place in the Arab world in terms of the size of its reserves of the precious metal, reflecting the Central Bank’s direction towards strengthening reserves and diversifying foreign assets. https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=62431
Gold Prices In Baghdad Have Fallen Again
Economy | 18/11/2025 Mawazin News - Baghdad: Gold prices have decreased in local markets in the capital, Baghdad. The price of 21-karat Gulf gold in jewelry shops ranged between 795,000 and 805,000 Iraqi dinars.
Meanwhile, the selling price of a mithqal of Iraqi gold ranged between 765,000 and 775,000 Iraqi dinars.
https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=270437
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