Shafaq News: The head of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Masrour Barzani, on Tuesday called for the continuation of the international coalition forces to continue their tasks in order to help the Iraqi army and the Peshmerga forces in the fight against terrorism.
Barzani said in a statement to Shafaq News that “we received today, the commander-in-chief of the coalition forces in Iraq and Syria, General Joel Fowell, and his accompanying delegation.
“At the meeting, which was attended by the US Consul General to the region, Mark Straw, we exchanged views on the latest developments and developments in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq and Syria,” Barzani added.
He pointed out that “the main axis of the meeting included emphasizing the importance of protecting security and stability in Iraq and the Kurdistan region, and stressing the need for the international coalition forces to continue their tasks in order to help the Iraqi army and the Peshmerga forces in combating terrorism, and ensuring security and stability.”
He continued: “We also discussed in the meeting the importance of moving forward in supporting reforms for the joints of the Peshmerga Ministry, and accelerating the steps of unifying its forces under the umbrella of the ministry.”
[via PDK] Article: “Iran backs Iraqi call to end presence of US led forces”
Many around the world are pushing this…it is one of the key pieces for us…the removal date appears to be imminent ... Flash back to an interview that Donald Trump did…he said to get us out-we will be gone as soon as they pay us. It looks like we are leaving…so what does that tell you?
“Iraq issues $1.5 Billion reconstruction bonds” These are based on US pricing but in Iraqi dinar.
...on the group side I am hearing very positive things. They are specifically looking at dates between the 9th and the 14th of this month. This does give us a range to look at...
The Association of Iraqi Private Banks confirmed on Monday that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani’s support for the measures of the Central Bank of Iraq enabled the economy to rise with good growth rates.
The advisor to the Association of Iraqi Private Banks, Samir Al-Nusairi, said in a statement reported by the official news agency, and seen by “Economy News”, that “the government has implemented since taking charge measures that have developed a detailed road map to address the loss of methodology and previous dispersion in financial policies, chaos in the management of the economy and the imbalance that occurred as a result of the lack of coordination between fiscal and monetary policies.”
He added, “The map included a diagnosis of imbalances and developed solutions in coordination between the government and the Central Bank, accompanied by the bank’s reconsideration of the tools and applications of monetary policy and focusing in its plans on achieving priorities that are based on achieving financial and banking reform first.”
He continued, “These steps resulted in the issuance of joint reform decisions to enable the economy to promote good growth rates confirmed by international organizations, especially the reports of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund and their recognition that the Iraqi economy in 2023 left the fragility to a gradual recovery and achieved an annual inflation rate of 3.7%, which is the lowest rate compared to 7%, in January 2023.”
He pointed out that “this rate is the lowest compared to inflation rates in the Arab and regional countries for the same period, and this is one of the objectives of monetary policy to reduce inflation and maintain the general level of prices despite the fluctuation in the exchange rate, in addition to the expectation of achieving growth in non-oil GDP by 5%.”
He stressed, “The measures also included regulating foreign trade financing and moving banks to build confidence relations with global correspondent banks, obtaining their approval by opening accounts for our banks, allowing commercial and banking dealings directly with them, leaving the electronic platform gradually, and introducing new foreign currencies to deal for foreign trade purposes with China, Turkey, and India, in addition to the US dollar, which will help stabilize the exchange rate in the trading market.”
Al-Nusairi pointed out that “the procedures also supported the serious orientation of the government and the Central Bank to move and transition from the monetary economy to the digital economy, focus on the development of electronic payment systems, securing the infrastructure for that, establishing a national company for payment systems, reviewing the structure of banking financing, preparing to launch the national lending strategy, establishing a Riyada bank to finance small and medium enterprises, and reviewing the structural, supervisory, supervisory of the bank’s specialized departments.”
He added, “The important and basic priority on which the Central Bank is working includes preparing to launch the financial inclusion strategy, as the number of accounts opened in banks grew by 14%, to reach more than 10 million accounts, while the number of credit cards issued reached more than 18 million cards.”
He pointed out that “all these reform measures were carried out in difficult and complex conditions during 2023, and with the continuity, support, harmony, cooperation and permanent support between Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, and the Governor of the Central Bank, Ali Mohsen Al-Alaq, which enabled the economy to rise, which confirms the merit of the Council of Ministers and the Central Bank to call them (the two economic institutions that took the lead in 2023) for their leadership, supervisory and executive role in the pursuit of economic reform for 2023 as a first stage.”
Training is complete....They are educating the citizens and answering their questions on the next step of the monetary reform. Once the LDs are announced the exchange rate inside of Iraq will move quickly. Citizens want this and they will play a part in adding value to the currency...Iraqis are starting to come into the banks here in the United State asking us questions.
Just because you didn't see it...hear it...read it...doesn't mean it hasn't happened or in the process of happening.
All systems for the monetary reform are in place, they're just not linked yet. The uplink is not on yet...Many months ago the CBI told her banks to be prepared to be ready on January 1, 2024 because of all the banking system would be in place before '24...
What they're doing right now is they're telling the citizens what they need to hear for the next step of the monetary reform...Once the lower denoms are announced the exchange inside Iraq will move even more quickly. You know how - through a float. Citizens want this movement to occur now. Citizens want their purchasing power.
All systems for the monetary reform are in place, they're just not linked yet. The uplink is not on yet...Many months ago the CBI told her banks to be prepared to be ready on January 1, 2024 because of all the banking system would be in place before '24...What they're doing right now is they're telling the citizens what they need to hear for the next step of the monetary reform...Once the lower denoms are announced the exchange inside Iraq will move even more quickly. You know how - through a float. Citizens want this movement to occur now. Citizens want their purchasing power.
The closer we get to this monetary reform, much more will be revealed...So much is already being revealed and put in print but as we get closer you will see so much more.
[Iraqi banks] are having a stampede of people going in because of the understanding of the monetary reform education. Direct deposit accounts were opened for the citizens that didn't have any accounts...
they opened up about 1 million...and they're not done yet...These bank accounts are extremely important for the monetary reform...These accounts are for payments that will be made to the citizens...salaries given to the citizens, for any retirement salaries given...for HCL payments...What they are doing is extremely important for the monetary reform process...
The President of the Republic confirms the development of a specific work program for the international coalition in Iraq, 9 JAN
Shafaq News / President of the Republic Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid stressed on Tuesday that the presence of the international coalition in Iraq should be limited to supporting the security forces and providing advice, urging the development of a specific work program for them.
The Media Office of the Presidency of the Republic stated that Rashid received at the Baghdad Palace the United States Ambassador to Iraq, Alina Romanowski and her accompanying delegation. During the meeting, they discussed the recent security developments in Iraq and the region, and the need to maintain international peace and security, and to join hands in international efforts to reduce crises and tensions and adopt the principle of serious dialogue and understandings between regional and international parties.
The President of the Republic touched on the situation of the international coalition forces in Iraq, which must be within the framework of support for the security forces in the fields of training and providing consultations, pointing to the importance of developing a specific work program for them.He pointed out that Iraq is keen to build balanced relations with neighboring countries and the world to serve the interests of Iraq and the peoples of the region and contribute to bringing the views closer between countries.
Rashid renewed Iraq’s firm position on the Palestinian issue, and the need to stop the aggression and daily targeting of the civilian population in Gaza and other Palestinian cities, stressing that the repercussions of the war on the Gaza Strip reflected negatively on the stability of the entire region.
He pointed to the need for the international community and the United States in particular to assume their responsibility to stop the aggression against Palestine.
In turn, the US Ambassador stressed the importance of strengthening relations and coordination on issues of common interest in accordance with the Strategic Framework Agreement between the Republic of Iraq and the United States, noting the United States’ keenness on the security and stability of the region and supporting international efforts to end the situation in Palestine.