The Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Ali Al-Alaq, announced today, Wednesday, that all transfers are subject to auditing processes, while he indicated that the decline in oil prices has nothing to do with the rise in the exchange rate.
Al-Alaq told the official agency, which was followed by "Al-Eqtisad News", that "the Central Bank provides the dollar at the official price to all commercial and personal channels, travelers, and all types of operations that represent legitimate activities, operations, and requests."
He pointed out that "any price outside the country is a price that only indicates the existence of abnormal operations that attempt to deviate from the official and legal system and the correct fundamental channels," stressing the need to "focus on the amount of sales carried out by the Central Bank at the official price and those seeking the dollar, whether they are traders, importers, individuals or travelers."
He pointed out that "methods have been put in place for each channel to secure the provision of dollars on the one hand, and a very large degree of oversight to verify the integrity of the pre-operations before they are implemented," noting that "this is a major shift in foreign transfer operations, as they were previously audited at a later stage, and today all transfer operations are not carried out or implemented except after they are subject to the auditing process."
He explained that "the decline in the price of oil has nothing to do with the rise in the exchange rate because Iraq has foreign currency reserves that enable it to defend the exchange rate link
Stay updated on Iraq Dinar revaluation and financial insights, including currency fluctuations and economic progress.
Highlights
🚩 Lower notes are out?
📈 Bank screen rates changing and fluctuating.
💰 Iraq maximizes non-oil revenues.
🏦 Digital banking reforms underway.
🔍 HCL passage could affect Dinar value.
🗣️ Citizens expect the Dinar to strengthen.
Key Insights
🌍 Iraq’s economic progress is reflected in its low national debt, now only 9% of reserves, signaling a potential for growth.
📊 The fluctuation in bank screen rates indicates a possible priming of the system that could lead to a new Dinar value.
🎤 Increased electronic payment points (30,000) suggests a shift towards financial inclusion and modernization of Iraq’s economy.
🏛️ The HCL (Hydrocarbon Law) is a critical factor in establishing a new value for the Dinar, contingent on upcoming parliamentary decisions.
📉 Iraq still heavily relies on oil sales (89% of budget), making it vulnerable to global oil price fluctuations.
🚀 Digital transformation efforts, including partnerships with major tech companies, could significantly impact the Iraqi economy and Dinar revaluation.
💬 Citizens and officials express optimism regarding the Dinar’s future strength against the dollar, indicating potential positive sentiment in the market.
Challenges and Opportunities for Iraqi Private Banks and Banking Reform 2024
As of September 18, 2024, the Iraqi private banking sector faces significant challenges amid opportunities for reform. These challenges include a weak banking infrastructure, political instability, and a lack of regulatory frameworks that can hinder the growth and development of private banks [1]. However, the current economic rebound and declining inflation present opportunities for the banking sector to play a pivotal role in the country's economic diversification and growth [2].
Current Challenges
Weak Banking Infrastructure
The private banking sector in Iraq is underdeveloped and heavily reliant on state-funded projects [5]. This reliance on government funding can limit the banks' ability to innovate and compete in the market, leading to a lack of trust from both domestic and foreign investors.
Political Instability
Political dynamics in Iraq have hindered the modernization of the financial and banking sectors [1]. The presence of non-democratic and armed forces in the country's political landscape and the ongoing conflict have created a challenging environment for the growth of private banks.
Lack of Regulatory Framework
The absence of a robust regulatory framework has also impeded the development of the private banking sector. This lack of oversight can lead to poor governance, corruption, and a lack of transparency, all of which are detrimental to the health of the banking sector.
Opportunities for Reform
Economic Rebound and Declining Inflation
The strong economic rebound and the decline in inflation to 4 percent by the end of 2023 have created a favorable environment for the expansion of the private banking sector [2]. This economic stability can encourage investment in the sector and provide a solid foundation for banking reform.
Support from International Organizations
The World Bank and other international organizations have extended their support to the Iraqi government to pursue private sector development [3]. This assistance can provide the necessary resources and expertise to implement reforms and strengthen the private banking sector.
Interest in Economic Diversification
The Iraqi government's interest in economic diversification presents an opportunity for private banks to expand their role in financing non-oil sectors [5]. This diversification can reduce the country's dependence on oil revenues and create a more stable economic environment for the banking sector.
Potential for Foreign Investment
The Baghdad Alliance to Support the Private Sector and other initiatives aimed at attracting foreign direct investment can provide a boost to the private banking sector [5]. Foreign investment can bring in much-needed capital and expertise, helping to strengthen the sector and promote economic growth.
SWOT Analysis of Iraqi Private Banks
To further understand the challenges and opportunities for Iraqi private banks, a SWOT analysis can be conducted. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats [1].
Strengths
• Strong economic rebound • Declining inflation • Support from international organizations • Interest in economic diversification • Potential for foreign investment Weaknesses
• Weak banking infrastructure • Political instability • Lack of regulatory framework • Corruption and lack of transparency Opportunities
• Economic diversification • Foreign investment
• Support for private sector development Threats
• Dependence on oil prices • Regional conflicts • Security threats This SWOT analysis highlights the challenges and opportunities for Iraqi private banks and banking reform in 2024. While the sector faces significant obstacles, there are also opportunities for growth and development. By addressing the weaknesses and threats, the private banking sector can capitalize on the strengths and opportunities to contribute
to the country's economic stability and growth.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Iraqi private banking sector faces a complex landscape of challenges and opportunities as of September 18, 2024. While the weak banking infrastructure
, political instability, and lack of regulatory framework pose significant obstacles, the economic rebound, declining inflation, and support from international organizations present opportunities for reform and growth. By
addressing these challenges and capitalizing on the opportunities, the private banking sector in Iraq can
Expenses Economy News – Baghdad Iraqi private banks suffer from many challenges and obstacles to work, and they also face crises and wide risks due to economic instability due to the challenges of instability in the financial and monetary system, deficiencies in the investment environment, and deficits in the balance of payments and the trade balance. Iraq includes eight government banks, and the structure of the Iraqi private banking sector consists of 32 Islamic banks and 28 commercial banks.
Advisor to the Iraqi Association of Iraqi Private Banks, Samir Al-Nusairi, told Al-Iqtisad News, “The number of private bank branches is approximately 500 branches inside and outside Iraq, which have expanded and developed technically in accordance with modern electronic banking systems.”
Al-Nusairi pointed out that the private banking sector in Iraq faces business challenges in addition to the above, most notably the US sanctions and restrictions imposed on 51% of the total private banking sector in Iraq and preventing 28 of its banks from using the US dollar in banking transactions, which affected their local and international activities and harmed the economy. National.
He explained that the most important obstacles facing banks currently are
technical, financial and administrative, especially in the procedures, instructions and decisions of digital transformation,
which requires providing full support for this transformation process and the use of electronic payment tools in governmental, mixed and private institutions, and setting a time limit for the complete transformation from the use of paper cash to electronic payment..
He added that the private banking sector suffers from differentiation between it and the government banking sector, as government banks account for 87% of total deposits and 78% of total assets.
It also suffers from weak activity and low liquidity, deposits, revenues and profitability in most banks, especially the 32 banks that issued Penalties and restrictions against them, in addition to the decline in the shares of most banks in the trading market in the Iraqi Stock Exchange.
Al-Nusairi added that private banks also suffer from double taxation, as the tax department in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, for example, imposes on the branches of private banks in the region (the number of which exceeds 70 branches) to pay the annual tax, while these banks, in accordance with the applicable Federal Tax Authority law, pay the same tax centrally. In Baghdad.
Al-Nusairi stressed the need for the Iraqi Council of Ministers to resolve the issue in the region and put an end to double taxation, and for tax collection to be centralized according to the law and for the final audited accounts submitted to the General Authority for Taxes to be approved as a basis for tax accounting.
The advisor to the Iraqi Private Banks Association called for “implementing the seven decisions issued on 4/4/2024 in implementation of the directive of Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani regarding supporting our private banks, which confirms the government’s vision in its governmental approach to financial and banking reform, as well as activating and accelerating the implementation of the agreements made in the rounds of negotiations.” between the Central Bank and the US Treasury in Washington and Baghdad to lift US restrictions on the use of the US dollar.”
He explained, “The Prime Minister’s decisions in support of private banks laid out the executive procedures for comprehensive reform of the banking sector, which constitutes the basis and true beginning of successful economic reform. These decisions included the following: 1- Preventing monopoly in banking services. 2- Activating the Central Bank’s financing initiatives. 3- Increasing cooperation between private banks and the Central Bank in discussing decision-making related to supporting and developing banking work. 4- Determining the contribution of foreign capital to Iraqi banks. 5- Participation of government institutions and financial funds with private banks and expansion by opening branches in countries The other. 6- Government and Central Bank support for private banks in foreign institutions and banks. 7- Increasing reliance on private banks by the Iraqi state and activating the deposit of government deposits and government bank deposits with private banks. Al-Nusairi stressed that implementing the decisions, which are practical applications to motivate private banks to develop their internal and external banking operations in a way that contributes to economic reform, pointing out “the importance of the Central Bank accelerating procedures to rehabilitate and restructure these banks, as well as the necessity of the international auditing company completing its agreed-upon work in order to raise Limitations and restrictions imposed. He concluded his speech by saying: "This file is certainly the focus of attention of the government, the Central Bank, the Association of Iraqi Private Banks, and the banking sector in general." https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=47683