“Tidbits From TNT” Thursday 7-18-2024

TNT:

Tishwash:  100 investment opportunities next November100 

The National Investment Commission has completed its preparations for holding a major investment conference next November.

The head of the authority, Haider Makiya, explained that the authority has completed all its preparations to hold a major investment conference in which about 100 investment opportunities will be presented in all of Iraq’s governorates, noting that invitations have been sent to ambassadors, officials, and all ministers.

 He pointed out that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani will attend the conference as he is the biggest supporter of such conferences to see the extent of the readiness of major companies to invest in Iraq as a fertile and promising land, pointing out that the role of embassies is great in this matter, as they conveyed an appropriate image of Iraq and its enjoyment of unparalleled security and economic stability during this important stage of its history.

Makiya added that the conference, which will be held on November 2-3, will be a major economic event in the capital, Baghdad, to present exceptional investment opportunities that the world's largest companies can work on. link

Tishwash:   Minister of Trade stresses importance of Arab support for Iraq's accession to WTO

Minister of Trade, Athir Dawood Al-Ghariri, stressed today, Thursday, the importance of Arab support for Iraq's accession to the World Trade Organization.

A statement by the Ministry of Commerce, received by "Al-Eqtisad News", stated that "Minister of Commerce Athir Dawood Al-Ghariri met with the Saudi Ambassador and Head of the Working Group on Iraq's Accession to the World Trade Organization, Saqr Al-Muqbil, in the presence of the ambassadors of the Arab countries in the organization, to discuss mobilizing Arab support for Iraq's accession file to the World Trade Organization."

The statement added, "During the meeting, the progress made by Iraq in meeting the requirements for accession and the challenges it faces in this path were reviewed."

During the meeting, Minister Al-Ghariri stressed the "importance of Arab support to strengthen Iraq's position and achieve its goals in joining the organization."

At the same time, the Minister pointed out "the economic and commercial benefits that will accrue to Iraq and the Arab countries through this accession."

For their part, the Arab ambassadors expressed their "readiness to support Iraq in its efforts," stressing "the importance of strengthening Arab cooperation in international organizations link

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Tishwash: The Economic Situation in Iraq: Challenges and Future Prospects

 Iraq is currently going through a critical economic phase, as the country faces many challenges that hinder its growth and stability. The Iraqi economy is one of the most diversified in the region, but it continues to suffer from the effects of internal conflicts and fluctuations in global oil prices.

Economic Challenges

One of the most prominent challenges facing the Iraqi economy is high unemployment among young people, with statistics indicating that the unemployment rate exceeds 25%. This is attributed to the decline in foreign and local investments as a result of the security and political unrest that the country has witnessed over the past years.

Financial and administrative corruption is another obstacle to economic growth. Iraq ranks high in global corruption indices, which negatively impacts the business environment and limits the ability to attract foreign investment. This corruption affects all sectors of the economy, from oil and gas to infrastructure and public services.

Economic Reforms

In the face of these challenges, the Iraqi government is implementing a package of economic reforms aimed at enhancing economic growth and achieving financial stability. Among these reforms are improving the management of oil revenues and diversifying sources of income by supporting non-oil sectors such as agriculture, industry and tourism.

The government is also working to improve the business environment by simplifying administrative procedures and fighting corruption. Oversight bodies have been established to enhance transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.

Future Prospects

Despite the major challenges, there are signs of hope that Iraq’s economic situation can improve. Government initiatives to diversify the economy and boost investment in vital sectors could create new jobs and improve living standards for the population.

In addition, the stability of global oil prices represents an opportunity for Iraq to generate additional revenues that can be used to finance development projects and improve infrastructure.

In conclusion, achieving an economic renaissance in Iraq requires concerted efforts between the government, the private sector, and civil society, in addition to benefiting from international support to enhance economic and social stability. link

Tishwash:  A military delegation headed by Yarallah will visit Washington soon...and the American withdrawal may take 3 to 5 years

Baghdad has not yet commented on the attempt to assassinate former US President Donald Trump, while Muqtada Al-Sadr, the leader of the Sadrist movement, described what happened as a “clip from a movie.”

Since the beginning of this year, Baghdad and the United States have been engaged in dialogues about the Western military presence in the country, which have reached the procedures stage, according to the parties to the coordination framework.

A former politician and attempted MP warns that the assassination of Trump, whose interpretations of the incident are now limited to an individual act, may affect Washington's policy in Iraq at a later time.

The Iraqi military leadership is supposed to meet with American officials this July in Washington to complete negotiations on withdrawal.

The two parties held three meetings in Iraq about the fate of the coalition forces, while it is likely that Abdul Amir Yarallah, Chief of Staff of the Army, will lead the next delegation.

A few days ago, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said while he was in Washington to attend NATO meetings that "a military delegation will visit Washington to hold discussions about the security agreement concluded between Iraq and the United States."

There is still a conflict in statements between Baghdad and Washington regarding the nature of the negotiations that began at the beginning of this year, regarding whether the United States will withdraw or stay for a longer time.

According to leaks from political circles, the military delegation that will soon go to the United States will ask for “3 or 4 months to finalize the withdrawal arrangements.”

But there are other political parties who doubt the possibility of withdrawing forces so quickly, and talk about the United States requiring between “3 to 5 years” to evacuate the forces.

Ali Nimah, a member of the Security and Defense Committee in Parliament, says that the issue of removing foreign forces from Iraq will not end “overnight,” noting that it is hoped that the transition to bilateral relations will begin during the next year.

Last June, the government confirmed that it had begun new measures in preparation for the withdrawal of coalition forces present since 2014, by developing military infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Hassan Fadaam, a former leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces, said in contact with (Al-Mada) that “the decision to withdraw is final and final, and there is no retreat from the Iraqi government.”

Fadam, a former representative of the Al-Hikma Movement, points out that “the withdrawal is within the government program and also within the political agreement that occurred between all political parties and was informed by the American authorities through diplomacy and by the political forces in all their meetings with American officials.”

Fadham, a member of the coordination framework, confirms that there are major changes in this file. “Work has moved from dialogues to procedures. There are daily procedures in preparation for withdrawal.”

The former MP revealed that a recent visit by a US Defense Department official to Baghdad was part of these arrangements, as he "visited the American bases to begin the withdrawal."

A week ago, Al-Sudani's office reported that the latter received the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle Eastern Affairs, Daniel Shapiro, in Baghdad.

The office confirmed in a statement that the meeting included talk about "proceeding procedures to end the mission of the international coalition to fight ISIS, and to activate bilateral relations between Iraq and the United States."

Hassan Fadaam says that the United States may try to reverse the withdrawal under various pretexts, “but Iraq is monitoring these moves that Washington could use to disrupt the withdrawal.”

Last February, the Iraqi factions retreated from targeting American forces in an undeclared truce, to give the government the opportunity to negotiate with Washington.

The number of American forces in Iraq since the beginning of 2003 was about 130,000, and it remained fluctuating between 100,000 and 150,000, but it rose again to about 170,000 with the intensification of violence in 2007.

At the end of 2011, the United States withdrew its forces during the era of former President Barack Obama. Except for a few military advisors.

However, with the spread of ISIS in 2014, Washington doubled its forces to more than 5,000 members, before reducing them again to 3,000 in 2021, then to about 2,500 this year.

Withdrawal...and Trump is the example of Alusi, the politician and former MP, who says that the presence of American forces in Iraq was “always the focus of discussion in all American governments after 2003,” but he did not raise, not Once, either secretly or publicly, the idea of ​​“reducing the level of forces to zero.”

Successful American administrations, according to Al-Alusi, who spoke to Al-Mada, were thinking about withdrawing the strike force "and leaving elite forces that represent the American moral and strategic presence in Iraq."

A few days ago, Arab media close to Tehran said that the United States “withdrew an official announcement to schedule a reduction in the number of its forces in Iraq.” It is likely that this is related to the process of withdrawing American forces from Niger.

America, according to Al-Alusi, will reduce the military presence in Iraq and not the political, diplomatic or economic presence if it finds that "the government is part of American ideas and interests, but the opposite will happen if the militia penetration and preoccupation With opening camps for the Houthis in Iraq continues.”

The United States will soon enter into a sensitive political situation with the approaching presidential elections, which may not greatly affect the nature of relations with Iraq, according to Al-Alusi, a former member of the Foreign Relations Committee in Parliament.

He says that the change in the US government “affects foreign relations on major issues with Russia and China,but not with Iraq and Iran.”

But on the other hand, he points out the possibility that the attempt to assassinate Trump may affect Washington policy if it is proven that the perpetrator, whose action is explained as an isolated incident, influenced Iraqi and Iranian propaganda against the nominated president, especially if he wins the elections.

In 2021, an Iraqi court issued an arrest warrant against Trump, against the backdrop of the assassination of Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis and Qassem Soleimani.

So far, Baghdad has not commented on the assassination attempt, at a time when Muqtada al-Sadr said in a tweet on the “Just allegations.”

Al-Alusi advised the Iraqi government to denounce the assassination attempt, "not for Trump's sake, but in rejection of the assassination attempts that the authorities in Iraq accused of against activists and protesters."  link

Mot: Gunna be un of Those Daze!!!

Mot: Seeeeeeeeee -- Ya Can Always Find the ""Positive"" of things!!!