Thursday, October 19, 2023
KRG Committed to Building Modern Banking Institutions: PM Barzani, 19 OCT
KRG Committed to Building Modern Banking Institutions: PM Barzani, 19 OCT
ERBIL — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday stressed that his cabinet's ongoing efforts to digitalize public services and establish a modern banking system will soon bear fruit.
"Our work to create a digital economy continues to evolve. Soon core transactions with our government will be conducted through digital payments, through a banking system that connects every Kurdistani with the global economy. We will have opportunities for graduates who want to help us consolidate this new and exciting sector, the success of which will unlock opportunities across our business sector," the Kurdish leader said during his remarks at the graduation ceremony of the class of 2023 at the University of Kurdistan - Hawler.
My government will always prioritise education. I am committing to unlocking the potential of our greatest asset, our nation’s youth. The Kurdistan Region is on its way to becoming a knowledge nation; a nation that produces the next innovative ideas to tackle climate change, food security, and poverty; that invests in technology and digital start ups through public and private investment; and plays its role on the international stage to advance global issues."
Also this evening, the prime minister addressed a group of medical doctors who received their board certificates in different specialties in the Kurdistan Region: "Congratulations to this year’s graduates at the Erbil Board of Medical Specialties. I wish you all success and I hope Kurdistani doctors achieve their goals in this integral sector."
"RV UPDATE" BY PIMPY, 19 OCT
Pimpy
Al-Sudani has been doing very good about being neutral, as he should. There's no reason for Iraq to get involved in any of the crap. Just keep moving forward. Focus on your people and you should do good. Get all these projects funded. Follow up on it. Make sure people are not stealing money from you like they did in the past. Maintain
relationships with everybody and grow your economy. That in return will grow the Iraq dinar.
Article: "Al-Kadhimi: The decision to increase the interest rate will activate the banking system inside Iraq" Will increasing interest rates on your account to 7.5% draw people in? Heck yeah it will! If a bank did that in American you would see a lot of people run to it... Quote: "The Central bank's decision...falls within banking reform measures... of prime minister Al-Sudani's directives... The decision...will certainly encourage citizens to deposit in banks which will stimulate financial movement...in addition to... reducing the exchange rate of the dollar against the Iraqi dinar." That's really what the goal is...If this doesn't work there's going to be other measures that need to be taken in order for them to do something about closing that gap between the parallel market and the set rate of 1320 dinar.
All kinds of articles about the exchange rate. And how easy is it to predict when you see a bunch of articles about the exchange rate you got a bunch of people out there...making claims this means they're going to change the exchange rate...I keep telling you guys not to fall for that...Could they increase the Iraqi dinar exchange rate? Of course they could but if you think they're going to do an RI you're sadly mistaken. An RV is possible but not an RI...
Common agreement between Erbil-Baghdad is essential for a stable Iraq: Dutch Ambassador, 19 OCT
Common agreement between Erbil-Baghdad is essential for a stable Iraq: Dutch Ambassador
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Dutch Ambassador Hans Sandee told Kurdistan 24 on Wednesday on the sidelines of the MERI Forum, that there should be a solid and comprehensive agreement on all outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.
“There should be a common agreement about budgetary issues, they are really essential, both for Baghdad and for the Kurdistan region. But also of course, such a solution should be found within the parameters of the constitution and also of the budgetary law,” he said.
Read More: PM Masrour Barzani discusses importance of resolving Erbil-Baghdad issues with US Deputy Secretary
Moreover, he referred to the statements of Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert to the UN Security Council on Oct. 10, where she mentioned the recent Erbil-Baghdad agreement on giving loans to the Kurdistan Region “is temporary in nature and therefore not enough.”
“Hence, more and urgent work lies ahead so as to avoid a new period of uncertainty for the Region’s public servants,” she said.
“I really can only support what she said that there should be a solid, comprehensive agreement on all the outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad,” Dutch Ambassador Sandee added.
“Because it's key and crucial that this relationship is a positive one and a stable one and a stable Kurdistan is important for a stable Iraq and a stable Iraq is important for the whole of the MENA region.”
Furthermore, he said the Netherlands has cooperation with the KRG on an institutional level and also has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kurdistan Region. Ambassador Sandee also said the Netherlands has several agricultural projects, when it comes to potatoes and seeds, and business and business cooperation.
Read More: Great potential in Kurdistan Region’s agriculture sector: Dutch Consul General
“We try to stimulate these businesses to do business here in the Kurdistan region, and are quite successful. Many of the interlocutors when I'm here in Kurdistan really appreciate the role of the Dutch companies and the Dutch potatoes, you can now call them Kurdish potatoes, which are mentioned everywhere. So that's really good to hear.”
Moreover, he said that the Netherlands supports Iraq and the Kurdistan Region when it comes to security and stability.
Read More: Dutch to deploy additional troops in Iraq
The Netherlands have deployed a total of 281 Dutch troops in Iraq. This includes a total of 11 Dutch soldiers stationed in the Kurdistan Region to advise and assist Kurdish Peshmerga forces.
“When it comes to the security and stability of Iraq, but also of the Kurdistan Region, the Netherlands is and will remain committed,” the Dutch Ambassador Sandee said.
Read More: Iraq and Kurdistan Region need to clearly define ‘federalism’, says President Nechirvan Barzani
“So we also will remain to support the Peshmerga reform and of course, having said that, we also have to note that the progress when it comes to the (Peshmerga) reform is limited. There was progress, definitely, also the president Nechirvan Barzani referred to that yesterday in the MERI Forum, but the progress is not enough.”
“So definitely more steps, quicker steps, have to be taken there. That's important. And that's also in the interest of the Peshmerga themselves.”
The Dutch Ambassador Sandee also said the Sinjar agreement must be implemented as fast as possible. Kurdish officials as well as UN officials have underlined that the agreement signed in Oct. 2020 has not been implemented.
“It's a complicated situation, given all the actors active and around Sinjar, especially also the non-state actors,” he said.
“But as soon as it's being implemented, the better, but of course it should also be implemented in a sustainable, durable manner. For instance, if Yezidi’s return, there should be real prospects for them to make good livelihoods to make a decent living there,” he added.
Read More: Yezidi survivors meet with Dutch policy makers, Dutch FM
He underlined that the Netherlands does a lot to help support the Yezidi’s, and other minorities, to promote their interest through programs and activities in Iraq.
PM Barzani, Iraqi CBI governor discuss banking reform, anti-money laundering efforts, 18 OCT
PM Barzani, Iraqi CBI governor discuss banking reform, anti-money laundering efforts, 18 OCT
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday discussed the ongoing reform in the banking sector as well as the anti-money laundering efforts with the Iraqi Central Bank governor in Erbil.
Barzani received CBI Governor Ali al-Allaq and his accompanying delegation in Erbil, where they discussed increasing cooperation between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government, particularly with regard to the banking sector, according to a statement from the premier’s office.
The officials highlighted the reform in the baking sector, efforts to combat money laundering, and economic stability, per the statement.
Barzani briefed the governor on the My Account Initiative, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) flagship financial inclusion program that aims to digitalize the payment system for public employees in its initial phase.
The premier extended his gratitude for the CBI’s and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani’s support and cooperation with the KRG in this regard, per the statement.
“The Kurdistan Region’s development is a development for all of Iraq,” the premier said.
They agreed to maintain the cooperation and coordination between the two sides for economic development and stability, it added.
The KRG is currently rolling out the My Account Initiative at various government directorates and offices, registering 65,000 employees to the system.
The premier last week visited Erbil Police General Directorate to follow up on the implementation of the financial inclusion program.
Read More: 65,000 public employees registered to MyAccount initiative, says PM Barzani
At least four banks are currently part of the project. The KRG has reached out to other banks to take part in the project, according to top officials.
Around 1,000 ATMs will be installed as part of the project along with points of sale across the Region. The system is currently being carried out in Erbil. The process will begin in Sulaimani and Duhok "soon", the premier said on Oct. 11.
A delegation from Barzani’s office convened with the CBI governor on Oct. 4 in Baghdad and discussed the ongoing project.
Al-Sudani proposes unified mechanism to support Gaza, al-Sadr Warns Against mass displacement, 19 OCT
Al-Sudani proposes unified mechanism to support Gaza, al-Sadr Warns Against mass displacement, 19 OCT
Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani on Wednesday unveiled a "unified mechanism" to provide support for Gaza.
Simultaneously, Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of the Sadrist movement, issued a stern warning against the idea of relocating its population to regions like Sinai, Anbar, or Negev.
In an op-ed titled "Prioritizing an End to the War on Gaza for Iraq," published by the Middle East newspaper in London, al-Sudani renewed the country's unwavering stance on the Palestinian right to establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
The Iraqi Prime Minister shed light on Iraq's historical role in the region, highlighting their immediate engagement in serious discussions since the outbreak of the conflict in the occupied Palestinian territories.
He also called on the Arab and Islamic world to unite in response to the plight of Palestinians, highlighting the pressing need for de-escalation, respecting human rights, and exerting pressure on the Zionist entity to halt its aggression on the occupied territories.
Al-Sudani underlined the urgency of putting an end to the ongoing indiscriminate shelling of Gaza, addressing the growing humanitarian crisis, opening corridors, and providing essential aid to the besieged population.
He mentioned their efforts during the visit to Moscow and meeting with President Vladimir Putin, aiming to mobilize the UN Security Council to halt the continuous attacks on Palestinian territories.
The leaders, according to al-Sudani, agreed on a unified mechanism for Arab and Islamic states to deliver humanitarian, medical, and financial aid to the people of Gaza. He called upon the United States and the international community to seriously consider the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people.
Iraq, al-Sudani said, intends to use its balanced relations with regional states and the international community to pressure for an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the rest of the Palestinian territories.
Muqtada al-Sadr voiced a stark objection to any notion of relocating the Palestinian people to Sinai, Anbar, or Negev, warning that such an idea represents the expansion of the war and its internationalization.
He stated that neither the deviant United States nor the Zionists hold any authority over Sinai, Anbar, or Negev. He reiterated that the people of Gaza would not surrender or pave the way for the international terrorism to suppress the resistance factions.
Al-Sadr concluded that normalization neither whitewashes the actions of the Zionists against Gaza nor leads to peace. Instead, it represents expansion and expansionism, targeting Islam, as opposed to targeting those who persecuted Jews in Germany.
TIDBIT FROM MILITIAMAN, 26 NOV
Militia Man The 2024 budget, we haven't seen that yet. Why haven't we see it ? We haven't seen it yet because they'r...
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Frank26 [Bank story] This time we didn't go down, we just called [the bank]... We said we want to see if we can exchange some cu...
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Bank appointment for Currency EXCHANGE Instructions/Checklist Bank Name_________________________________________ Bank 800#____________...
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Walkingstick All these meetings that the CBI had with all these agencies that were helping them with their monetary reform are done. Al...