More News, Rumors and Opinions Sunday Afternoon 3-16-2025
KTFA:
Clare: Al-Sudani's advisor: Iraq's foreign reserves reach $110 billion
3/16/2025- Baghdad
The Prime Minister's financial advisor, Mazhar Mohammed Salih, confirmed on Sunday that Iraq's foreign exchange reserves are a safety net against economic fluctuations, noting that they are estimated at approximately $110 billion.
"Iraq's foreign exchange reserves are one of the most important indicators supporting investment, both domestic and foreign, as the country has a stable foreign exchange portfolio estimated at approximately $110 billion, distributed between gold, dollars, and foreign currencies," Saleh said in a statement to the official agency, followed by "Al-Eqtisad News."
He explained that "these reserves contribute to strengthening macroeconomic stability, both domestically and externally, making them a protective factor against global economic fluctuations and shocks. They also provide strong coverage for the monetary base and financial indicators related to trade and international debt maturing soon."
He added, "The current account of the balance of payments is recording positive rates that enhance the stability of the value of the Iraqi dinar, thus reducing the impact of fluctuations in global oil markets, given the nature of Iraq's rentier economy."
He noted that "Iraq, as the fifth largest oil producer in the world, enjoys sustainable foreign financial flows, enabling it to quickly and efficiently support its cash reserves."
He stressed that "these strong reserves provide a stable investment environment, which contributes to accelerating the pace of investment and supporting the country's promising economic growth." LINK
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Clare: Turkish Energy Minister Arrives in Baghdad for Oil and Gas Talks
3/16/2025
Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alp Arslan arrived in Baghdad on Sunday, according to a statement issued by the Iraqi Ministry of Oil.
The ministry said in a statement that Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Minister of Oil Hayan Abdul-Ghani Al-Sawad received Arslan and his accompanying delegation.
According to the statement, the meeting discussed bilateral relations between the two countries in the fields of oil, gas and energy.
The meeting was attended by the Undersecretary for Extraction Affairs and the General Managers of the Oil Marketing Company, the North Oil Company, the Economic Department, and the Legal Department, according to the statement.
Turkey halted flows on the pipeline, which transports oil from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, in March 2023 after an arbitration court ordered it to pay approximately $1.5 billion in compensation to Iraq for transporting oil without Baghdad's approval. Ankara refused to pay the fine at the time and demanded that Erbil pay it.
The pipeline closure halted Iraqi oil exports by approximately 500,000 barrels per day. The resumption of oil flows from Kurdistan may mitigate some of the impact on markets caused by reduced shipments from Iraq, the main source of crude.
Iraq had been exporting between 400,000 and 500,000 barrels per day from northern fields, including the Kurdistan Region, via the now-defunct pipeline. Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani said earlier this month that Iraq plans to transport at least 300,000 barrels per day of crude oil once operations resume. He added that the Iraqi government has also begun a formal process to persuade the regional government to transfer the oil to the Federal Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO).
Türkiye has repeatedly said that the pipeline is operational and that it is up to Iraq to resume flows, and the United States has also expressed a strong desire to see oil flow through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline.
Resuming pipeline shipments could pose a dilemma for Baghdad, which is committed to reducing crude production as part of the OPEC+ agreement but is struggling to comply with the promised cuts.
OPEC's production and exports are under increased scrutiny after US President Donald Trump called on the group in early 2025 to "bring down the price of oil." LINK
Courtesy of Dinar Guru: https://www.dinarguru.com/
Militia Man It's been a long road. I understand. Everybody is waiting for what we're looking for. Everybody should be excited because...all the little bits and pieces if you tie them in together you're going to find that Iraq is ready to go international. Internationlism is being put out in the news the last few days...one after another, one after another...Just myself alone I was able to get to about 16 or 17 articles out of hundreds...
Frank26 [Iraq boots-on-the-ground report] FIREFLY: Mr. Sammy...says watch for when the budget tables make it to Council of ministers (COM) because they already said they would review it and vote on it as soon as possible. The the COM is where and when that rate will show up...When it goes to the COM that's when to get excited because soon they will vote and the COM will do it quickly...That's what we need, Council of Minister first...then that rate will show...Parliament is just a formality. FRANK: Sudani sends the budget tables to the COM? Are you kidding me? I didn't know he was going to do that. He's not going to send it to parliament? Oh my goodness that's like Sudani telling parliament to pick a finger and you might as well pick the middle finger because he's not going to share anything with them...until the very last second...
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MAJOR Currency Breakthrough ZiG = $0 08
Edu Matrix: 3-16-2025
Discover how Zimbabwe's innovative new gold-backed currency, the ZiG, is making waves on the global financial stage!
Currently valued at eight cents, this bold move could set a precedent for other nations like Iraq to follow, potentially increasing their own currency value.
In this video, we delve into the implications of this new development and what it could mean for global markets.
