KTFA:

Samson:  Customs responds to a parliamentary accusation about "automation": We are committed to implementing the decisions of the Council of Ministers 

06/01/2022 19:05:00

The General Customs Authority issued today, Wednesday, a clarification regarding the accusations made by the independent MP Hadi Al-Salami regarding the contract of the Ministry of Finance with "UNCTAD" to automate the customs work.

 The Director-General of the authority, Shaker Mahmoud Hussein, said, in a statement that {Etlfrat News} received a copy of it, that "the representative Al-Salami referred, in a televised statement, to Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2018 regarding obligating the relevant government agencies to adopt electronic documents in their transactions related to commercial exchange at the outlets. borders and archiving those transactions according to an electronic system and within a time limit.”

He added, "We refer in this regard to Resolution 183 of 2020, which includes authorizing the Minister of Finance to negotiate and contract with UNCTAD to automate customs work and to cancel all previous decisions on the subject of automation, noting that the authority has begun work in the first phase of the electronic automation system (AYSCUDA), and that the authority is committed to implementing decisions Council of Ministers".

Hussein continued, "The authority is proceeding with the issue of automating customs procedures by working on electronic systems at its headquarters and customs centers until the completion of the electronic automation system (AYSCUDA) and with personal efforts by the authority's management, namely: (the modern statistical system, and the customs revenue system at the authority's headquarters).

And customs centers, the system for archiving electronic permits in customs centers, the customs, tax and electronic access system, in addition to the exemptions system for the departments of development and investment.

He pointed out, "The people the deputy met with are illegal commentators requesting to enter the department, as the commission's procedures are to receive the books of the person concerned, complete them and send them to the departments in the hands of authorized agents."

Hussein explained, “It was mentioned in the deputy’s letter that the Prime Minister asked the Prime Minister to withdraw the hand for us due to the failure to implement Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2018, which is a canceled decision, as we mentioned above with Resolution 183 of 2020, and it is contrary to the text of Article 17 of the State Employees Law of 1991, pointing out,

To “one of the deputy’s escorts filming the department without an official permission to do so by the Ministry of Finance, and the deputy published it on social media in an explicit violation of the law and instructions, and he met some unknown people for the purpose of defamation and offending a department of the ancient state,” declaring “the deputy’s allegations are incorrect.” ".

He noted that "the new administration has received tasks and has heavy accumulations in front of it, as a large part of these accumulations have been changed for both the administrative, technical and infrastructure sides, and work is still continuing to address these accumulations, and there are many previous decisions that have not been implemented and we have started implementing them," indicating that the authority is now going through the best its cases and its greatest achievements during the reign of Minister Ali Abdul-Amir Allawi,"

Noting that:"the authority will achieve a qualitative leap in the issue of the great welcome yard with the Ports Company in the Ministry of Transport to automate seaports and customs." LINK

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MilitiaMan:  The bottom line is they are automating the borders and expect a qualitative leap in the level of automation they have ever had.. imo.. A Very welcome and timely development to say the least. The have started what appears to be the final touches or accumulations as they say. With the amount of products to ensue in pouring into the country, I can imagine the accumulations will be massive.. While that is on going they are to make sure that only those authorized to be in the facility are authorized and not to allow filming or personnel, a safety issue. No corruption allowed in or out. .. imo ~ MM

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TIVON:   100 countries to my knowledge are using Asycuda ++ for facilitating merchandise trade as well as providing national and regional trade statistics. These are Burundi, Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Sudan, Madagascar, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Iraq in this regard would be number 101.

They say the project will build a single window for international trade to facilitate compliance with import and export requirements. So I guess we have some obstructing parties that are a bit nervous as to the oversight from financial institutions that have provisions in place that will reduce corruption in certain committees that see their gravy train coming to a screeching halt.

It will also speed up customs clearance through the computerization and simplification of procedures, minimizing administrative costs to the business community and the Iraqi economy. We are in a great position. This is very timely as MM would say.

These next few days should reveal a lot. This project would greatly bolster the implementation of economic reforms as well. This will give the Iraqi government so much confidence to execute other plans that have been sitting on the back burner. No wonder we have some nervous sweaty hands looking to disrupt this plan.

Because of course this will play into the purchasing power of the citizens. Once this system is fully implemented and integrated. To be honest I wonder if this is really already done?

 I think these articles act as official disclosure. Because knowing Iraq has antagonist on an international scale. I doubt this report would come out in the sensitive stages of development where it can be disrupted enough to delay indefinitely all stages of development due to many factors.

Because the coincidence of this article along with the "Food Security Law" being days away from being implemented should not go unnoticed.   IMO 

Re: Earlier MilitiaMan Post today:  LINK  

Tivon:  Militia-Man, if you care to elucidate any further as to the role the Ration Card plays in the "Purchasing Power" that will be a result of the reinstatement or Oil & Gas Law in terms of electricity sector. I want to bring up some points regarding this.

 We know in the past back in 2012 the Iraqi Cabinet wanted to abolish the ration card. Which the government gives out household staples to the populace. The scrapping of the social welfare plan, which is over 20 years old, was seen as an important step toward economic development in the private sector. I presume they stated this because monthly checks from the government does not create jobs or help develop communities.

We see the results from that in America. The Ration Card system was introduced to Iraq by the regime of former leader Saddam Hussein. A form of social welfare, the national food assistance programme began in the early 1990s after sanctions were imposed on Iraq following the country’s invasion of Kuwait. It allowed card holders to claim a variety of household staples.

Which is why I expect that the enactment of laws are done independently of the formation of the government as they stated a couple of days ago that includes the HCL.

Since the US-led invasion of Iraq that toppled Hussein’s government in 2003, the Ration Card system has failed dramatically, plagued by inefficiency, widespread corruption and security issues. The long process of getting flour, rice, sugar, cooking oil, baby milk and other relevant staples from government warehouses into the hands of citizens as well the poor quality of the distributed items has made the Ration Card system more of a burden than a saviour.

So in terms of electricity we know there's a gas debt to Iran that needs to be paid that was partly paid some days ago. Fuel? Well I'm thinking this will be the Oil & Gas Law settlement. They have kept this under close guard. 

So where we stand today in 2022 with Citizen Entitlements, Oil & Gas Law, Food Security Law, Gold Reserves, Taxes & Tariffs, Agriculture, Import/Exports. All of which is supposed to benefit the citizens to lift them out of poverty given the monthly stimulus from the HCL, I assume they will have a short life span of using the Ration Card as a dependent upon social services since the card is only limited to basic essential items.

How or what other method of financial means will they be able to purchase things that the Ration Card can not grant them access to? Cars, furniture, clothing, etc. Because alot of emphasis has been put onto these cards where it is a bit concerning.

We want them to have a strong currency. Not a Ration Card as a primary source of income. That's why in 2010 the International Monetary Fund in February 2010 described the system as ‘an inefficient generalised benefit that distorts private sector activity’." Is the Energy Card the Ration Card? If so I guess this implies the HCL?  IMO

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MilitiaMan:  The ration card, as a digitized card may be more efficient and specific to items directly. They'll not be able to use for unsupported items. As you point out the system was seen and known to be antiquated and a drag on the system with it's inefficiencies.

This new emergency security food law being synonomous with the budget, may very well be the conduit to the 2022 budget powered by the HCL.

Yes, I do believe the HCL is done, the Food Law is done and even it may be possible that the gov is done as well. As they had a quorum yesterday with 250 seats showing up. Voted, then adjourned.

The CF capitulated and is wanting to be involved now and then we see the laws are called to be enacted which they still have not completely told us which ones.. But, as I wrote and showed earlier the day before they did. Ration, energy, fuel, etc... ~ MM