Shafaq News/ On Friday, Masrour Barzani, the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, met with a US delegation led by Congressman Seth Moulton to discuss the latest developments in Iraq and the Middle East.
“During the meeting, which was attended by US Consul General in the Kurdistan Region, Teff Bittner, we exchanged views on the current developments in Iraq and the region, and explored ways to strengthen the relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the United States,” as per a statement.
Congressman Moulton emphasized that the Kurdistan Region is “a reliable friend and ally of the United States in the region,” highlighting the importance of “supporting the Peshmerga forces and ensuring the security of the Kurdistan Region.”
Barzani expressed gratitude on behalf of the Regional Government for the support and assistance provided by the United States and reiterated his commitment to strengthening cooperation between the two sides across various fields.
The discussion also focused on the progress made in the reforms related to the Ministry of Peshmerga, where the participants agreed on the importance of supporting, enhancing, and accelerating the reform process within the ministry to ensure the unification of its forces.
The two sides also addressed the necessity of exporting oil from the Kurdistan Region and discussed preparations for upcoming legislative elections in the Region, as well as the US presidential elections. They also reviewed the ongoing crises, conflicts, and escalations in the Middle East and the efforts being made to achieve security and stability in the region as a whole.
FIREFLY:Minister of Finance on TV saying they have activated the automation and digitization process.
FRANK: That's important. Digitization...is the backbone of the monetary reform.
That's what's going to move the currency in and out of the country but more so out there when it starts to float for us...That will add the Real Effective Exchange Rate to your currency.
Shafaq News/ The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has outlined key recommendations to combat corruption in the Arab region and Iraq, following a forum held in Baghdad.
Key steps include facilitating government operations, adopting e-governance and artificial intelligence, enhancing the roles of women and youth, fostering public-private partnerships, and establishing an Arab Observatory for Integrity and Transparency.
The UN report noted that Iraq hosted the second forum to promote transparency and good governance from September 10 to 12, 2024, with over 300 participants from 29 countries, marking a significant step in Iraq's efforts to fight corruption and promote sustainable solutions in the Arab region.
Organized in collaboration with the Arab Administrative Development Organization, Transparency International, and the UNDP, the forum was held under the patronage of Prime Minister Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani. The theme was "Integrity: A Core Element in an Era of Complexity and Opportunity," and it was partially funded by the European Union.
The report highlighted that "the world faces intertwined challenges related to conflicts, climate crises, and digital gaps, particularly difficult issues in the Arab region, complicating efforts to curb corruption and enhance transparency. "
According to the UNDP's 2024 Trends Report, "there has been an unprecedented rise in conflicts in 2023, surpassing levels not seen since World War II. Furthermore, the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index from Transparency International shows that most Arab countries have stagnated in their corruption rankings for over a decade, largely due to political corruption undermining anti-corruption efforts."
During the Baghdad forum, participants discussed these challenges and explored solutions through discussion groups and workshops. The report outlined "bold" measures needed to curb corruption across the Arab region, which include:
- Streamlining government processes and adopting e-government tools.
- Enhancing partnerships between the public and private sectors to ensure transparency and accountability.
- Empowering civil society to play a more active role in anti-corruption strategies.
- Encouraging the private sector to enhance internal governance and financial transparency.
One of the key proposals during the Baghdad forum was the establishment of an Arab Observatory for Integrity and Transparency, a regional platform to monitor anti-corruption efforts and evaluate policy effectiveness.
The report emphasized the potential of modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing, to improve governance efficiency. Additional recommendations included providing legal protection for whistleblowers, empowering women and youth in leadership roles, and ensuring transparency in public fund management.
Moreover, the forum highlighted the importance of "regional cooperation," urging governments to "share experiences and enhance cross-border investigations to tackle corruption on a broader scale."
In conclusion, the report indicated that the Arab Forum for Enhancing Transparency and Good Governance is a joint initiative between Transparency International and the Arab Administrative Development Organization, continuing annually until 2030. Each edition will be hosted by a different Arab country, bringing together governments, the private sector, academia, civil society, and media from across the region to enhance dialogue and expedite actions against corruption.
Engineer, Iraq’s Electricity Minister, Ziyad Ali Fadel presided over a technical meeting with Huawei, a Chinese company, to talk about the idea for a 100 MW fast-installation solar power plant in Karbala.
In order to assist in meeting peak electricity demand, the project is expected to be operational by summer 2025 and finished in six months.
In all projects, the minister emphasized the significance of transparency, competitive pricing, and prompt execution. This initiative is a part of Iraq’s larger strategy to spread solar energy across the country to diversify its energy supply and lessen its reliance on fossil fuels.
The difference between Kuwait and Iraq is...Saddam Hussein printed so much money that their dollars were super inflated. They had to add zeros to their currency...Kuwait didn't add any zeros...
If [Iraq is] going to go to that exchange rate of $3.28 they're not going to do it with these inflated dollars.
They're first going to delete the zeros, then they'll change the exchange rate.
That means your 25,000 dinar is only going to be 25 dinar...
For us Americans when we go to make our exchange we now have a 25 note...times $3.28...Your 25 note is now worth $82...
Is there a possibility they keep the zeros on there? Yeah, there's a possibility. Anything is possible...But...the odds are they're going to remove the zeros.
The Kuwaiti dinar has always been the same denominations. Nothing has changed. When Iraq invaded Kuwait...you had quarter...half...one...five...ten...twenty. After Iraq was chased out...Kuwait just redenominated their currency.
They changed the way the bank notes looked is all they changed...They didn't have to change the nominal value of the dollars....
There never was a need to delete the zeros. Their currency was not inflated like Iraq's was...There was no inflated dollars, there wasn't a revalue, there was just a reinstatement.
They just had new looking bank notes. That was it. When Iraq invaded Kuwait...[Iraq's] currency were lower denominations and their rate was $3.22..