IRAQ ECONOMIC & POLITICAL STATUS, 25 JAN

 IRAQ ECONOMIC &  POLITICAL STATUS

Highlights

• 🔍 : The Iceman’s interpreter’s information about new currency issuance reflects ongoing efforts within Iraq to enhance the dinar’s purchasing power. This move indicates a shift from reliance on older currency forms and aligns with efforts to modernize Iraq’s economy. The introduction of small denomination notes suggests a preparatory step for broader monetary reforms aimed at stabilizing the economy and restoring confidence among citizens and investors.

• 🤝 Strategic U.S.-Iraq Cooperation: Al Sadani’s communication highlights Iraq’s aspirations for a robust partnership with the United States, stressing mutual respect for sovereignty. This relationship is crucial for Iraq as it seeks to navigate regional instability and economic challenges. The strategic agreement framework indicates that both nations are focused on security, development, and regional stability, which could lead to more favorable conditions for investment and economic growth in Iraq.

• ⚠️ Iran’s Geopolitical Threat: Congressman Wilson’s remarks on Iran’s dominance in Iraq underscore the ongoing tensions in the region. The assertion that Iranian-backed militias pose a direct threat to U.S. interests suggests that Iraq’s political landscape is still heavily influenced by external forces. This dynamic complicates Iraq’s efforts to assert its sovereignty and could hinder potential economic reforms if not addressed adequately.

• 💰  Dollarization and Exchange Control: The transition to a controlled exchange rate by the CBI represents a significant milestone in Iraq’s monetary reform journey. By achieving Article 8 compliance, Iraq positions itself for greater economic independence and reduces vulnerabilities to external economic pressures. This shift is expected to stabilize the dinar and provide a more predictable economic environment, which is essential for attracting foreign investment.

• 🌐 WTO Membership as a Development Goal: Iraq’s renewed efforts to join the World Trade Organization after a lengthy hiatus mark a pivotal step toward integrating into the global trading system. This move could facilitate access to international markets, enhance trade relations, and promote economic development. It reflects Iraq’s commitment to modernizing its economy and aligning with global standards, which is crucial for long-term economic sustainability.

• 🛢️ Oil Reserves as Economic Leverage: The recent discovery of significant oil reserves could drastically alter Iraq’s economic trajectory. Analysts theorize that these reserves could bolster the value of the Iraqi dinar, providing a strong foundation for the country’s economic revival. This potential increase in valuation is essential for Iraq as it seeks to leverage its natural resources to gain financial stability and improve living standards for its citizens.

• 🎯 Political Landscape and Economic Stability: The video suggests that the political environment in Iraq is crucial for its economic recovery. The optimism surrounding potential changes in leadership and U.S. engagement indicates that the right political actions could lead to improved economic conditions. With a focus on addressing internal security issues and fostering international partnerships, Iraq could enhance its economic prospects and achieve greater stability in the region.

In conclusion, the updates reflect a complex interplay of economic aspirations, political dynamics, and regional relationships that shape Iraq’s current state and future potential. The focus on currency reform, U.S.-Iraq relations, and the impact of oil reserves highlights the multifaceted approach needed to navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Iraq.

Jon Dowling: Iraq is totally timing this for President Trumps return in one week!!‪@DINARREVALUATION‬

 

Iraqi President: Armed factions cease activity amid government intervention, 25 jan

 Iraqi President: Armed factions cease activity amid government intervention

Shafaq News/ Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid announced on Friday the cessation of armed factions' activities in Iraq following governmental efforts while expressing concerns over terrorist groups along the Syrian border.

In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Rashid said, "We hope US President Donald Trump, as he has expressed multiple times, will work to end wars in the region and the world. Resolving disputes between countries benefits not just the region but all global populations."

Discussing Syria, Rashid stated, "We support the aspirations of the Syrian people. We've made repeated attempts to assist, offering advice to former President Bashar al-Assad. Unfortunately, these opportunities for resolving Syria's crisis were not utilized."

The president emphasized Iraq’s hopes for positive change in Syria. “We wish for democratic developments that protect the Syrian people, reject foreign interventions, and ensure the participation of all components in governance," he said.

Rashid also highlighted serious steps taken to secure Iraq’s borders with Syria, citing fears of terrorist groups. "We've submitted several proposals to address these concerns. We hope Ahmed Al-Shara's efforts will benefit all Syrians," he added. Rashid stressed the importance of resolving disputes with Kurdish-led forces, noting, "The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are a significant part of Syria, and meetings between SDF leader Mazloum Abdi and Ahmed Al-Shara offer hope for positive outcomes."

Addressing ties between Iraq’s federal government and the Kurdistan Region, Rashid linked oil-related issues to the lack of a unified oil and gas law, hoping parliament will pass the law to resolve these disputes. 

In addition, the Iraqi President praised progress in infrastructure and services across Iraq, stating, "Developments in the Kurdistan Region and southern provinces are encouraging. These advances are tied to security and stability, which attract investors from Europe, China, Britain, the US, and Arab countries."

On armed groups, Rashid clarified, "Most factions consider themselves part of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which is a legitimate body under parliamentary law. Their activities have ceased, following government advice, and pose no threat within Iraq."

The president criticized foreign interventions, particularly Turkiye’s in Iraq and Israel’s in Lebanon. "Our relations with Iran are strong, and we’ve seen no military interference from them," Rashid added. "Iraq values its independence above all, as enshrined in our constitution."

Frank26 : Former banker & Federal Bank examiner with the US Treasury - Bill update, 25 JAN

 Frank26 

 [Former banker & Federal Bank examiner with the US Treasury - Bill update] 

 Remember, here's the key, it's your currency.  It's your money and you're in control. 

 You're in the driver's seat. 

 [Banks] have policies [but] doesn't mean they can't change them.  

They sure as heck don't want you to go down to the bank three blocks down because they're going to lose a lot of money...

MNT GOAT: "LETS GO TO FOREX!" ‪@DINARREVALUATION‬ #iraqidinarinvestor

 

Iraqi President reveals: Factions activity stopped as a result of government intervention, , 25 JAN

 Iraqi President reveals: Factions activity stopped as a result of government intervention

Shafaq News / Iraqi President Abdullatif Rashid revealed on Friday the cessation of the activity of armed factions in Iraq, as a result of government intervention, stressing on the other hand, that Iraq has a fear of terrorist groups at the Syrian border.

Rashid said, in a televised interview with Sky News Arabia, followed by Shafak News Agency, that “we hope that US President Donald Trump, as many times expressed his opinion through the statements, will end wars in the region and the world, and solve the problems between countries, and this, in my opinion, will not only for the benefit of the region but for the benefit of the peoples of the world.”

He added, “We are with the aspirations of the Syrian people, and we have tried many times to help the Syrian people, and some periods we tried to provide advice to former President Bashar al-Assad, but with great regret, he did not take advantage of our advice, nor the circumstances that came to solve the Syria problem.”

He stressed, “We hope that these changes will be positive for the Syrian people, and we hope that they will be democratic, defend the Syrian people, reject external interventions, and ensure the partnership of the components of the Syrian people in the government, and these are almost our directions for stability and security in Syria.”Syria Cord

“We have taken serious steps regarding border security with Syria, there is a fear of terrorist totals at the border, and we have also submitted a series of requests to solve these problems, and we hope that the steps taken by Ahmed Al-Sharaa will be positive for the Syrian people in all their spectrums and nationalities, and we have sent a delegate and these are our messages regarding the new situation in Syria.”

“It is very necessary to solve the problems with the SDF force and with the Kurds in Syria, the rest of the nationalities and the rest of the components in Syria. The SDF was an important part, and a strong and large part of Syria, and Mazloum Abdi met with Ahmed Al-Shara and gave suggestions, and we hope that these meetings will continue to reach positive results.

Infrastructure, Oil and Gas

Regarding the relationship of the Kurdistan Region with the federal government, Rashid explained that “the oil problem in the Kurdistan Region, and the relationship of oil production in the region with the center is linked to the non-approval of the oil and gas law, we hope that the law will be voted on in the House of Representatives so that it is part of solving the existing problems on oil between the region and the center, but in general, the relationship of the Kurdistan Region with the federal government in Baghdad will have a normal relationship.”

He continued, “We are happy with the development in the Kurdistan Region, and at the same time I visited a number of governorates in the south, west and northern Iraq, and the development that took place in the governorates in terms of services and infrastructure, as well as people’s livelihood is joyful, and all of these are linked to the presence of security and stability, the investor always tries to meet in a place where security and stability are prevalent.”

He stressed that “investors come to Iraq from all over the world, from Europe, from Arab countries and well, from China, from Britain, from America, they come and see the situation that exists now in Iraq, a stable Iraq, and Iraq with great potentials and internal as well as external potential for investors.”

Armed factions

Regarding the armed factions, the Iraqi president said that “most of the factions consider themselves part of the Popular Mobilization and the Popular Mobilization, an official Iraqi crowd with the law of parliament in Iraq, and I want to focus on the point that their activities are now stopped, especially that they listened to the advice of the Iraqi government, and agreed to stop any military activity against any party, and now their activities are stopped and there is no threat to any party in Iraq.”

External interventions

He pointed out that “there are interventions by some countries in the region on other areas, for example in Iraq, there are Turkish interventions, there are Israeli interventions in Lebanon, and Israeli interventions in other places, and there is military pressure on some of these areas in the Middle East.”

“Our relations with Iran are strong, frankly we have not seen any military interventions in our territory, and so far the Iranian position is a position as a neighboring state, and we in Iraq our independence is more important than everything,” he explained.

The Iraqi president stressed that “we do not accept any external interference in Iraq, as well as we care about our independence and according to the Iraqi constitution, Iraq is an independent state, and our system is democratic, we have a parliament, we have the Council of Ministers, we have the Presidency of the Republic, decisions on these institutions in the Iraqi state are taken in partnership with political parties in parliament.”

https://www.shafaq.com/ar/سیاسة/الر-يس-العراقي-التغيير-في-سوريا-يجابي-ونحن-مع-تطلعات-الشعب-السوري

Iraq’s long-standing efforts to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) : HIGHLIGHTS, 25 JAN

  Iraq’s long-standing efforts to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) : HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights

• 🌍 Iraq’s WTO Journey: Iraq has been attempting to join the WTO for over 16 years, with negotiations recently resuming.
• 📉 Economic Diversification: Joining the WTO is part of Iraq’s strategy to reduce its dependence on oil and develop additional revenue sources.
• ⚖️ Need for Exchange Rate Reform: Iraq’s current exchange rate does not meet global standards, which is essential for effective international trade.
• 💬 Public Trust: Citizens are skeptical about government promises, highlighting the need for clear communication regarding economic reforms.
• 💡 Dollarization Benefits: Iraq’s move towards dollarization allows it to regain control over its currency and monetary policy, fostering economic independence.
• 📈 Potential for Foreign Investment: Successful WTO membership could enhance Iraq’s attractiveness to foreign investors, aiding its recovery from conflict.
• 🔍 Engagement and Awareness: Citizens are encouraged to stay informed about economic developments and engage in discussions about currency changes and policies.

Key Insights

• 📊 Importance of WTO Membership: Joining the WTO could significantly enhance Iraq’s economic standing by providing better trade agreements and access to larger markets. This could catalyze economic growth and stability, making it a vital step for Iraq’s future.

• 🏛️ Challenges of Political Instability: Iraq’s historical political instability has hindered its progress toward WTO membership. The ongoing political challenges and security issues must be addressed to create a conducive environment for negotiations and reforms.

• 💱 Critical Role of Exchange Rate: A real effective exchange rate is essential for Iraq to engage in international trade meaningfully. Without aligning its exchange rate with global standards, Iraq risks falling behind in its economic aspirations.

• 🏗️ Infrastructure Investment: To meet WTO requirements and attract foreign investment, Iraq must invest in its infrastructure, education, and trade systems. This investment can lead to a more vibrant economy, but it requires upfront costs and a commitment to reform.

• 📣 Need for Public Communication: The government’s ability to communicate its plans effectively is crucial for gaining public trust. Citizens have seen promises go unfulfilled in the past, so transparency and engagement are vital to secure support for the necessary economic reforms.

• 🌐 Shift in Global Trade Dynamics: Iraq’s potential departure from using the US dollar for trade could influence global economic patterns. If Iraq succeeds in dollarization, it may inspire other nations to follow suit, resulting in a more balanced global economy.

• 🤝 Empowerment through Information: Citizens are encouraged to stay informed about Iraq’s economic changes, which can empower them to understand the broader implications of these developments. Engaging in discussions and following economic news can help individuals grasp how these changes affect their lives and the global economy.

In conclusion, while Iraq’s journey toward joining the WTO presents numerous challenges, the potential benefits for the country’s economy are significant.

 Addressing political instability, reforming the exchange rate, and engaging the public are critical components for success. The developments surrounding Iraq’s economic reforms and efforts toward dollarization not only hold implications for its citizens but may also influence global trade dynamics.

 The future remains uncertain, but with strategic planning and commitment, Iraq could pave the way for a more prosperous economic landscape.