IRAQI PRESIDENT AND CBI GOVERNOR DISCUSS ECONOMIC REFORMS
President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid and Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI), Ali Al-Alaq, met at Baghdad Palace to discuss economic reforms aimed at strengthening Iraq’s financial sector and fostering sustainable growth.
They emphasized the importance of modernizing the banking system, stabilizing the market, and creating a robust financial framework to attract investment and support development.
Full statement from the Office of the Iraqi President:
President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid met with Central Bank Governor Ali Al-Alaq at Baghdad Palace for a discussion on comprehensive economic reforms designed to strengthen Iraq’s financial sector and promote sustainable economic growth. The meeting focused on the Central Bank’s ongoing efforts to modernize the banking system, address current economic challenges and stabilize the local market. They agreed on the need for a robust financial framework to drive sustainable development and long-term growth.
“As we move forward, a strong financial policy framework will be key to unlocking Iraq’s economic potential,” President Rashid stated. “By fostering a supportive environment for the private sector and leveraging our stability, we can attract investment, generate employment and build a more prosperous future for all Iraqis.”
Governor Al-Alaq expressed his appreciation for the President’s leadership and reaffirmed the Central Bank’s commitment to enhancing financial stability, reforming fiscal policy and supporting national development goals.
The meeting highlighted the importance of continued cooperation between the government and the Central Bank in driving Iraq’s economic transformation and ensuring prosperity for its people.
FIREFLY:Mr. Sammy says, think about the importance of this weekend, all the meeting that are being held between Alaq and our President of Iraq.
It is at the palace...Alaq is the trigger man
for the rate and he ain't just talking to him about a program rate of 1310...We know the majority of the meeting was held on the monetary reform success.
FRANK: This meeting was very significant...The fact that Alaq and Sudani are also at this meeting with the IMF...
The IMF gives central banks permission to lift the value or change the value for their currency. These are exciting meetings that lead to only one conclusion..
DINAR REVALUATION : BLACK MARKET IN IRAQ IN TROUBLE!!
Dollar-dinar exchange rate expected to hold steady in Iraq
Shafaq News/ The exchange rate of the US dollar against the Iraqi dinar is expected to stabilize between 140,000 and 143,000 IQD per $100, according to Iraqi economic expert Mohammed al-Hassani.
Speaking to Shafaq News, al-Hassani said the relative stabilization in Iraq’s parallel market is driven by monetary policies implemented by the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) and ongoing domestic market contraction, which has increased dollar supply amid weakened demand.
“The current range is likely to hold for a while due to these combined factors,” he noted.
However, Al-Hassani pointed out that a return to the official exchange rate set by CBI remains unlikely in the near term, citing continued instability in Iraq’s market conditions.
The US dollar has seen a gradual decline in recent weeks. As of Monday, it traded at 142,500 IQD per $100 on local currency exchanges.
MONETARY POLICY RAISES THE VALUE OF THE DINAR AND REDUCES RELIANCE ON THE PARALLEL MARKET
The Iraqi dinar has recently recorded strong performance against the dollar, driven by a series of monetary measures adopted by the Central Bank, which have contributed to reducing demand for hard currency in the parallel market and enhancing the confidence of traders in official channels. This improvement comes amid ongoing government efforts to consolidate financial stability and stimulate business activity through effective monetary instruments and transparent and direct financing mechanisms.
Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait, Dr. Ammar Hamad, confirmed to Al-Sabah that this increase reflects the success of the monetary policy pursued by the bank in reducing reliance on the parallel market and providing safe and transparent sources of financing for foreign trade. He explained that this policy has enabled the commercial family to obtain dollars through official channels that adhere to international standards, without having to resort to the unregulated market.
Hamad noted that the Central Bank continues to work toward consolidating the local banking system and raising its operational efficiency to levels consistent with international banking standards, making it a fundamental pillar in driving economic development in Iraq. He added that the bank is adopting advanced mechanisms that enable banks to offer diverse banking products that support various economic sectors and facilitate financing and cash flow operations.
For his part, the Prime Minister’s Advisor for Financial Affairs, Dr. Mazhar Mohammed Salih, explained that a number of factors contributed to strengthening the value of the dinar, most notably the weak demand for the dollar in the parallel market, as a result of the Central Bank’s policies regarding financing foreign trade for the private sector. He explained that the bank strengthens Iraqi banks’ dollar balances through their correspondents abroad, especially banks with a high credit rating (AAA), which speeds up the execution of international transfers and reduces the need for dollars in the local market. He also indicated that the move towards using alternative currencies such as the euro, yuan, dirham, and lira in banking transactions has helped reduce excessive reliance on the dollar.
(Getting ready to change the peg from the sole peg to the US dollar to a basket of currencies. Get ready! 😊)
Saleh also noted that enabling small businesses to access financing sources directly through Iraqi banks, without costly intermediaries, has helped reduce operating costs and improved commercial efficiency, as this segment represents approximately 60% of private sector trade. He added that travelers can now easily obtain their foreign currency dues via payment cards at a subsidized exchange rate of 1,320 dinars to the dollar, in addition to the ability to receive dollars in cash at Iraqi airports, which has eased pressure on the parallel market.
In the same context, economic expert Nazir Al-Saadi emphasized that the money transfer services provided by the Central Bank have become safer and more effective, which has prompted business families to move away from the parallel market, which is characterized by significant risks and high costs. He explained that relying on official transfers not only ensures the safety of transactions, but also reduces the final cost of imports, which is positively reflected in the prices offered to consumers. He added that random transfers from the parallel market often caused losses to importers due to failure to implement them or due to price fluctuations, while the Central Bank mechanism provides a stable financial system that preserves the value of the currency and reduces Opportunities for manipulation.