“Tidbits From TNT” Thursday Morning 8-15-2024

TNT:

Tishwash:  With an increase in recent months.. Iraq's internal debt exceeds 78 trillion dinars - Urgent

The financial advisor to the Prime Minister, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, confirmed today, Wednesday, that Iraq's internal debt exceeds 78 trillion dinars, with an increase in recent months.

Saleh said in a statement to (Al-Rabia) that "Iraq's move towards borrowing from the domestic banking market to finance two waves of the general budget deficit came under the influence of the decline in the oil assets cycle and in two different periods during the current decade. The first wave of borrowing, which amounted to nearly 27 trillion dinars, was financed by the government banking system through purchasing treasury transfers during the intensification of the security crisis (the entry of the terrorist ISIS) between the years 2014-2017."

He added that "the International Monetary Fund estimated at that time the current account deficit gap of the balance of payments due to the decline in oil prices to be no less than 18 billion dollars cumulatively during those years, and the second wave occurred between the years 2020 and 2021, that is, during the health crisis with the spread of Corona and the closure of the global economy, which was accompanied by a decline in oil prices and a decline in budget revenues and the loss of more than 40% of the value of the oil barrel

While the legislation of the general budget law for the fiscal year 2020 was absent and was replaced by three legislations to finance the deficit, two of which were for direct domestic borrowing and two separate laws issued by the House of Representatives, that by heading towards the domestic borrowing market and the other is the Food Security and Development Law, and an important aspect of it was based on domestic borrowing as well, which raised the level of domestic debt to exceed the barrier of 78 trillion dinars."  link

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Harambe:  Telegram: A major cyberattack has targeted the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) and several other banks …

Telegram Link

A major cyberattack has targeted the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) and several other banks, leading to widespread disruptions in the country’s banking system. Initial assessments indicate this could be one of the largest cyberattacks ever against Iranian state infrastructure.

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Harambe:  Cyberattack targets Central Bank of Iran 

#BREAKING A major cyberattack has targeted the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) and several other banks, leading to widespread disruptions in the country’s banking system, @IranIntl has learned. Initial assessments indicate this could be one of the largest cyberattacks ever against… Show more

https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-814715

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Masoud Barzani calls for national wealth and wants to preserve it, but what is the story of the “committees of commitment”?

Today, Wednesday (August 14, 2024), the leader of the Coordination Framework, Saad Al-Saadi, revealed the results of the agreement between the framework and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Masoud Barzani, regarding the oil smuggling file.

Al-Saadi told Baghdad Today, "Smuggling natural resources, including oil, in any country represents a drain on the economy, destruction of infrastructure, and loss of the rights of the people of all stripes. Therefore, the smuggling file must be stopped." 

He added, "During the visit of the President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Masoud Barzani, to the capital, Baghdad, and his meeting with the leaders of the framework, the issue of natural resources was actually raised within a broad agreement to preserve them as a national wealth."

He continued: "It was agreed to form committees whose mission is to oblige all parties to abide by the decisions of the Federal Court on the oil and gas file, in addition to the rest of the other agreements with Baghdad," adding: "We hope at the same time that there will be seriousness and credibility on the part of our brothers in the region in implementing the terms of the agreement." 

He pointed out that "the management of oil and other wealth by the central government and its institutions is within the context of the Iraqi constitution, and this will must be respected and adhered to because it will address many problems and provide greater protection for the national wealth."

The visit of the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Massoud Barzani, to Baghdad attracted attention because it came after six years of "estrangement" with the ruling political class in Iraq, which suggests that a remarkable development has occurred in the relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the central government.

Political circles believe that the aim of the visit is to crown the partial understandings that occurred recently and covered several files with a comprehensive settlement between the region and the centre.

Barzani's presence as a prominent Kurdish figure aims to lend legitimacy to the settlement and raise its value so that it appears to be an important event and not just a passing meeting, which is what the central government needs to confirm its ability to bring the region's leaders to its square, while the settlement reduces internal pressures on the region's officials, especially if he succeeds in ensuring smooth and continuous payment of salaries.  link

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Tishwash:  Parliamentary Finance Committee discusses with US Embassy the financial and banking system and the lack of dollars in the market

The Parliamentary Finance Committee confirmed, today, Tuesday, discussing the financial and banking system and the lack of the dollar in the Iraqi market with a delegation from the US Embassy in Baghdad.

A statement by the Parliament's media department received by / Today's News / stated that "the head of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Atwan Al-Atwani, received at the committee headquarters, in the presence of Representative Khalil Al-Dawski, today, Wednesday, a delegation from the US Embassy in Baghdad, Minister Counselor for Economic and Trade Affairs Julie Jules, Deputy Counselor for Economic and Trade Affairs Angel Fintling, Macroeconomic Officer, Economic and Financial Section Michael Pinnell, and Economic Assistant/Economic Section, to discuss the financial and banking system in the country, Ammar Al-Ammar."

The statement continued, "The meeting discussed the financial and economic situation in the country and the repercussions of the parallel market issue and its negative impact on the government economically, in addition to the lack of the dollar currency in the market, and the sanctions imposed on some banks, as well as the issue of the electronic platform for exporting the currency."

The head of the committee stressed "the importance of high coordination between the two sides in order to solve the pending financial problems, in addition to the importance of transparent dealing to benefit from the capabilities, and not resorting to dealing in another currency," noting "the need to create an atmosphere of understanding and invest in building bilateral relations on this basis."

Al-Atwani stressed "the committee's keenness to commit to combating financial corruption and confronting money laundering, as they are the basis for building societies, in addition to coordination in order to make correct decisions in this regard."

For her part, the Minister Advisor for Economic and Trade Affairs said that "there is a real opportunity for cooperation and reform of the economic and financial system between the two sides," stressing "working together to find appropriate solutions to all problems for the stability of Iraq as a basic ally of the United States."

The statement noted "providing clarification on the three-year general budget and plans for banking regulation and reform of the spending process, and how to finance projects, in addition to the importance of supporting the private sector and involving it with the public sector, which confirms the importance of investing the revenues achieved and the possibility of providing the service."
According to the statement, Al-Atwani pointed out the "ambition to legislate a law on partnership between the public and private sectors and involve the private sector in the market, in addition to working to amend the tax law and shift from the paper system to the electronic system."  link

Mot: . All Too Soooon 

Mot:  Just Letting Yous Know!!!! 

 

 

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Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Wednesday Evening 8-14-24