PARLIAMENTARY FINANCE COMMITTEE: LAUNCHING THE BANKING REFORM PLAN IS THE BEGINNING OF ECONOMIC REFORM
Parliamentary Finance Committee Chairman Atwan al-Atwani affirmed on Monday that the launch of the banking reform plan is the beginning of reforming the Iraqi economy.
In a speech at the Iraqi Banking Sector Reform Conference, attended by an Al-Eqtisad News correspondent, Al-Atwani said, “Developing the banking sector is a fundamental pillar for developing the Iraqi economy beyond oil revenues.”
The head of the Finance Committee called for “diversifying revenue sources to cover the financial deficit.”
He pointed out that “the reform and development process must be accompanied by engagement with international banks to regulate foreign remittances.”
He stressed that “unofficial border crossings cause a waste of public money.”
😊This next article titled “AL-SUDANI’S ADVISOR TALKS ABOUT A “NEW CHAPTER” WITH WASHINGTON AND THE AGENDA OF A US DELEGATION IN IRAQ SOON.”
According to Farhad Alaaldin, the Iraqi Prime Minister’s advisor for foreign affairs, spoke about a “new chapter in the Iraqi-American partnership.”
He also touched on a “promising” opportunity for American companies specializing in the manufacture of floating platforms and the supply of liquefied natural gas to participate effectively in Iraq.
So, let’s talk more about American companies from this article: This visit is likely to result in the signing of an unprecedented agreement between General Electric and the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity, aiming to produce highly efficient power bridging the gap in electricity demand away from Iran.
Parallel efforts to address this challenge to complete the Gulf Electricity Interconnection Project, which aims to deliver electricity from the electric grid to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries via the State of Kuwait by 2025. Yes, this year not years down the road.
Also, Iraq’s natural gas sector also highlights the significant opportunities available to advance the country’s energy development. Huge quantities of associated gas are still being flared daily,
around the clock, due to weak infrastructure and the urgent need for advanced international expertise in processing and exploiting this vital resource. In this context, American companies possess advanced technical and technological capabilities, making them ideal partners in this field.
On March 4, Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani announced that the ministry is in the process of importing a floating regasification platform (FSRU) to secure gas supplies for the country’s power plants. The bidding process is currently underway.
Over the past two and a half years, Iraq has awarded more contracts to American companies than ever before, reflecting the growing level of trust and partnership between the two countries.
Let’s go deeper into the VERY GOOD news…. So, what is this “new chapter” in relations with America they are now talking about? It is the move from the Obama/Biden era of relations to the Trump era. Like I told everyone this policy of first economic giant then RV will not work.
At some point all the reforms must work together to get the economy they desire and the reinstatement the Iraqi dinar is part of it. Then let the country grow and rebuild yet even more, using the investment wealth generated from the currency reform.
So, this new era I believe includes a new thinking in different terms to get the Iraqi currency reforms completed too and not to delay. But remember, as we have been reading recently, there are banking reforms with Rafidain bank that still need work and the digital dinar currency for inter-banking transfers.
LAUNCHING A PRIVATE BANKING REFORM PLAN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IRAQI AND INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
The Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Ali Al-Alaq, announced the launch of a comprehensive plan to reform private banks, in partnership with local and international institutions. He emphasized that the next phase will witness a qualitative shift in the nature of banking services, based on innovation and digital transformation.
During the Iraqi Banking Sector Reform Conference, which was attended by an Al-Eqtisad News correspondent , Al-Alaq said that Iraqi banks have made significant strides in developing their banking services, but they are required to further embrace modern technology. He emphasized that artificial intelligence must be at the core of future investments in the banking sector.
He added: “The world is witnessing a broad transformation in the financial structure and banking systems, which requires traditional banks to keep pace with this radical change by offering innovative services that meet customer aspirations amidst the tremendous technological acceleration.”
The Central Bank Governor indicated that digital currencies will play a vital role in accelerating payment and money transfer transactions, requiring banks to develop their digital infrastructure.
He also noted that central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) could reshape the global banking landscape, adding: “Successful banks of the future will be those that embrace digital transformation tools and integrate artificial intelligence into their daily operations.
😊Opps there are a couple more articles on this topic and one is titled “FACTIONS ENTER “ULTIMATUM C” AFTER THE “LIBERATION OF IRAQ” PROJECT FROM IRAN”. The
news of an “emergency government,” Al-Sudani speaks of conspiracies. A “C-Warning” was issued to armed factions and groups in Iraq as tensions escalated between Tehran and Washington.
These groups have been conducting “evacuations” for months, according to informed sources, while their leaders have disappeared, even down to the third line. The “factions” had completely halted their activities at the end of last November, with the truce between Israel and Hezbollah taking effect.
With the Pentagon sending additional reinforcements to the Middle East, including an aircraft carrier and a squadron of fighter jets, and the continued strikes on the Houthis and the threat to Iran, informed sources told Al-Mada that “the factions took the highest precautions in five years, following the killing of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Forces.”
😊The other article is titled
“IRAN’S SURPRISE: WITHDRAWING ITS FORCES FROM YEMEN AND ABANDONING THE HOUTHIS”.Iran has ordered the withdrawal of its military personnel from Yemen, abandoning its Houthi allies , as the United States escalates its campaign of airstrikes against the rebel group.
A senior Iranian official told the British newspaper The Telegraph that this move aims to avoid a direct confrontation with the United States if an Iranian soldier is killed.
Iran is scaling back its strategy of supporting a network of regional proxies in order to focus on direct threats from the United States. The source said that Tehran’s primary concern is US President Donald Trump and how to deal with him.
So, we can now more clearly see the stance of the American president Trump towards Iran which is also being reflected in the policies towards Iraq. How did Iraq ever get itself mixed up so much with Iran? I believe that part of this comes from the U.S. abandoning Iraq at such an early stage of their newly found democracy. The “big brother” did not do its job and so we as investors had to wait this long for any real progress. However since 2023 have witnessed beyond my imagination so much progress.
Oh, yes more good news. The reform progress continues and it is also this second part of our theme in the articles of today that is going to facilitate getting the reinstatement. We learned in the past that Iraq is purchasing electricity and natural gas from Iran. The U.S. has said they no longer will consider a waiver on these purchases. We learn today the efforts to combat these two resources by Iraq.
PARLIAMENTARY FINANCE COMMITTEE STRESSES THE NEED TO REACH AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE US TREASURY REGARDING THE EVALUATION OF BANKS.
The Parliamentary Finance Committee stressed the need to reach an understanding with the World Bank and the US Treasury regarding the evaluation of Iraqi banks’ performance, to avoid any “sudden” decisions that could negatively impact the country’s banking sector.
This came in a speech delivered by Finance Committee Chairman Atwan Al-Atwani on Monday during his participation in the Iraq Banking Sector Development Conference, attended by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and in cooperation with Oliver Wyman, in Baghdad.
Al-Atwani congratulated the Central Bank of Iraq’s management on the launch of the “Banking Sector Development Project,” noting that it “represents a starting point for a comprehensive reform of the financial and monetary systems, based on solid scientific foundations, and paves the way for achieving sustainable development and economic reform.”
The Chairman of the Finance Committee noted the committee’s commitment to supporting the Central Bank’s efforts to promote sustainable financing concepts, encourage public and private banks to finance economic activities and development projects, and diversify sources of income, thus contributing to reducing the financial deficit in public budgets. He added that “the banking sector is the cornerstone for driving the national economy and combating corruption.”
Al-Atwani emphasized that developing this sector “is a cornerstone of the economic reform project and a pivotal step in the transition to a diversified economy, away from excessive reliance on oil revenues.” Discussing maximizing non-oil revenues, he explained that “the introduction of modern banking systems into the Tax and Customs Administration contributes to improving financial transaction tracking mechanisms, enhances revenue collection efficiency, and reduces tax evasion, in addition to closing informal outlets that drain the state’s resources and weaken its ability to invest and provide services.”
Al-Atwani also emphasized that rebuilding confidence in the banking system and expanding the scope of digital transactions, both domestically and internationally, requires developing the banking sector’s infrastructure and enhancing its cybersecurity. Furthermore, the reform process requires establishing genuine partnerships with international banks and institutions and regulating foreign remittances to ensure compliance with international standards.
The head of the Finance Committee called for “the necessity of formulating a clear understanding with the World Bank and the US Treasury, establishing the principle that the Central Bank of Iraq is the body authorized to evaluate banks’ performance, ensure their compliance, and punish violators, to avoid any sudden decisions that would negatively impact the banking sector.”
Al-Atwani concluded his remarks by emphasizing the need for a comprehensive “reform revolution” beginning with the banking sector, emphasizing that “this requires genuine political will, institutional cooperation, and a strategic vision that goes beyond temporary solutions.” He also called for collective responsibility for reforming the banking sector, “considering it a national priority that touches on national security and financial stability, directly impacts citizens’ livelihoods, achieves social justice, and ensures the future of future generations.”
The United States announced sanctions on a group of Iraqi banks, including Rafidain Bank, for allegedly smuggling US dollars to sanctioned countries, most notably Iran. The US called on the Iraqi government to implement reforms at these banks as soon as possible.