Iraq News Highlights and Points to Ponder Wednesday AM 11-13-24
Central Bank Announces Progress In Dollar Control Procedures
Central Bank of Iraq Banks Economy News – Baghdad The Central Bank of Iraq announced progress in monitoring foreign transfers and cash dollar sales and providing protection for the banking and financial sector from the risks of money laundering, following the ongoing discussions of the Central Bank of Iraq with the Federal Reserve and the US Treasury Department.
The bank's governor, Ali Al-Alaq, said in statements to Al-Hurra website, followed by Al-Eqtisad News, that "the ongoing quarterly meetings with the Federal Reserve and the US Treasury Department within the framework of organizing operations and coordination between the two sides, which have close relations, led to an agreement on procedures and formulas that are consistent with best practices and international standards, the latest of which was the plan related to organizing foreign transfer operations by rebuilding them according to new standards and methods."
Al-Alaq added, "Iraq has achieved 95% progress in terms of monitoring procedures for foreign transfers and cash dollar sales, and providing protection for the banking and financial sector from the risks of money laundering operations."
The Iraqi government, through the Central Bank of Iraq, has been continuing its negotiations for about two years with the US Treasury Department to lift sanctions on some private banks operating in Iraq. https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=49759
Financial Inclusion And Banking Restructuring
Economic 2024/11/13 interest in the banking sector has become striking to the point that it can be said that the government is actually undertaking the "financial inclusion program, whose founders aim to deliver services to all regions of the country and include all societal and age groups with these services with the aim of encouraging all citizens to open bank accounts, and then withdraw the cash mass hoarded by the public, which the Central Bank estimates at about 70 percent of the issued cash, and circulate it in the banking arena activities, with the aim of raising credit rates and contributing to creating real development.
On this basis, the Prime Minister's Office's statement came in this regard recently, which referred to some of the challenges facing the efforts to reform the financial and banking system, as one of the priorities of the government program, while the statement identified a number of steps with the aim of confronting these challenges and ensuring the strengthening of confidence in the financial and banking sectors, facilitating the process of economic development, and raising indicators of financial inclusion.
However, the clear intersection between the government's direction and the banking restructuring program indicates a number of observations that are directly related to these steps, such as the contradiction between what was stated in the content of these government steps, and the banks' procedures regarding restructuring, as some government banks have taken steps
The issue of restructuring, which was apparently limited to the merger of large numbers of branches of operating government banks, included branches on the outskirts of governorate centers and in the middle of them, which undermined the service area in which these banks operate.
This completely intersects with the financial inclusion program, one of the tools of which the statement specified is “providing banking services to different segments of society, including districts and sub-districts in villages and rural areas.”
The steps mentioned in the statement, which are in the process of intensifying efforts, did not indicate the issue of the conditions previously set regarding raising the capital rates of banks to about 450 billion dinars by the end of December 2024, which obligated all private and government banks in this regard, otherwise these banks will be merged or liquidated,
if we know that some government banks whose many branches have been merged still have a large number of branches, and these branches still provide their daily services to large numbers of the public, while they are exposed to merger or liquidation,
even some administrations are unable to make some decisions related to developing services, because they realize that the fate of their banks will end in merger or liquidation, and this is what makes the intersection clear in the government's direction regarding developing the performance of banks and expanding the scope of services with the restructuring program implemented by the relevant authorities. https://alsabaah.iq/105828-.html
Iraq Records 4% Economic Growth, Moves Towards Sustainable Diversification
Economic 2024/11/13 The 4% growth in the Iraqi economy reflects the beginning of a positive shift towards sustainable economic diversification. According to the International Monetary Fund’s expectations, this growth reflects the country’s efforts to reduce dependence on non-renewable natural resources and shift to an economy that relies on other sectors.
Experts consider the development project initiated by the government to be a qualitative step towards restructuring the national economy. They point out that this project includes developing a strong infrastructure, developing the industrial and agricultural sectors, in addition to attracting foreign and local investments, which will enhance Iraq’s ability to face future economic challenges.
In this context, experts point out that Iraq has already begun implementing some of the recommendations of international conferences, such as the Munich Conference and other economic forums held in Washington and Riyadh, as the government seeks to attract international companies and enhance the role of the private sector in the economy.
The government’s move towards multi-pronged development programs is part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at transforming the Iraqi economy from an economy that relies primarily on oil to a diversified and sustainable economy.
Development Plan
Economic expert Dr. Adnan Bahiya explained in an interview with "Sabah" that the World Bank in its adoptions for Iraq depends on a large number of important factors, foremost of which is the existence of a development plan for the next five years, which it prepared in a directed way for the development process in Iraq, through which the scattered development trends are limited to one correct direction.
Government Program
Bahiya promised the existence of a government program for the past years and the current year, with the ambition that achieves a large number of accomplishments, foremost of which is working to end the files of stalled projects, as their number has decreased by more than half, noting that this indicator is good for growth.
Economic Process
He noted that the stability of oil prices, even in light of the unstable political and security atmosphere in the Middle East and the world, where prices range between 70 and 80 dollars per barrel, encourages the continuation of the economic process in the country, as the Iraqi economy depends on oil for 95 percent of its capabilities and revenues.
He pointed out that the current policies in the field of combating corruption and returning looted and smuggled funds outside Iraq are important, especially if these funds are used to create an advanced industrial, agricultural and service base that will move the country in the right direction.
Advanced Ranks
Economic researcher Suhad Al-Shammari explained to "Sabah" that the International Monetary Fund reports confirm that Iraq has advanced ranks in the Arab world in terms of expected economic growth, amounting to 4 percent, outperforming Morocco, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Algeria, Jordan and Qatar. "
The Right Planning
Al-Shammari attributed the reason for this to the role of the state and the current government in proper management and planning to enhance the growth of the economic sector and protect the local market from the economic fluctuations that are sweeping the region, in addition to providing the requirements of the Iraqi citizen from social welfare salaries and a food basket, which made a clear difference in protecting the local market from exchange rate fluctuations.
She added that the investment and service projects that began with the government program and directly with the current government by launching them and the international conferences in which it participated, including the Munich and Riyadh conferences, have returned Iraq to the global platform.
Foreign Investments
She added that Iraq is an important geopolitical player, possessing the potential to secure foreign investments and joint cooperation between the Iraqi and foreign private sectors, stressing that the country is capable of finding a substitute for oil and has all the solid economic components, as evidenced by the efforts of most countries to contribute to important projects, including the development project, which is a qualitative shift in the Iraqi economy. https://alsabaah.iq/105827-.html