Some “Iraq News” Posted by Clare at KTFA 1-25-2025
KTFA:
Clare: IBBC to Host Innovation Conference in Baghdad Next Month
1/25/2025 Baghdad –
The Iraqi-British Business Council-IBBC announced on Saturday that it will organize an innovation conference next month in the capital, Baghdad, This announcement follows a successful visit by Prime Minister Mohamed Shia’ al-Sudani to the United Kingdom.
In a report followed by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), IBBC stated that “Iraq is stable, its economy is expanding and diversifying to meet the needs of the people. IBBC have been asked by the Iraq Prime Minster, Mr Al Sudani, to hold a Baghdad conference on Innovation”.
“Following a successful visit to the UK by the Prime Minister and several of his top ministers, a significant trade deal was announced with UK and Iraq, estimated at $15bn, across several sectors, to include cutting edge technology and knowledge transfer to Iraq. Some of these companies will be speaking at the Baghdad conference and the conference is dedicated to the theme of delivering innovation,” the statement added.
The statement further noted,"The purpose of the conference will showcase how Iraq is currently delivering Innovation and what might be possible to do soon, with the help of the Uk and International partners. IBBC has several members already delivering innovative solutions and products in Iraq, which will be showcased at the conference. We will be examining the power of knowledge transfer across all the panels and discussing what Iraq needs to do to deliver this internally, and the benefits of delivering innovation successfully".
The statement elaborated that "In his paper on ‘ease of doing business in Iraq’ Professor Frank Gunter, who is speaking, pointed out that modernising and digitising the financial system, not only will enable swifter transactions, access to and international funds, but also reduce the opportunities for corruption. Both EY and Hogan Lovells will explain their work on modernising the Central bank systems of Iraq and consolidation among banks and banking reforms,”
Stressing that “1001 is a leading Anglo- Iraqi streaming company that has already signed up over 2 million subscribers, but it is focused on protecting Intellectual property in Iraq, and this is a new opportunity for Iraqis to produce content, derive income and tax receipts from subscriptions. We expect to be joined by companies discussing 5G technology, and provision of fast internet for the delivery of state-of-the-art communications and explaining the importance of cyber protection for Iraqi assets, communications, and defence”. LINK
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Clare: Minister of Trade: The 48th session of the Baghdad International Fair will be distinguished in terms of preparation, size and diversity of participation
1/25/2025 Baghdad /
Minister of Trade, Athir Dawood Al-Ghariri, confirmed that the 48th session of the Baghdad International Fair will be exceptional this year in terms of preparations, organization, and the size and diversity of participation compared to previous sessions.
Al-Ghariri pointed out, during an inspection tour conducted by the minister on Saturday evening to review the final preparations for the launch of the exhibition activities, scheduled to be held from February 1 to 7, under the patronage of the Prime Minister, and under the slogan "Investment - Development - Prosperity"; that the exhibition will represent an important platform to attract Arab and foreign investors, as meetings will be held for the public and private sectors on its sidelines, in addition to signing partnership contracts for projects in various fields.
The minister explained that "the exhibition will host participants from 20 Arab and foreign countries, with more than a thousand local and international companies, and the Sultanate of Oman is the guest of honor of the 48th session.
" Al-Ghariri stressed that "the new session will be characterized by innovative designs that include green spaces, modern pavilions, restaurants, fountains, and illuminated visual graphics, in addition to implementing new mechanisms for visitors' entry, in addition to organizing cultural and entertainment events and various competitions during the days of the exhibition."
At the end of the tour, the Minister directed the necessity of completing all preparations within the specified timeframes and with the combined efforts of everyone. LINK
Clare: Will spending be disrupted by delaying the budget amendment? A government advisor explains
1/24/2025
The financial advisor to the Prime Minister, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, explained the disbursement mechanism in the event that the amendment to the financial budget law is not approved.
Saleh told Al Furat News Agency: "There is a legal rule that stipulates that the special law restricts the general law, and since the Federal General Budget Law No. 13 of 2023 is the basis for legislation for the state budget for the year 2025 within the scope of the federal general budget legislation and is specialized for three years, there is no other text that adds to the suspension of work on it."
He added, "I also do not see that one article, which is 77/second, related to submitting tables related to estimates for implementing the 2025 budget and according to the required adjustments, will restrict work in implementing the general budget originally legislated in 2023 and resorting to Law No. 6 of 2019, as amended, and we mean the Federal Financial Management Law.
" Saleh continued, "Despite that, we do not see anything that hinders the submission of the state's general budget tables for the year 2025, as the financial authority has the ability and sufficient tools to submit them in the appropriate coming period and according to a broad technical consultation circle between the executive and legislative authorities and in a manner that serves the national interest of the country and the government program."
Saleh said that "government spending is proceeding normally, in addition to public revenues, and there is nothing restricting the elements of implementing the general budget, except for the amendment currently before the House of Representatives."
Raghad LINK
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Clare: Good news for Iraqi employees.. Parliamentary Finance announces the date of launching bonuses and promotions
1/24/2025
The Finance Committee in the Iraqi Council of Representatives clarified on Friday that it is waiting for the Iraqi government to send the 2025 budget schedules for approval, and while it expected the date for launching employee allowances and promotions according to the applicable timetable, it confirmed that allowances and promotions are a natural right of employees from the Ministry of Finance.
"The budget approved in 2023 is a three-year budget for the years (2023, 2024 and 2025), and the change that occurred as a first stage is the amendment to Article 12/Second/C only, which is regarding the resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region with a capacity of 400 thousand barrels of oil, at a cost of extracting and transporting one barrel of $16 instead of $6, and this was read in the first reading, and the discussion remains in the second reading and then voting on the amendment, and after this amendment there are no other amendments to the budget," committee member, Moeen Al-Kadhimi, told Shafaq News Agency.
Al-Kadhimi added, "The Finance Committee is waiting, after the budget amendment is completed, for the government to send the budget tables that will show whether there are specific increases or otherwise."
Regarding employee bonuses and promotions, Al-Kadhimi explained, "This is related to the Ministry of Finance, which issued a statement suspending bonuses until the budget is approved, and according to the timetable in effect, bonuses may be added to employee salaries next February, which is a natural right of employees over the Ministry of Finance."
On January 17, the Iraqi Ministry of Finance confirmed that employees’ rights to bonuses and promotions are “fully preserved.”
The Ministry's media said in a statement received by Shafak News Agency, "Based on the Ministry of Finance's circular No. (555) for the year 2025, we would like to clarify that the procedures related to stopping the transfer of services, promotions, calculating contract services, press and legal services, and others, are regulatory procedures that are adopted annually to accurately determine financial allocations."
She added that "transferring services from one entity to another requires transferring allocations, which currently cannot be implemented due to the lack of 2025 budget schedules, as this allows knowing the financial allocations for each entity to ensure that there are no violations or imbalances in the financial distribution."
She explained that she is working to "ensure the regulation of government spending and determine the ceilings of financial allocations for ministries and entities not affiliated with a ministry, including the Kurdistan Region."
The ministry stressed, according to the statement, "the importance of following up on new appointments and knowing the numbers of direct and indirect employees to avoid any funding shortage and ensure that salaries are paid correctly during the current month of January."
The Ministry stressed that "employees' rights to bonuses and promotions are fully preserved, and that they are calculated in accordance with the Legal Department's Circular No. (7497) dated 3/9/2021, which is calculated from the date of entitlement and not from the date of issuance of the ministerial order."
The ministry noted that "the procedures for direct admission of top students and graduates for the year 2024, launched by the Federal Service Council, have not been fully completed, and their data is still being updated."
The ministry indicated that "most of the financial allocations for the new grades for the year 2024 were included in the schedules of the ministries' headquarters, but the actual direct actions and distribution took place at the level of the departments, and have not yet been sent to the Ministry of Finance. Therefore, the ministry is currently working on following up on the financial costs of the employees to include them correctly and to ensure that there is no shortage in the allocation from the 2025 estimates schedules." LINK