Wednesday Iraq News Posted by Tishwash at TNT 7-8-2027
TNT:
Tishwash: The World Bank commends Iraq's steps in modernizing its public budget preparation tools.
On Tuesday, Deputy Minister of Finance Ali Karim met with a World Bank delegation headed by Samer Mata to discuss modernizing public financial management.
The Ministry of Finance stated in a press release received by the Video News Agency that the meeting reviewed the Ministry's progress in transitioning from line-item budgeting to program and performance-based budgeting.
This included preparing implementation documents and templates, and identifying requirements for developing systems, schedules, and electronic displays in the Budget and Accounting Departments. These improvements aim to support digital transformation and enhance oversight, governance, and the efficiency of public spending.
The statement added that the Ministry emphasizes the importance of the technical support provided by the World Bank in this process. It also stressed the need to form a specialized national team from within the Ministry to oversee implementation, train spending units, and ensure a gradual and effective transition to program and performance-based budgeting.
For its part, the World Bank delegation commended the Ministry of Finance's steps in modernizing budget preparation tools and developing financial management systems. The delegation affirmed its readiness to provide the necessary technical expertise to support the project and establish more efficient and transparent modern financial practices. link
Tishwash: Parliamentary move to resolve the cabinet formation issue during upcoming sessions
MP Abbas Al-Maliki stressed on Wednesday that the delay in completing the cabinet does not serve the political process, calling on political blocs to expedite the resolution of this issue and send the names of the remaining ministers to the House of Representatives for a vote.
Al-Maliki told Al-Maalomah News Agency that “the delay in completing the cabinet does not serve the political process and affects the government’s work and the implementation of its program,” indicating that “the House of Representatives informed the political blocs of the need to reach an agreement and send the names of the remaining ministers in preparation for voting on them.”
He added that "political activity is still ongoing among political forces in order to reach understandings regarding the vacant ministries."
Al-Maliki indicated that "there is a move to resolve the issue of completing the cabinet during the upcoming sessions of the Council of Representatives, which will contribute to finalizing the government formation and closing this file." link
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Tishwash: Visit to Washington: An economic gamble to boost investment
All eyes are on the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi to the American capital, Washington, amid expectations that it will be an important step in strengthening economic relations between Iraq and the United States, and opening new horizons for foreign investments, especially in vital sectors that are relied upon to diversify the national economy and reduce dependence on oil revenues.
The visit also represents an important milestone in the course of Iraqi-American relations, as it holds opportunities to enhance political, economic, and security cooperation, in addition to raising national and humanitarian issues of concern to the various components of the Iraqi people. This is confirmed by MP Khalid Sido, a member of the Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee, in an interview with Al-Sabah newspaper, where he indicated that Al-Zidi's anticipated visit to Washington represents an important opportunity to strengthen relations between Iraq and the United States, expressing his hope that its results will reflect positively on stability and economic development in Iraq.
Sido stressed the importance of the visit carrying a humanitarian message that confirms the state’s concern for all its components, emphasizing the need to address outstanding humanitarian issues.
He pointed out that the success of the visit should be measured by the gains it achieves for Iraq through the establishment of a genuine partnership based on respect for Iraqi sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, while preserving the independence of national decision-making. Sido indicated that Iraq possesses an important geographical location and great wealth that qualifies it to be an economic and strategic center in the region, expressing his hope that the visit will contribute to supporting security and stability and opening up broader horizons for economic and investment cooperation, which will reflect positively on the citizens and the Iraqi economy.
Furthermore, economic experts believe that the success of the visit will not be measured solely by the number of agreements that may be signed, but rather by Iraq's ability to convey a clear message to American investors and decision-makers that the country now possesses a more receptive environment for investments, and that it is moving towards building long-term economic partnerships that achieve common interests.
Professor of International Economics, Dr. Nawwar Al-Saadi, affirms that the most prominent economic message that the Iraqi delegation should carry is that Iraq is no longer looking for relations based on aid, but rather seeks sustainable investment partnerships based on mutual benefit.
Al-Saadi points out that Iraq has promising opportunities in the energy, gas, petrochemical, infrastructure, digital transformation, agriculture and manufacturing sectors, which are areas capable of generating rewarding returns for investors.
Al-Saadi adds to “Al-Sabah” that enhancing investor confidence requires providing clear messages regarding the continuation of economic reforms, improving the business environment, simplifying administrative procedures, enhancing governance and transparency, as well as protecting investments and continuing efforts to combat corruption, stressing that capital seeks first stability and legal guarantees before seeking profits.
The spokesperson added that it is also necessary to highlight Iraq’s orientations towards diversifying sources of income and expanding the role of the private sector, which would allow American companies the opportunity to enter as a partner in the development process, and not just as an implementer of projects. He pointed out that presenting a clear investment map supported by implementation mechanisms and legal guarantees will enhance the international community’s confidence in the Iraqi economy and open the door to quality investments that contribute to technology transfer, job creation, and economic growth.
For his part, economic researcher Ahmed Al-Ansari affirms that the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington represents an important opportunity to strengthen the economic partnership between Iraq and the United States, explaining that its success may contribute to attracting American and foreign investments to the energy, electricity, industry, infrastructure and technology sectors.
Al-Ansari adds that reaching economic understandings and agreements and sending reassuring messages to investors will enhance confidence in the Iraqi economy and encourage international companies to enter the local market, but he stressed at the same time that achieving these gains remains dependent on Iraq’s ability to improve the investment environment, consolidate stability, and accelerate economic and administrative reforms, in order to ensure that agreements are transformed into real productive projects that support economic diversification and provide new job opportunities.
Experts agree that the upcoming visit represents an opportunity to enhance Iraq’s economic standing regionally and internationally. However, its success requires following up on the implementation of any understandings and agreements that may result from it, and transforming them into tangible projects that contribute to achieving economic development, raise the level of confidence in the national economy, and support the government’s direction towards building a more diversified and stable economy. link
Tishwash: More than just protocol: Radical shifts drive Al-Zaidi's visit to Washington this month!
Introduction: Iraq stands at a new crossroads in the corridors of international diplomacy.
Visits by heads of state are often dismissed as routine protocol procedures filled with forced smiles, but Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zaidi's visit to Washington in mid-July breaks this mold. In the aftermath of the "Iran 2026 War" and the fragility of the "Islamabad Memorandum," Zaidi carries not merely investment requests, but a "sovereignty first" doctrine. It is a bold attempt to transform Iraq from a regional arena of attrition into a "vital hub" that neither Washington nor the global economy can ignore.
First: Hunting the “Big Fish” – When bullets and money speak, al-Zaidi’s journey didn’t begin in Washington, but rather in the streets of Baghdad on the still night of the 28th of last month. That night, counterterrorism forces shattered the status quo with swift raids targeting bastions of nepotism. This wasn’t a political “show,” but the first wave of the “50 Whales” list identified by the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity.
The operation resulted in the arrest of 47 high-ranking officials, including parliamentarians and governors, and the seizure of large sums of cash hidden in private safes. For al-Zaydi, this move was domestic “political suicide,” but in Washington, it was a strategic “credit card”; it was the only message capable of persuading the US Treasury to lift restrictions on Iraqi banks and translate promises of integrity into concrete reality.
“Al-Zaidi’s categorical refusal of a $200 million bribe from an oil tycoon has become the ‘founding statement’ of his administration, and the moral cornerstone with which he confronts skeptics in the White House, declaring the end of the era of ‘money for silence’.”
Second: The “OPEC Surprise” – Iraq brandishes its surplus weapon in a high-stakes geopolitical poker game. Al-Zaidi holds a card that could redraw the global energy map: the threat to suspend Iraq’s membership in OPEC. This is not merely a threat to increase production; it is a carefully crafted pressure tactic to extract US recognition of the “Joint Energy and Development Fund.”
By threatening to pump 7 million barrels per day, al-Zaidi presents Washington with two equally unpalatable options: either engage in supporting the Iraqi infrastructure fund on favorable terms, or face an oil flood that could destabilize energy prices and traditional oil alliances. Al-Zaidi is not asking for aid; he is trading the stability of the global market for funding for the “new Iraq.”
Third: “Securing the Future” – Iraq as a Global Reserve Hub. After the 2026 war exposed the vulnerability of the Strait of Hormuz, al-Zaidi proposes Iraq as a “global reserve hub” for energy, representing a geopolitical “insurance policy” for the West. The race here is not only economic but also a race against time, as Turkey is pushing for a new agreement for the Nord Stream pipeline by a deadline this month.
Through the “Development Road” and the Nord Stream pipelines, al-Zaidi seeks to create a reliable overland alternative, offering the United States three strategic advantages:
Neutralizing the Strait’s vulnerability: ensuring the flow of oil away from regional maritime threats.
The return of the giants: providing security and political guarantees for American energy companies to return to work within a unified legal framework between Baghdad and Erbil.
Lasting stability: transforming Iraq from a “corridor of wars” into a “lifeline” connecting the Gulf to Europe by land.
Fourth: The Technological Fortress – Sovereignty via Starlink and Blockchain.
Al-Zaidi understands that digitally compromised sovereignty is illusory. Therefore, his visit to Washington transcends traditional arms deals, reaching into the realm of “digital sovereignty.” The move towards Starlink and American cloud providers is not merely a technological luxury, but an attempt to decouple from regional fiber optic networks vulnerable to hacking and political blackmail.
In this context, the KBR-Nebras agreements stand out as a cornerstone for building a “technological fortress.” By combining KBR’s infrastructure expertise with a blockchain-based “government contract gateway,” al-Zaidi aims to render corruption technologically impossible. Here, technology not only combats corruption through legal means, but also makes data and contract manipulation a matter of pure programming imagination.
Fifth: The “Hard Stop” Date – The Moment of Truth on September 30.
The date of September 30 remains the shadow over all discussions; it is the date of the “Hard Stop” for all armed activities outside the authority of the state. Al-Zaidi is going to Washington to forge a unique bilateral security agreement: advanced air and intelligence support, without an “army on the ground.”
This gamble represents a “moment of confrontation” with the militias. Without effective American intelligence cover, the withdrawal could be interpreted as a “retreat” that opens the door for the rearming of the factions. Al-Zaidi seeks to secure a technical and security commitment that guarantees the state remains the only force permitted to bear arms, transforming military support from a “combat presence” into a smart “intelligence partnership.”
Conclusion: Can technology outpace inertia?
Ali al-Zaidi’s trip to Washington is the most ambitious attempt yet to transform the Islamabad Memorandum from a fragile, war-imposed truce into a lasting geopolitical and economic reality. Al-Zaidi is betting that individual integrity, bolstered by digital immunity, can break the deadlock of past decades.
As he sits in the Oval Office, the philosophical question facing Iraq’s future remains: Can technology and sovereign vigilance outpace the inertia of a long history of corruption and weapons, or will the powerful find a way to circumvent even blockchain technology? Iraq’s next decade is being written now in Washington, in ink of oil, digital sovereignty, and unwavering resolve. link