Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Sudani reveals progress in ending foreign military presence, 19 MARCH
Sudani reveals progress in ending foreign military presence
Baghdad - Iraq Today:
Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani confirmed progress in ending the presence of the international coalition during his meeting with German Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Tobias Lindner and his accompanying delegation.
A government statement explained that "Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani, German Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, received Tobias Lindner and his accompanying delegation."
During the meeting, Al-Sudani stressed "Iraq's welcome to the presence of German companies and their participation in development projects and infrastructure construction," pointing to "the government's continuation in expanding the investment environment and attracting global expertise, especially with the launch of the development road project and the associated opportunities, and the imminent signing of an agreement by Iraq with Siemens, and other German companies, in the field of gas investment associated with electric power generation," according to the statement.
"The state of stability and security achieved today in Iraq, and the growing capabilities of our security forces, confirm progress in ending the presence of the international coalition and shifting to bilateral relations with member states, especially in the context of the defeat of the terrorist remnants of ISIS," al-Sudani said.
According to the statement, the Prime Minister touched on "the current situation in the Gaza Strip, and Iraq's endeavor to deliver the necessary humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip under aggression, and to support efforts aimed at a ceasefire and prevent the expansion of the conflict," and called on "the international community to take responsibility in stopping the approach of aggression and the war of genocide to which the Palestinian people are exposed."
The statement added, "For his part, Lindner expressed his appreciation for the size of development, economic growth and security improvement witnessed by Iraq," stressing "the German government's continuation in activating the joint action plan signed by the Sudanese with the German chancellor, during the recent Sudanese visit to Berlin."
He continued, "He also expressed his country's support for the government's steps to end the presence of the international coalition in Iraq," expressing "Germany's readiness to sign a bilateral cooperation agreement with Iraq in the security and military fields, as well as its support for Iraq's position on the need for a permanent ceasefire in the Palestinian territories, and to help the Palestinian people."
"IRAQ BOOTS ON THE GROUND REPORT" BY FIREFLY, 19 MARCH
Frank26
[Iraq boots-on-the-ground report]
FIREFLY: The funding for all of 2024, last Wednesday was suspended...and it was changed...They must be using the new exchange rate. They said they changed it and then sent it to the Council of Ministers for the review. Then it is to be sent to the House for a vote...It should be going for a vote any time. We think it's going to move to 1.32 making it $0.76 which is not more than the dollar like Sudani promised, until they add the new exchange rate to it. That's what we're expecting.
FIREFLY: Alaq was on TV Channel One talking...with the United States Treasury on reconsidering sanctions on our banks.Iraqi move to build the largest solar power plant, 19 MARCH
Iraqi move to build the largest solar power plant
Economy News - Baghdad
A member of the parliamentary oil, gas and natural resources committee, Sabah Sobhi, revealed on Tuesday an Iraqi trend to establish the largest solar power plant.
Sobhi said that "the renewable energy law is in the process of discussions and is incomplete so far, and the committee is working in cooperation with the Energy Committee to launch legislation on renewable energy, pointing to "the parliament's interest in legislating this law during the current session."
"The largest solar power plant in Iraq will be built after the law is enacted," he said, adding that "so far the site has not been determined, but approval is in the process of obtaining it.
The $21 Trillion RV Question: Iraq’s Economic IQD Dilemma and the Gold Solution by AWAKE IN 3D, 19 MARCH
The $21 Trillion RV Question: Iraq’s Economic IQD Dilemma and the Gold Solution
On March 18, 2024
By Awake-In-3D
From Economic Impossibility to Golden Opportunity: The Path Forward for the RV of the Iraqi Dinar
I tremendously enjoy engaging with my subscribers at GCR Real-Time News.
The questions raised and the discussions held around currency revaluations, particularly concerning Iraq’s dinar (IQD), provide for compelling conversation on the limitations of fiat currencies and the potential for a shift towards a gold-backed monetary system.
As countries assess and plan realistic strategies to combat today’s growing fiat economic and monetary uncertainties, the conversation about the nature of currency value, the impact of oil revenues, and the feasibility of significant currency revaluations serve as both informative and relevant.
Here’s the summary breakdown of a recent conversation thread on GCR Real-Time News.
The Iraqi Dinar RV Conundrum
At the heart of the debate is Iraq’s consideration of revaluing its currency, the IQD, potentially to $3.00 (or higher) against the U.S. dollar, a move that poses significant mathematical and economic challenges.
With an estimated 7 trillion (or more) IQD notes held outside of Iraq, a revaluation (RV) at such a rate would require an unfathomable $21 trillion ($3.00 x 7 Trillion IQD) fiat Dollars to fund the RV.
A sum far beyond Iraq’s current financial capacity, generated primarily through its oil trade revenues of around $100 billion per year at current oil prices. It would take Iraq centuries to pay for a $3.00 RV exchange rate at Iraq’s current and future production capacities. No Oil Contracts or economic development project investments scenario gets Iraq to $21 Trillion in the near or long term.
This stark reality highlights the inherent limitations of fiat currencies, which are not backed by physical commodities like gold but only by public confidence and a government’s declared ‘promises’.
The Gold-Backed Purchasing Power Solution
The potential solution lies in transitioning to a gold-backed currency system, a concept currently being explored by the BRICS nations as they seek to introduce an alternative to the fiat currency system dominated by Western economies.
A gold-backed currency promises enhanced stability and purchasing power, directly challenging the existing fiat system’s dominance.
If Iraq, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc., are accepted into BRICS, their currencies would participate in the new BRICS gold-backed common trade currency and financial system.
In other words, the IQD, VND, etc. would significantly gain purchasing power (exchange rate) against the Dollar, Euro, and other major fiat currencies.
So why can’t Iraq just peg the IQD to a high dollar exchange rate like Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain do?
Because unlike the other high-rate currencies in the region, Iraq has the unique problem of having over 7 trillion (or more) in IQD being held outside of Iraq by foreigners like you and me.
Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain do not have a fraction of their currencies being held by foreigners as does Iraq. This is why these other countries can maintain their high fiat exchange rate peg to the US Dollar. Iraq simply cannot repeg the fiat IQD value (purchasing power) with that many IQD held around the world.
The Ripple Effect of a Gold-Backed System
Should a gold-backed currency system come to fruition, the implications become financially significant, forcing Western economies to reconsider their fiat monetary policies and potentially launch their own gold-backed currencies in order to stop their old currencies from massive devaluation.
This shift could dramatically increase the purchasing power of currencies from Iraq and other countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Zimbabwe, making a revaluation of the IQD both mathematically and economically viable.
The key would be the relative devaluation of fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar against new gold-backed currencies, fundamentally and forever altering the global economic landscape.
In other words, the increase in the IQD’s purchasing power (exchange rate) would originate from the depreciation of the US Dollar vs. the gold-backed IQD – not from the IQD suddenly gaining purchasing power out of thin air (because it can’t).
There are not enough oil contracts or native economic development value-generation within Iraq’s realistic capability that could support (pay for) a fiat IQD revaluation to $3.00+ against the current fiat dollar.
Basically, $21 Trillion dollars rivals the total GDP of the entire United States. Let that sink in…
The Re-denomination vs. Revaluation Debate
Iraq’s ongoing strategy to re-denominate the IQD, removing three zeros from its notes, illustrates the difference between re-denomination and revaluation.
While re-denomination is a superficial change affecting the currency’s appearance and public perception (confidence), revaluation alters the currency’s actual purchasing power.
The Iraqi Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Central Bank of Iraq’s consideration of this strategy underscores the complexities of currency management and the pursuit of public confidence in the IQD.
The Global Context and the Future of Fiat Currencies
The discussion extends beyond Iraq, touching on the broader dynamics of the global financial system, the role of free-floating currencies, and the managed pegs that stabilize many oil-dependent economies.
The possibility of transitioning to a gold-backed system raises questions about the sustainability of fiat currencies and their future in a world looking for more stable and reliable monetary foundations.
As all of us in the RV/GCR community seek to freely and openly discuss these issues, the situation in Iraq serves as a critical point of analysis for the future of the global financial system as a whole.
Sidebar of topics discussed at GCR Real-Time News Telegram Channel:
- Estimated IQD Notes Held Abroad: 7 trillion IQD, as reported by Iraq’s Ministry of Finance.
- Hypothetical RV Rate: If Iraq revalues (RVs) the IQD to $3.00 against the U.S. dollar.
- Total Dollar Requirement for Hypothetical RV: $21 trillion (7 trillion IQD x $3.00).
- Iraq’s Annual Oil Revenue: Approximately $100 billion at current oil prices.
- Time Required to Cover RV Cost with Oil Revenue: Over 210 years, assuming 100% of Iraq’s annual oil revenue is dedicated to funding (paying for) the RV.
- Current Exchange Rate Perception Issue: If Iraq re-denominates by deleting 3 zeros from the currency, 1 IQD equals 1.310 per dollar, compared to the less favorable current rate of 1310 IQD per dollar. But the purchasing power of the IQD remains unchanged.
- Major Free-Floating Currencies: Dollar, Euro, British Pound, Swiss Franc, Japanese Yen, Russian Ruble, Indian Rupee, among others. These countries have highly diverse economies (their GDPs are not dependent on a single industry or service).
- Countries with Pegged Currencies: China, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Singapore, Hong Kong, Iraq, and many others emphasizing the prevalence of stable, managed currency pegs and floats among oil-dependent, or less diverse economies.
- Economic Dependency on Oil: The majority of GDP for many pegged/managed currency countries comes from oil revenues, highlighting the risk and volatility in oil markets if these countries utilized a free-floating currency exchange rate system.
The shift towards a gold-backed currency system could herald a new era in finance, challenging the status quo and offering a path toward greater economic stability and equity among nations.
The journey from fiat to gold-backed currencies is most certainly fraught with challenges and uncertainties, yet the potential rewards could redefine the essence of monetary value in the near future.
