Some “Iraq News” Posted by Clare at KTFA 8-1-2024

KTFA:

Clare: Mazhar Saleh: A trend towards reforming the government banking sector

8/1/2024

 Baghdad: Imad Al-Emara

The financial advisor to the Prime Minister, Dr. Mazhar Mohammed Salih, considered the reform of the banking system as one of the most prominent priorities of the government program, due to its positive effects on all aspects of the economy.

Salih explained to Al-Sabah that "the government's vision for economic reform focused to a large extent on banking reform, which is one of the priorities of the government program, and the first steps began through Rafidain Bank," noting that "the government banking sector currently dominates more than 85 percent of the banking system's assets, and its banking operations and activities account for almost the same percentage of total deposits and bank credit."   LINK

Clare: Prime Minister's Advisor: We are moving towards reforming the government banking sector

8/1/2024  Baghdad: The pillar of the emirate

The financial advisor to the Prime Minister, Dr. Mazhar Mohammed Salih, stated that reforming the banking system is one of the most prominent priorities of the government program, due to its positive impact on all aspects of the economy, indicating that the first steps of this reform began through the government banking sector, which currently dominates more than 85 percent of the banking system's assets, and its banking operations and activities account for almost the same percentage of total deposits and credit.

Earlier, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani chaired a special meeting to develop the work of government banks, and directed the finalization of procedures for developing the work of Rafidain Bank.

The Prime Minister's media office said that during the meeting, which was attended by representatives of Ernst & Young for auditing and financial consulting, Al-Sudani was briefed on the technical and administrative procedures for the Rafidain Bank development project, which were taken during the period following the signing of the contract with the company specialized in structuring and developing work in the banking sector.

It is noteworthy that the Rafidain Bank development plan includes a comprehensive review and evaluation of the bank's work, and structural administrative reforms, aiming to provide a package of integrated banking services to citizens and companies, relying on advanced electronic programs, modern technology in all banking transactions, optimal use of human and technical resources, and transitioning to automated work, which helps the bank's ability to meet
global banking requirements.

Advisor Saleh told Al-Sabah: "The government's vision for economic reform focused largely on banking reform, which is one of the priorities of the government's program, and the first steps began through Rafidain Bank," noting that "the reform principles established by the government program, which was approved by the House of Representatives, are based on regular executive priorities, foremost of which is reforming the banking sector, as the Prime Minister's vision for economic reform focused on reforming the government banking sector, which currently dominates more than 85 percent of the banking system's assets, and its banking operations and activities account for almost the same percentage of total deposits and bank credit."

Saleh pointed out that this beginning came because these banks are large and important, but they are burdened with the legacy left by the conflicts of the past half century and their repercussions on the efficiency of this large banking system, whose capital base still constitutes only a low percentage not exceeding 22 percent of the total capital of the banking system

 Indicating that "in light of this banking dominance burdened by inherited problems, our country suffers from limited growth in the activity of the banking market and its division between private banks, the number of which exceeds 50 banks, but they are limited in activity in deposits and credit, but they do not have a unified and homogeneous competitive banking market with government banks, as government banks monopolize market shares and banking activity and they are suffering greatly and their activity lives on sovereign banking liquidity as they are banks of a purely rentier nature that deal with large government deposits that affect their liquidity."

The government advisor explained that "in order to advance the Iraqi banking market, the first steps of reform have inevitably begun with government banks, especially major commercial banks such as Rafidain Bank. Based on the above, and with the aim of making government banks operate according to capital efficiency standards and lead the financing and development activity in the country on competitive foundations that provide financial inclusion at the same time, the study being prepared by the global auditing and accounting firm Ernst Young is based on the principle of creating a highly efficient government commercial banking sector that takes the initiative with the rest of the banking market in financing market activity on digital foundations and financial and accounting technologies in accordance with modern financial engineering.

He pointed out that this leads to the birth of a government bank specialized in managing government banking operations exclusively and is a fundamental pillar in organizing the treasury account and stabilizing government cash flow budgets, i.e. at the same time being the arm of public finance in government banking organization."

Saleh believes that these steps can achieve the goals that lead to “the birth of a homogeneous banking market that operates according to competitive principles and can integrate with the local and international financial and banking system with high credit and banking efficiency required by the goals of sustainable development and the requirements of the availability of market institutions and their integration between financing services on the one hand and real investment and production growth on the other hand.”    LINK

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Clare: One of the most prominent defendants in the tax deposit theft case was extradited

8/1/2024   Baghdad

The head of the Integrity Commission, Judge Haider Hanoun, announced the extradition of one of the most prominent defendants in the tax deposit theft case.

Hanoun said in a press conference attended by "Al-Eqtisad News", "The issue of the theft of the century will not die no matter how much the corrupt try to hide it from the oversight agencies and the people's eyes," indicating that "fighting corruption is one of the government's priorities."

Hanoun added, "Qasim Mohammed was recovered from the Kurdistan Region and the managing director of the Humpbacked Whale Company after he had fled to Turkey. He is one of the major defendants in the case of stealing tax deposits and the theft recorded against the defendant is 988 billion Iraqi dinars, which are not final numbers," noting that "Nour Zuhair is a defendant who is on bail and will be tried."

He stressed that "the Prime Minister is following up on the issue of tax deposits on a daily basis," stressing that "another accused person, Mohammed Falah Al-Janabi, the managing director of Al-Qant Company, has been arrested. He is accused of stealing more than a trillion dinars through 79 forged checks."  LINK

Clare: By names and addresses.. Details of the arrest of 8 main suspects in the theft case of the century

8/1/2024

The Federal Integrity Commission announced, today, Thursday, an official list of the details of the arrest of 8 main defendants in the case of theft of tax deposits "the theft of the century". They are:

1- Qasim Muhammad Muhammad
was arrested.
Position / Managing Director of Al-Hut Al-Haddab Company
Charge / Receiving 55 checks and 11 eleven appearances
Total stolen amounts
nine hundred and eighty-two billion dinars from the tax deposit account

2- The fugitive accused Abdul Mahdi Tawfiq Mahdi
Location Lebanon
Stolen amounts two trillion two hundred and eighty-three billion Iraqi dinars
Receiving 155 checks for an amount from the tax deposit account

3- The accused Muhammad Falah Abdullah Al-Janabi
Location / United Arab Emirates
Position Managing Director of Al-Qant Company
Receiving 79 checks for
stolen funds / one trillion one hundred and eighty-five billion two hundred and twenty million

4- The fugitive accused Hussein Kawa Abdul Qader Abdul Aziz
Location / Erbil
Position / Managing Director of Baghdad Winds Company
Stolen funds / six hundred and seven billion Iraqi dinars by receiving 40 checks

5- The fugitive accused Abdul Rahman Muhammad Ibrahim
Location / Erbil
Position Managing Director of Badia Al-Masaa Company
Stolen funds / six hundred Twenty-four billion Iraqi dinars through 37 checks

6- The fugitive accused Alaa Khalaf Maran Al-Omar
Location: Lebanon
Position: Office of the former Prime Minister
Stolen funds: Four hundred and ninety-seven billion Iraqi dinars

7- The fugitive accused Abdul Amir Hassoun Ali Taha
Location: State of Kuwait
Position: Managing Director of Al-Fawaris Company
Stolen funds: Receiving an amount of one hundred and twenty-four million US dollars in exchange for facilitating procedures at the Ministry of Finance

8- The fugitive accused Muhammad Hassoun Ali Taha
Location: State of Kuwait Position
: Deputy Managing Director of Al-Fawaris Company.LINK

Clare: Judge Hanoun: The final amount of the theft of tax deposits exceeds what is announced

8/1/2024

Judge Haider Hanoun, head of the Integrity Commission, confirmed: "The final amount of the theft of tax deposits exceeds what is announced, because the Tax Authority has not yet informed us of the actual amount of stolen money.

Hanoun called on the Ministry of Finance and the Tax Authority to provide the Integrity Commission with the names and accounts of the companies from which those funds were stolen and have now become Iraqi money owned by the people. Otherwise, after 15 days, the head of the Tax Authority will be asked to hand over those documents or proceed with all legal measures.

He pointed out: "The amount offered today belongs to the former Director General of the Railway Directorate, which is more than two million dollars and another amount in Iraqi dinars in addition to 9 properties, 5 of which are worth more than 8 billion Iraqi dinars."

He continued: "We are coordinating with the State of Kuwait to extradite two other accused, who are two brothers who were working with the main accused, Nour Zuhair.   LINK