FROM DOLLAR TO DINAR… EXCHANGE RATE POLICY CONFUSES OIL COMPANIES AND THREATENS THEIR EMPLOYEES!
The Central Bank of Iraq’s decision to convert payments to contractors working with oil companies from US dollars to Iraqi dinars has sparked widespread controversy in economic circles. This comes amid warnings of potential financial and operational repercussions for subcontractors, the labor market, and the stability of the oil sector.
Experts believe that continuing with this mechanism could impose additional financial burdens on companies that rely on dollars for their transactions, impacting their operational capacity and business continuity.
Economic expert Nabil al-Marsoumi stated in a tweet that “more than 200 Iraqi companies contracted with oil licensing companies, employing over 50,000 Iraqi workers, are threatened with significant financial losses and layoffs due to the Central Bank’s directive to disburse their payments in dinars at the official rate—even though their contracts and expenses are denominated in dollars.”
He explained that “the losses stem from the large difference between the official and parallel exchange rates for the dollar against the dinar,” warning of “the collapse of companies due to the exchange rate policy.
“For his part, Mahmoud Hassan, a representative of an oil company, stated during a demonstration organized by subcontractors working for an international oil company that “Iraqi companies operating in the oil sector have been facing a crisis for over a year without any solutions,” warning of “repercussions that could lead to the collapse of a large number of them.”Hassan explained in a press statement that “the contracting companies, which employ more than 40,000 Iraqi workers, are under financial pressure after receiving their payments at the official rate of 131,000 dinars per $100, while the parallel market rate is around 155,000 dinars.” He emphasized that “the difference is causing direct losses.” He added that “the continuation of this situation will force companies to reduce their operations and lay off workers, and may lead to their complete shutdown,” noting that “a number of them have already begun to be unable to pay salaries.”
Hassan called on the Central Bank to “intervene urgently to find a solution that takes into account the nature of these companies’ work and their obligations,” warning that “the continuation of the crisis will negatively impact the oil sector and the labor market.”
In Iraq, secondary oil companies operate—varying from project to project—and undertake the execution of service, supply, maintenance, construction, and transportation works within contracts with local or international oil companies. Contracts are binding on the contracting parties.In this context, economist Hamza al-Jawahiri stated that “contracts stipulating payment in dollars must be honored,” explaining that “payment in another currency constitutes a clear violation of the contract terms.” He emphasized that “companies can resort to the competent courts, based on the legal principle that contracts are binding on the contracting parties.”
For his part, energy expert Ahmed Sabah said that “converting company dues from dollars to dinars may lead to the gradual exclusion of some foreign companies, while focusing on companies that accept dinar transactions.” He explained that “many Western companies rely on external supply chains that require payment in dollars to secure equipment and services.”
He added that “this measure is not sustainable in the long term, especially given that the current government is a caretaker government, which reduces the chances of implementing decisions with long-term strategic impact.” He predicted that “major foreign companies will refrain from expanding or entering into new contracts if this mechanism continues,” considering that “the decision may be temporary and subject to change if negative effects emerge on the investment climate or the pace of work in the fields.”
Strengthening the Dinar or Market Losses?For his part, economist Dirgham Muhammad Ali believes that “attempts to curb the parallel dollar market have prompted the Central Bank to take measures to bolster confidence in the dinar,” but he noted that these measures “were not fair given the continued gap between the official and parallel exchange rates.” He emphasized that “the policy of forced currency conversion causes losses for traders and deprives the market of a vital channel for the legitimate injection of dollars,” calling for “either the adoption of a fair exchange rate or the creation of a different mechanism for dealing with foreign companies.”Economic circles warn that the collapse of subcontracted oil companies working with international and local firms will disrupt maintenance, logistics, and equipment operations in oil fields, threatening production stability—in addition to the loss of tens of thousands of jobs, given these companies’ reliance on Iraqi labor. This could also weaken supply chains and increase operating costs, prompting some foreign companies to scale back their operations or refrain from new projects, which would negatively impact the oil investment environment and the role of the local private sector.
