KTFA Members "Sunday News" 8-9-2020

KTFA:

Samson:  Out of 186 countries, Iraq is ranked 181 in economic freedom

9th August, 2020

The American Heritage Foundation, which measures the level of economic freedom in countries around the world, announced that Iraq ranks 181 out of 186 countries.

According to the report published by the Foundation for the year 2020, "Iraq ranked 181 in relation to economic freedom out of 186 countries listed in the table," indicating that "thus it ranks sixth before last, ahead of the countries of Libya, Liechtenstein, Somalia, Syria and Yemen."

She added, "Singapore ranked first in economic freedom with a score of 89.4, followed by Hong Kong with a score of 89.1, and then New Zealand ranked third with a score of 84.1."

It indicated that it "relied on its classification on twelve factors to measure the economic freedom of these countries related to four main aspects of the economic environment, which were classified from 0 to 100, and its average to determine the degree of the state, which is the rule of law (property rights, government integrity, judicial effectiveness), size of government ( Government spending, tax burden, financial health), organizational efficiency (business, employment, and monetary freedom), open markets (trade, investment and financial freedom).”

She explained that "the focus of the Economic Freedom Index is that individuals should be free to work, consume, and invest without restrictions," indicating that "poverty, disease and ignorance are declining in all regions, then this is largely due to the widespread adoption of more advanced and transparent economic policies."   LINK

Samson:  Expert: That Is, The Escalation After Al-Kazemi's Visit To Washington Will Serve Trump In The Election, Not Iran

9th August, 2020
Analyst and political expert Mujahid Al-Ta’i confirmed that any escalation in Iraq after the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi to Washington will serve Trump electively and not Iran.

Al-Ta’i said in a Twitter post that Al-Mustaqilla followed today, Sunday, that “after Al-Kazemi’s office announced the visit to Washington, which will include the completion of dialogues that Iran does not like, the Pentagon sends messages to Tehran’s pawns: (We have the right to self-defense and respond to any aggression in Iraq).” 

He added, "The transformation in any confrontation and escalation that could happen, is killing Americans, and escalation serves Trump electively, not Iran."   LINK

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Samson:  Deputy: The economic file will be part of Al-Kazemi's visit to the White House

17:55 - 08/09/2020

The deputy of the Sadikoun Parliamentary Bloc, Muhammad Karim, confirmed, on Sunday, that the economic file will be part of the files that Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi will discuss during his visit to the White House next week.

Karim said in a statement to Al-Maalouma that "the strategic dialogue, which will start its second stage during Al-Kazemi's visit to the White House, will discuss the economic file for Iraq," noting that "the dialogue will not be limited to the security axis only, but to all aspects."

He added that "the economic file is very important in the dialogue with Washington, in addition to being responsible for the electrical system since 2003 and has not achieved any results, and this matter must be resolved during the agreement," noting that "the air defense system will be present during the discussion between Al-Kazemi and Trump."

Next week, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi begins an official visit to the United States of America, at the head of a government delegation, based on an official invitation.   LINK

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Don961:  The President of the Republic stresses the need to enhance Iraq's international standing

Sunday 09 August 2020 Baghdad / Al-Sabah

The President of the Republic, Barham Salih, stressed the need to enhance Iraq's position in international forums, while stressing the importance of strengthening openness through the development of transport sectors.

A statement by the President’s office, received by Al-Sabah, stated that “Saleh received Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein yesterday, and discussed with him the country's foreign relations and ways to develop and advance them.

” During the meeting, the President of the Republic stressed the need to strengthen Iraq's position in international forums, through its contribution to spreading and devoting an atmosphere of understanding and constructive dialogue to consolidate security and stability among the countries of the region, stressing the importance of the balanced and positive role of Iraq in the path of its foreign relations in order to achieve peace and progress among peoples. 

During the meeting, according to the statement, the latest developments at the regional and international levels, and their impact on the Iraqi arena, were reviewed.

The President of the Republic, during another meeting with Minister of Transport Nasser Hussein Al-Shibli, stressed the need to make efforts to support Iraq's openness to the world by developing various transport sectors as it is an important link between continents and countries, stressing the importance of adopting international standards in providing the best services to citizens. 

In turn, Minister Al-Shibli gave a detailed explanation of the Ministry's workflow and the plans that it is hoped to follow to revitalize the level of performance in it and improve services in a way that reflects the bright image of Iraq in front of the world.   LINK

Cleitus:  Now how do we do that  hmmmmmmm

Samson:  The experience of the central bank and the economic reform law

9th August, 2020 by Samir Nasiri

Information and media statements indicate that the Iraqi parliament is still insisting that the government present its plan for comprehensive economic reform for the next stage in the form of a law for economic reform to be submitted to the council within 60 days, more than half of which have passed

The information also indicates that the financial reform cell formed in the Council of Ministers has been working for two months on developing plans and studies and discussing the main foundations and observations to overcome the economic crisis and prepare the 2021 budget and is trying to draw its plan for economic reform in implementation of the request of the House of Representatives

I believe that for the government to form a cell for economic reform with the aim of presenting, discussing and studying Iraq's economic problems and finding solutions and treatments for radical and comprehensive reform, the experience of the Central Bank of Iraq during the post-2015 economic and security shocks has proven its success in supporting the national economy and its attribution in overcoming the crisis of falling prices Global oil, and ISIS’s occupation of a third of Iraq after mid-2014

The Central Bank of Iraq continues its approach to stimulating the national economy during the years 2016-2020 in accordance with its strategy, building capabilities and developing the banking sector in order to move to the developmental role and contribute to financing investment and reconstruction projects and to continue to maintain the stability of the exchange rate as the main achievement of policy implementation Cash is one of its important goals, which has positive implications for revitalizing the economy and achieving stability in the monetary system and the financial system, based on working on the government's call to diversify sources of revenue, not relying on oil as a primary source of revenue, and not encouraging and supporting domestic production.

Because the reason is not the supply but the demand for the dollar for the above reasons

It also requires the government to benefit from the bank’s strategy for the next five years to implement 21 projects to develop and develop the banking business after it was able to achieve most of the main and subsidiary objectives of its first strategy for the years (2016-2020). The world class banks are sober, with the certificate of specialized international financial organizations

One of the strategic banking projects, whose objectives and future impact have been determined according to a timetable for each project, the periods of implementation and reaching the goal during the years (2019-2023) are limited to development projects related to achieving financial inclusion, such as salary domiciliation and projects to restore confidence in the banking sector, such as a deposit guarantee company project and projects for structural development. And administrative and legal projects such as the Governance Guide project, projects for training and qualification, capacity building, classification of banks, and projects to move banks from the role of banking to contributing to development, such as the combined Islamic finance project

It must be noted here that although the bank has started planning for these projects since 2016, it is also committed to what is stated in the government curriculum, as far as the banking sector is concerned, and what the National Development Plan (2018-2022) targeted and Iraq 2030 vision

The central bank’s emphasis on working according to the approach it has adopted to achieve economic reform since 2015 is the consolidation of a fact that the Central Bank and its current management embodies a bright spot in an unstable economic environment for subjective and objective reasons, the most prominent of which is the experience of the Central Bank in supporting the national economy while maintaining its functions and its objectives specified in its law, and its contribution to achieving economic steadfastness and strengthening the decisive victory over terrorism

In addition to the results achieved on the scope of monetary policy applications domestically and convincing international financial organizations, the most important of which is the official reports issued by them, confirming the success of the central bank’s policy in achieving an important transition for the Iraqi economy. In addition to its numerous contributions and initiatives to revitalize the economic cycle and enhance liquidity at banks, to reach a re-extension of coordination bridges between the fiscal and monetary policies, and to propose new economic and structural policies to prepare public budgets for the coming years on the basis of programs rather than items and attempts to restore confidence in the banking system

The Central Bank has demonstrated its clear ability to interact, analyze obstacles to work, and create conditions to overcome challenges, and due to the exceptional efforts made by the bank, the last of which was the re-deduction of 8 trillion dinars for the purpose of financing and enabling the government to pay the salaries of employees, retirees and social care

. I invite the government to interact with the bright points and experiences of the Central Bank and sing them with their ideas, visions and proposals to build a solid national economy  LINK

Ryan1216:  Extreme pressure on Kazemi! Enough time has been wasted! Let's get going now!