Wednesday Morning Iraq Economic News Highlights 7-19-23
Wednesday Morning Iraq Economic News Highlights 7-19-23
Implementation Of The General Budget Law
Economy 2023/07/18 Number of readings: 450 Baghdad-Iraq today: Member of Parliament, Muhammad Radi, revealed today, Tuesday, the date for implementing the general budget law in ministries and government institutions, while confirming that the Ministry of Finance will send the budget to all ministries tomorrow or the day after.
Radi said in a press interview, "The launch of the salaries of the new job grades will take place after the completion of sending information and orders to all institutions and state ministries," noting that "there are thousands of new recruits awaiting the release of their salaries with the budget.”
And he continued, "The implementation of the budget will be decided this week after it was also circulated to all governorates," pointing out that "there are many job grades that have been allocated and are waiting for full implementation to open the doors for submission to them.”
And on the date of implementation of the general budget, between Radi: “The Ministry of Finance will send the budget to all ministries and institutions tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”
Many segments of society are waiting for the implementation of the budget on the ground, especially after the appeals submitted by the government to the Federal Court were answered, in addition to the cessation of many service projects due to the lack of financial funding for them, amid warnings of continued delay in its implementation seven months after its approval in the House of Representatives.
Parliamentarian: Iraq Needs To Legislate The Oil And Gas Law That Complements The Budget
Deputy Kazem Al-Touki stressed the need for Iraq to legislate important laws, including the oil and gas law, which is complementary to the federal budget.
Al-Touki said in a press interview seen by “Takadam” that: “What matters to the work of the House of Representatives is legislation and oversight, and the country today needs to legislate important and strict laws pertaining to the citizen.”
He added, "Today, laws have been legislated, including the Intelligence and National Security Act, and we have previously issued important laws, including electronic extortion."
Al-Touki referred to "the parliament's presidency request that the second legislative term be different from the first in terms of important laws."
He continued, "We are waiting for the most important complementary law to the budget and the stability of the country's economy, which is the controversial oil and gas law."
"All parliamentary committees will continue to host officials with intensive visits to state institutions," Al-Touki stressed. https://takadum-news.com/archives/174407
Al-Tamimi: The Oil And Gas Law Needs To Include The Decisions Of The Federal Court
Information / Baghdad ... Legal expert Ali Al-Tamimi stressed, on Wednesday, the importance of not violating the decisions of the Federal Court when moving towards approving the oil and gas law, especially since its decisions are final and binding for implementation.
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Al-Tamimi told / information /, "The draft oil and gas law consists of 53 articles, as it required the establishment of the Federal Oil Council headed by the Prime Minister and the membership of the Minister of Oil and Finance, the Governor of the Central Bank, a representative of the producing provinces and regions, and experts in oil, and taking into account the representation of the components of the people.
It is responsible for setting petroleum policies, issuing instructions for implementing contracts, approving exploration, development and production, approving contracts and other terms of reference stipulated in the project.
He added, "The signing of the contracts shall be by the Federal Ministry of Oil, provided that it is approved by the Federal Oil Council within 3 months and referred to the Council, otherwise it is considered null and void. The first is that it be service contracts only, not participation."
And he indicated that "the law needs to be imposed on contracting companies to employ Iraqis exclusively, as self-producing countries do, and this is important, in addition to the issue of previous contracts to legislate the law, so it must be stipulated, and the problem with contracting companies other than the constitution and decisions of the Federal Court should be resolved according to the principle of joint management of the two parties, that is The federal government and the region, with the exclusive right to dispose of the federal government in accordance with Article 135 of the Civil Code, which states (whoever disposes of the property of others, his disposition is dependent on the permission of the owner).
He pointed out that "the law needs to explicitly stipulate the penalties that affect the parties that conclude contracts in violation of this law, as well as specifying the oversight bodies that have the right to view these contracts, in addition to its need to stipulate the rest of the oil products, not just oil and gas."
Al-Tamimi stressed, "The need for the draft law to include the decisions of the Federal Court, especially since these decisions are final and binding on all authorities, according to Article 94 of the Constitution." LINK
Parliamentary Wealth: Iraq Aborted The Malicious American Agenda With The Oil And Gas Agreement
Information/Baghdad.. A member of the Parliamentary Oil, Gas and Natural Resources Committee, Alaa Al-Haidari, affirmed Iraq's success in breaking the US hegemony over the Iraqi energy sector through the exchange of oil for gas.
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Al-Haidari said in a televised interview, followed by Al-Maalouma, that "America is practicing a malicious policy against Iraq, but the Iraqi negotiator surrounded the American crisis and won the energy file over Washington."
He added, "Iraq must continue to barter with Iran and not be subject to US sanctions."
He pointed out, "The government must proceed with the barter agreement with Iran and make it a success and develop it, because America will review its calculations that Iraq is in a new situation that differs from what it was in the time of Mustafa Al- Kazemi.”
Al-Haidari pointed out that "America is now with its weakest strength, but it is trying to impose its will with malice, and that barter mechanisms with Iran must be developed, and the Baniyas pipeline should be developed and invested in the best way. " LINK
Iraq Reduces Its Holdings Of US Bonds For The Fourth Consecutive Month
2023-07-19 01:24 Shafaq News/ The US Treasury announced, on Wednesday, that Iraq's possession of US bonds decreased for the fourth month in a row, to reach about $32.1 billion.
The treasury stated in its latest census, seen by Shafaq News agency, that "Iraq's possession of US Treasury bonds for the month of May 2023 decreased by 2.1 billion dollars to reach 32.7 billion dollars, after it was 34.8 billion dollars during the previous month," indicating That "these bonds decreased by 0.61% over the same period in 2022, when Iraq's possession of bonds amounted to $32.9 billion."
In the Arab world, Saudi Arabia comes at the forefront of the countries with the most possession, amounting to 113.3 billion dollars, and the UAE comes second with 69 billion dollars, then Kuwait third with 41.4 billion dollars, then Iraq fourth, and Oman fifth with 7.061 billion dollars.
She pointed out that "the most holders of US bonds are Japan with 1096.8 trillion dollars, followed by China with 846.7 billion dollars, followed by the United Kingdom with 666.6 billion dollars, and then comes Belgium with 335.5 billion dollars."
She indicated that the volume of bonds for countries in America amounted to 7.527.4 trillion dollars. LINK
5 Challenges Facing Restoring The Iraqi-Syrian Oil Pipeline.. What About "Caesar" And The Conflict Zone?
Economy |Baghdad today - Baghdad Today, Wednesday (July 19, 2023), economist Nabil Al-Marsoumi explained the five challenges facing restoring the Iraqi-Syrian oil pipeline, while referring to the differences between Baghdad and Damascus in this regard.
Al-Marsoumi said in a post I followed (Baghdad Today): “The Iraqi-Syrian oil export pipeline dates back to 1952, when it was implemented by the British (BP) company. international coalition) in Iraq and Syria.
The Tube And Its Design Capacity
He added: "The length of the line is 800 km with a diameter of 32 inches, and it connects the fields of Kirkuk and the port of Banias in Syria and Tripoli in Lebanon, and its design capacity is 700 thousand barrels per day."
While the economist pointed out that "the interest in reviving this line returned after Turkey refused to resume Iraqi oil exports from the fields of Kirkuk and Kurdistan through the Turkish port of Ceyhan," it is likely that "this line will be a substitute for the Iraqi-Turkish line and a new outlet for Iraqi oil exports, but the re-work In this line, he faces a set of difficulties and challenges.
Difficulties And Challenges
Al-Marsoumi outlined the challenges facing restoring the line as follows:
First: The project conflicts with the US sanctions imposed on Syria. Therefore, passing the project requires US approval, because it passes through areas under Washington's influence, and bypasses the Caesar Act.
Second: The pipeline territory is a conflict zone in both Iraq and Syria.
Third: the high cost of completely rebuilding the infrastructure of the destroyed project.
Fourth: The high cost of maintaining the pipelines, and the authorities responsible for the security and guarding of the pipeline, which passes through the Syrian Desert, in which ISIS cells are active.
Fifth: If Iraq has the financial ability to maintain the line on the Iraqi side, but Syria does not have the ability to do so, in addition to the differences between Iraq and Syria.
On the issue of re-establishing the pipeline, he explained that "Baghdad demands that this be done equally between it and Damascus, while the latter refuses to do so."
And on (July 17, 2023), the Iraqi government spokesman, Basem Al-Awadi, announced that the renewal of the Banias line for the export of Iraqi oil through Syria, and the presence of international forces in the region may be among the files raised during the meeting of Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. in Damascus. LINK
Obelisk Clock: Finance And Foreign Ministers Received Bribes And Yachts From Kuwait
July 18, 2023 Baghdad / Obelisk Al-Hadath: The Obelisk publishes the most prominent interactions of TV dialogues:
First Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee, Alia Nassif, during a televised interview:
– Rafie Al-Issawi paid 500 thousand dollars to open the border file with Kuwait and sparked controversy
– Hoshyar Zebari was a lawyer for Kuwait
– the border file between Iraq and Kuwait was handled by “traitor negotiators”
– Hoshyar Zebari was a “saboteur” in the negotiations between Iraq and Kuwait
– Osama Al-Nujaifi “betrayed the people In his vote on the Khawr Abdullah agreement
- the implementation of the Khawr Abdullah agreement was dreamed of by Hoshyar Zebari and Rafi al-Issawi
- the Khawr Abdullah agreement was implemented and Iraq under Chapter VII
- Kuwait established artificial islands to change the borders
- Kuwait established new maps and deposited them with the United Nations
- Kuwait handed over the ministers The negotiators, with the exception of Al-Amiri, “a bunch of money”
– “finance and foreign ministers” received bribes and yachts from Kuwait
– Hoshyar Zebari admitted in Parliament that he received a bag of money from Kuwait
– Recording Hoshyar Zebari’s confession of receiving a Kuwaiti bribe who “disappeared” inside Parliament
– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required to submit a memorandum to the Security Council against Iraq in the Dorra field
– Rafi Al-Issawi paid 500 thousand dollars to open the border file with Kuwait and sparked controversy
– The border file between Iraq and Kuwait was handled by “traitor negotiators”
Hoshyar Zebari was a “saboteur” in the negotiations between Iraq and Kuwait.
Osama al-Nujaifi “betrayed the people” in his vote on the Khawr Abdullah agreement.
The implementation of the Khawr Abdullah agreement was dreamed up by Hoshyar Zebari and Rafi al-Issawi
. The Khawr Abdullah agreement was implemented and Iraq under Chapter VII
– Kuwait . It created artificial islands to change the features of the borders
- Kuwait created new maps and deposited them with the United Nations
- Kuwait handed over the negotiating ministers, with the exception of Al-Amiri, a "wheel of money"
– “Finance and foreign ministers” received bribes and yachts from Kuwait
– Hoshyar Zebari admitted inside parliament to receiving a bag of money from Kuwait
– Recording Hoshyar Zebari’s confession of receiving a Kuwaiti bribe who “disappeared” inside Parliament
– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required to submit a memorandum to the Security Council against Iraq in the Durra field
– Ministry The Foreign Ministry raised an international memorandum on the “Al-Aij Fishhah” and later withdrew it
– Iraq’s money is “hostage” to America
– the National Assembly held the Kuwaiti government accountable for bribes paid to Iraqi officials
– the border file between Iraq and Kuwait witnessed “betrayal, not weakness”
– Iran informed Kuwait that its maps are illegal
– I do not have confidence in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
– the Arab countries do not want to complete the port of Faw
– the Dawa Party does not adopt insulting references and clerics
– Our upbringing does not allow insulting the turban and burning headquarters as “sedition”
– Channels funded by the “Kurdish Intelligence” target the honor of Iraqi women
– Erbil does not apply arrest warrants issued from Baghdad
– Erbil was a hotbed of criminals and wanted persons
– Erbil is “rebellious” against the decisions of the central government
– the State Audit Bureau says He does not have the authority to know the data of Kurdistan employees
- Rafie Al-Issawi paid 500 thousand dollars to open the border file with Kuwait and sparked controversy
- Hoshyar Zebari was a lawyer for Kuwait
- the border file between Iraq and Kuwait was handled by “traitor negotiators”
- Hoshyar Zebari was a “saboteur” in the negotiations between Iraq and Kuwait
- Osama al-Nujaifi “betrayed the people” in his vote on the Khawr Abdullah agreement
- the implementation of the Khawr Abdullah agreement is borne by Hoshyar Zebari and Rafi al-Issawi
- The Khor Abdullah agreement was implemented and Iraq under Chapter VII
- Kuwait established artificial islands to change the features of the borders
- Kuwait created new maps and deposited them with the United Nations
- Kuwait handed over the negotiating ministers, except for Al-Amiri, "a bunch of money"
- "finance and foreign ministers" received bribes and yachts from Kuwait
- Hoshyar Zebari confessed in Parliament to receiving a bag of money from Kuwait
- Recording Hoshyar Zebari's confession of receiving a Kuwaiti bribe "disappeared" inside Parliament
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is calling for a memorandum to the Security Council against Iraq in the Al-Durra field
- Al-Halbousi supports the government's measures to combat corruption in Anbar
- We salute Mr. Al-Sadr for preventing him Sedition because he knows there are people who desire vandalism and breaking the law
- Al-Sudani’s trip to Erbil is a “visit of reassurances”
The leader of the State of Law coalition, Haider al-Lami, during a televised interview:
There are many who do not like the stability of the political process
. There are internal and external factors that do not want the stability of the country
. The work done by some supporters of the Sadrist movement is totally rejected
. Sedition resulted after the statements of Mr. al-Sadr and the patriarchal Dawa
Party
. Al-Maliki is the head of the political hierarchy in Iraq and he proved this during all these stages
- Al-Maliki does not accept offense to anyone
- The absence of the Sadrist movement from the political process is a big hole
- The Sadrist movement isolated itself by withdrawing from the political process
- Al-Sadr resisted the American occupier and preserved the political process
- it cannot Discard the chest even if it does not have one seat
Mayor of Baghdad Ammar Musa during a televised interview:
– All projects completed during the current year from food security allocations
– In the event that partisan quotas are imposed on the Secretariat, it will not be able to provide the required services
– 17 leadership positions were replaced in the Secretariat based on a technical and professional assessment
– Many of the laws under which the Secretariat operates go back to previous stages
– there are Many abusive employees in the municipality departments, and some of them were referred
- the owners of the violating projects accomplish their work by seeking the help of corrupt employees.
A quarter of Iraq's population lives in Baghdad, which causes pressure on the infrastructure
- the new Sadr City within the development plan for the capital, Baghdad
- we agreed with international consulting bodies to implement Sadr City Al-Jadida in the middle of the eighth month
- the new Sadr City will witness the construction of 10,000 housing units
- the city of Basmaya is a new experience and it lacks a link road with Baghdad
– The old mechanism for collecting money is considered one of the gates to corruption, and we are working to develop the mechanism for collecting money through the electronic system
– We have intentions towards privatizing the cleaning sector through specialized companies
– We have 20 projects to remove traffic jams in the streets of the capital
– We have 60 projects between a bridge, a tunnel and the expansion of a street in BaghdadWe are planning to establish a fifth annular project around Baghdad with a width of 120 meters
- we have activated quality control and monitoring to audit all implemented projects
Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Agriculture and Water Committee, Hussein Mardan, during a televised interview:
- Water scarcity is clear and explicit in Iraq
- The Ministry of Resources does not have any ingredients to find solutions to the water crisis
- Agriculture is continuous and better than oil
- Turkey has not released water to Iraq since the beginning of this month
- Iraq's water reserves are constantly decreasing
- Turkey does not respond to Sudanese negotiations and calls for release Water
- We insist on severing trade and economic relations with Turkey until the water is released
- Turkey did not abide by the water agreements with Iraq
- Strict political decisions must be taken against Turkey
- Turkey is obligated to release water since the beginning of this month
- There is an underestimation by Turkey in dealing with Iraq
Advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture, Mahdi Al-Qaisi, during a televised interview:
- The water crisis is cumulative and not a spur of the moment
- Upstream countries have reduced water revenues to Iraq
- Turkey must be pressured economically and the trade balance with it should be reviewed
- Modern irrigation techniques must be expanded to legalize water waste
- Irrigation systems depend on imports
- We need a high-level negotiating delegation to pressure Upstream countries and water harvesting
- No summer or winter plan will be approved without meeting with the Ministry of Resources
- The cultivation of "salab" has shrunk greatly due to the lack of water quantities
- Iraq has reached "dead" storage during the current period
- Iraq has reached the stage of "scarcity" of water and not Its scarcity
- agricultural plans must be reviewed and fish farming supported in a closed system
- the Ministry of Agriculture is unfair in terms of budgets
Director General of Water Resources in Dhi Qar Abd al-Ridha during a televised interview:
The water situation in Dhi Qar has not reached the stage of the red line despite the receding of the marshlands, and we are working to secure the requirements of its residents and their livestock.
Denial and water levels in it are low, but it did not reach its abandonment and the Ministry of Resources took measures to reduce the damage
- the area of cultivated land in Dhi Qar increased to 450 thousand dunums, and Iraq is going through a water scarcity
- canceling the agricultural season in theory is good, but it cannot be applied on the ground by 1% No one can prevent farmers from practicing their basic profession in agriculture, and it will also raise the unemployment rate
Securing water for the marshes at high rates to ensure that turtles do not die is no better than securing water for farmers, and resources have priority by securing drinking water, domestic uses, orchards, and land percentages that have been set for agriculture.
Director General of the Technical Department at the Ministry, Najla Mohsen Al-Waeli, during a televised interview:
- The incoming water flows to Iraq have reached less than 200 cubic meters per second, and it is unfortunate that the agricultural areas have increased despite the water scarcity
- Hundreds of thousands of fish have died in one river in the governorate
- The need to set a minimum level of water for the marshes according to UNESCO
- Al-Waeli warns of the water scarcity that It leads to migration, poverty, displacement, sand dunes, storms, and an environmental catastrophe
- wasting resources. Putting flooding the marshes in the last priority is a fatal mistake.
Member of the Fatah Alliance, Salam Hussein, during a televised interview:
- What happened in Najaf is unfortunate from parties that do not want good for Iraq
- Enemies of religion are trying to stir up discord in the country by establishing fake pages and electronic armies
- Members of parliament are working to collect signatures to enact a law criminalizing insulting great references
- There is almost unanimity to adopt a law to criminalize offense Violation of religious references
- A law criminalizing insulting religious references will soon see the light
- we hope that parliament will enact a law criminalizing information publishing on communication sites
- the legislator must choose words that do not accept interpretation and formulate materials to prevent abuse of references
- there is sedition that some parties are trying to fuel in Iraqi street
Member of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee, Saud Al-Saadi, during a televised interview:
– The procedures of the Integrity Commission and the anti-corruption campaign produced many facts
– more than 4,000 state-owned properties seized by certain parties were revealed
– there are positive methods and procedures for detecting financial receivables and illicit gain
– a lot of Iraqi money was seized through procedures The Commission continues to reduce corruption
- there is a case of looting of public money and it needs a serious stance from everyone
- the cost of recovering smuggled money should not be more than its value
- we see effective and accurate procedures for detecting corruption and we need greater clarity and transparency in dealing with funds