Thursday, August 24, 2023

Al-Sudani: The Completion Of The Budget Financing Follow-Up Platform Is A First Step In Reforming The Financial System In Iraq, 24 AUGUST

 Al-Sudani: The Completion Of The Budget Financing Follow-Up Platform Is A First Step In Reforming The Financial System In Iraq

Political  | 06:55 - 08/23/2023  Baghdad - Mawazine News,  Prime Minister Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani affirmed today, Wednesday, that the completion of the budget financing follow-up platform is a first step in reforming the financial system in Iraq.

And the media office of the Prime Minister stated, in a statement, that “Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’ al-Sudani chaired today, Wednesday, a meeting dedicated to reviewing an electronic platform, which was designed and implemented by self-efforts for the purpose of following up the financing of the budget, and the platform was prepared by a committee headed by the advisor to the Prime Minister, with membership Sectoral agencies and a number of ministries and governorates, and implemented in cooperation with the National Data Center, through which it is possible to follow up on the implementation of the budgets of ministries, governorates and government agencies that are not linked to a ministry and the expenditure doors therein.

Al-Sudani appreciated "the efforts of those working to complete this platform, and considered it a first step in reforming the financial system in Iraq by dealing with this important file," and instructed "to circulate it to spending units in all ministries and government agencies."

And he indicated, "The program is an electronic mechanism that covers the entire chain of financing the general budget, ensuring the provision of updated data with the Prime Minister, or any responsible party that makes use of the information, and the possibility of diagnosing centers of imbalance and delay early."

And he stressed, "The program will also establish new work contexts that add more accuracy and transparency to the means of disbursing public funds, and contribute to supporting financial control and following up on the volume of financing, within the tabulation prepared and meeting the priorities of the government program in various sectors." https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=233774

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The Judiciary: The Investigation Of The Exchange Rate Files Continues, And Most Of The Accused Are Referred To The Courts Posted On2023-08-24 By Sotaliraq The judiciary reported the continuation of investigations regarding the exchange rate files, pointing out that legal measures were taken against all the accused and they were referred to the courts after conducting an investigation with them, stressing that the theft of tax secretariats took place with the complicity of employees, some of whom are in detention and others outside Iraq. In a statement to the official news agency, the judge of the Karkh Investigation Court, which specializes in integrity issues, Diaa Jaafar, said, “The investigation courts specialized in money laundering and organized crime cases that conduct investigations in exchange rate cases base their investigations on accurate information issued by the competent authorities,” adding that “all The accurate information that was provided to the courts, legal measures were taken regarding it.” Jaafar added, "All the important cases that were brought before the courts took legal measures towards the arrest of the accused." He pointed out that "most of the courts referred the accused, with whom the investigations were completed, to the competent courts for a trial." And between Jaafar, that “the court gives way in some cases by presenting evidence that proves the validity of the procedures taken by companies and banks.” He pointed out, "These issues are technical, and the reason for investigating them is because they are linked to more than one axis, including their association with technical procedures related to the Central Bank of Iraq, which has a vision and a certain point of view in managing the currency file inside the country." Jaafar stressed, "The Central Bank is an independent body specialized in managing monetary policy in the country, in addition to the presence of investigative bodies working to follow up on this file." And he talked about, “The existence of different points of view on how to manage the file requires the courts to be accurate and keen to take into account more than one aspect, which is taking into account the views of the technical authorities concerned with managing this important file and taking into account the information provided by the intelligence agencies and the authorities competent to follow up this file.” Jaafar described, "This file is one of the difficult files that must be managed according to a vision and methodology that includes more consideration on the part of the competent authorities." And he stated, “The issue of the currency file is not only related to the inside of the country, but also to an external dimension, and we are keen to deal with all aspects of this file accurately and that the competent authority to manage the file be aware and follow-up on this issue, taking into account its procedures in order to preserve the country’s monetary policy and take into account the information provided by Before the security authorities and taking legal measures regarding them in a fundamental manner, with the need to take legal measures against manipulators of currency rates. Jaafar stated, "All the defendants in the tax secretariat case, in which the Integrity Commission stated that there are recovery files to return them to Iraq, have taken legal measures against them, on charges of facilitating the seizure of tax secretariat amounts."


He added, "This is what we emphasized in the past periods, that the accusation will not stop at one person, but rather investigations will be completed to prove it against all the accused who participated in that."

 Jaafar noted, "The process of theft of tax secretariats was facilitated by a number of employees, some of whom are arrested and the other part outside the country, and investigations are still continuing to pursue them and force them to attend until their trial takes place."

And he continues, “The statements of a member of the House of Representatives regarding the settlement of the Anbar land issue are inaccurate, because the accused, Ahmed Kamel, was arrested pending a case related to real estate in the Fallujah region.”

And he continued, “It has not yet been proven or presented to the judiciary with investigations issued by specialized authorities that explain the process of forgery taking place,” noting that “all investigations that are conducted with land forgery are related to state employees.”

He noted, "The investigations in the case that was raised against Ahmed Kamel are still ongoing and incomplete, and the accused was released on financial bail, despite the passage of a long period of time since his arrest."

Jaafar stressed, “Not to confuse the Anbar lands issue with the case of the accused Ahmed Kamel, as the land issue is independent and related to the existence of information and forgery, but no evidence was presented to the judiciary to explain the forgery that occurred.”

He pointed out, “The court is convinced that in the event of fraud, the palaces are supposed to be assigned to the employees and property owners, if proven.”

He continued, "The case of the Anbar lands relates to a group of employees, as the court is continuing the procedures for arresting these employees from the Anbar Governorate, the governorate's municipality, and the Real Estate Registration Directorate."

And Jaafar concluded, “The investigation committees have almost completed their work, and according to what we received from the preliminary investigations, there are irregularities in the land distribution process by exploiting some loopholes in the law by relying on cooperative societies to grant lands, and during the coming period, the accused in this case will be referred to the courts.” competent.”  LINK

IRAQ DINAR - Global Moves - Unification - BRICS - Global Financial System by MILITIAMAN

Evolving global alliances: Navigating complex geopolitical shifts

 Shafaq News / In the wake of the BRICS summit scheduled for Tuesday, August 22nd, the global landscape will inevitably undergo profound changes. This sentiment is most fervently held by China, Russia, India, Brazil, and South Africa. These nations, collectively representing nearly half of the world's population, around 30% of the global GDP, and over 16% of the global trade volume, are betting on the creation of a multipolar world. This term now signifies a departure from Western unilateralism, particularly embodied by the United States.

The upcoming 15th BRICS summit in Johannesburg will deviate from conventional standards, as it marks the first gathering since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its agenda is packed with pivotal matters against the backdrop of global tension stemming from the Ukrainian conflict, escalating latent frictions in East Asia, and the readiness of proxy fronts along African coastal regions following the Niger coup.


Observers assert that the summit, convening 67 world leaders, will usher in crucial decisions concerning the initiation of a joint financial currency, thereby endeavoring to diminish the dominance of the US dollar in the global currency arena. Additionally, the summit aims to bolster the use of member countries' local currencies in inter-trade operations and to establish mechanisms for shared payment systems. Furthermore, the gathering will contemplate membership requests from countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Algeria, Egypt, and Argentina.


Political analysts emphasize that the strides taken by the BRICS group toward these goals unquestionably signal seismic shifts in the global power balance. They also indicate that the US, which has predominantly dominated the world stage since the collapse of the Soviet Union, is gradually losing its grip on political, economic, and possibly military fronts.


While the US defense budget has reached a record-breaking $858 billion, the combined military expenditure of the BRICS nations currently stands at $400 billion, alongside a cumulative military personnel of 11 million and approximately 6,500 nuclear warheads (possessed by China, Russia, and India).

Despite projecting an image of a collective challenging Western hegemony, the prestige of BRICS has experienced a setback as it failed to secure the physical presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin (he will participate via video technology). South Africa faced Western pressures regarding his attendance due to an international arrest warrant issued against Putin by the International Criminal Court pertaining to his role in the Ukraine conflict. However, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will represent Moscow at the summit, while Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with leaders from Brazil, India, and South Africa, are set to attend.


Notably, the Johannesburg government recently announced that it did not extend an invitation to French President Emmanuel Macron for the summit, despite numerous other heads of state and their governments being invited to participate.

Even in a symbolic sense, BRICS stands out as one of the most prominent indicators of the rise of alternative powers in contrast to the European-American duopoly that dominated international affairs for the past three centuries. This trajectory has gained further momentum since the US assumed more solitary control over geopolitical and economic conflicts following the Cold War's conclusion with the Soviet Union in 1991.


Through its share of the global economy, BRICS surpasses the Group of Seven (G7) in terms of influence. The current member nations of BRICS collectively account for 40% of the world's land area, a percentage that is bound to grow with the inclusion of potential new members. Since its inception at the 2009 summit, BRICS has openly pursued becoming a global economic powerhouse, challenging the unipolar dominance of the West led by the US. This pursuit is centered around creating a multipolar world order.


Historically, BRICS had remained somewhat closed to new members, particularly after South Africa's late inclusion. However, it is now endeavoring to expand its membership. New members would be expected to adhere to the group's objectives, which encompass combating poverty, fostering sustainable development, enhancing economic and social integration, strengthening security and peace, ensuring economic growth and political stability, and reforming international financial institutions to grant emerging economies a stronger voice, all while enhancing food security.


Observers highlight that among the most significant moves indicative of this trend towards independence and dismantling US unilateralism was China's decision in 2013 to launch the "Belt and Road Initiative" shortly after a BRICS summit in Durban, South Africa, in the same year. This inclination is also evident in BRICS' decision to establish the "New Development Bank" during the 2015 summit in Ufa, Russia. Based in Shanghai, China, this bank is positioned to be an alternative to the World Bank, traditionally considered the financial arm of Western global dominance, with an estimated capital of around $100 billion.


According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), "Foreign direct investment (FDI) played a crucial role in the growth of BRICS economies since 2001, with annual FDI flows to the bloc increasing more than fourfold from $84 billion in 2001 to $355 billion in 2021, significantly contributing to total fixed capital formation."


The summit held in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in November 2020 was in partnership with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), another alternative bloc to Western dominance that formed in 2001. It serves as another significant indicator of ongoing global shifts. Iran officially joined the SCO in July of the previous year. According to some analysts, BRICS serves as the "economic-financial arm" of the SCO, a phenomenon that is still evolving.

In recent months, estimations from experts and analysts have gained traction, suggesting that Russia's engagement in the Ukrainian conflict has spurred accelerated actions by Moscow and Beijing, as well as other BRICS nations, towards ensuring financial independence away from the US dollar. This strategic shift follows the rapid imposition of sanctions that affected Russia's global relations, trade interests, and economic assets. 


These sanctions served as a wake-up call for BRICS leaders, urging them to explore new financial options to break free from the "tyranny" of the US dollar, which has been frequently utilized to besiege and undermine countries and populations in recent decades, as evidenced in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and others.


Although the global blocs and alliances appear to align interests, objectives, and convergence among their member states, they simultaneously reveal the power struggles of major nations. This shift is transitioning from outright military warfare to economic interest conflicts, all aimed at ensuring continuity and prosperity, even if it comes at the expense of other nations or blocs. At times, these objectives inevitably lead to recourse in conflict and division.

If BRICS serves as an indicator of the rise of alternative blocs, history has also seen the rise and fall of other alliances. For instance, the Warsaw Pact (established in 1955) countered the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which represented Western Europe and the United States. Additionally, the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), founded in 1954 with US support to counter Moscow's influence, ultimately fell. 


The Baghdad Pact (formed in 1955), which included Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Britain, and Pakistan, also collapsed. This pact aimed to counter Soviet expansion and the Nasserist revolution. 

The Rio Pact (1947) was the first post-World War II alliance, encompassing American nations. Yet, it now holds little significance in the face of Washington's absolute dominance.

Nonetheless, active global alliances persist. Alongside NATO, formed in 1949, there is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for


Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), established in 2018 after the US' withdrawal under the administration of former President Donald Trump. The CPTPP includes Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam, collectively representing around 15% of the global GDP.

Exclusive: Shafaq News Agency.


https://shafaq.com/en/Report/Evolving-global-alliances-Navigating-complex-geopolitical-shifts

All Sources Are All Quiet!💣This Month Our Window?🤔Iraq Dinar RV Updates ...

Chinese oil companies lead purchases of Iraqi oil in July, SOMO reports, 24 AUGUST

 Shafaq News/ Iraq's state-owned marketer SOMO reported on Thursday that Chinese oil companies secured the top spot as the most prolific buyers of Iraqi oil in July. 

According to SOMO's official website, ten Chinese companies were among the 40 international firms that engaged in purchasing Iraqi oil during that month.

Indian companies occupied the second position, with seven companies participating. South Korean and American companies were tied for third place, each represented by four firms. 

Italian companies ranked fourth with three, and Greek and Emirati companies held fifth with two entities each. The remaining buyers included single companies from Turkey, Spain, the Netherlands, the UK, Kuwait, Jordan, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, and Japan.

SOMO emphasized that its process for selling Iraqi oil revolves around key criteria for contracting with diverse international oil companies, encompassing major, medium, independent, and vertically integrated governmental corporations. 

The organization highlighted notable participants in the Iraqi oil market, with significant purchases attributed to the Indian Hindustan Company, South Korean KOGAS, American Exxon Mobil, British Dutch Shell, and Italian Eni.


https://shafaq.com/en/Economy/Chinese-oil-companies-lead-purchases-of-Iraqi-oil-in-July-SOMO-reports

DINARLAND UPDATE, 24 AUGUST

 Walkingstick (KTFA)


[Aki’s Iraqi Bank report]

Not all banks will be brought back even though they will all be online.  This is to monitor them.  This step has already started.  It is already well advanced … Bringing these banks back online is needed for the monetary reform…these banks are scattered all over Iraq…

MarkZ

[via PDK]

Its been quiet on the RV front – Quiet on purpose… The supposed goal for all my sources was yesterday.  They are very quiet so I know nothing on timing right now.  Many still think they will get it done this month. I sure hope so…we all need it. The world needs it.

Sandy Ingram


Iraq has 3 significant tasks before we will see an increase in the currency’s value.

1. Rebuild their infrastructure, which they are actively doing…

2. Making the country safe for citizens and international investors. In other words stopping the assaults against foreign investors. International investors want to invest in Iraq because their investment will be worth more when the value of the IQD increases.

3. Creating additional streams of income outside of the oil industry.

Iraq is actively making progress by implementing new factories…road projects connecting Asia to Europe and partnering with a neighboring country to build oil vessels…

"IRAQ BOOTS ON THE GROUND REPORT" BY FIREFLY, 24 AUGUST

 Frank26 (KTFA)


It’s like a black hole in space.  We know it exists.  We can see all the evidence…the gravitational fields around the black hole is the evidence of it…You just can’t see it. The monetary reform is alive, is moving, is activated. The new exchange rate is coming to the citizens.  The currency will float…everything we want is occurring…we are at the ‘event horizon’…

All I know is that things are coming to a crescendo…at that high point where there’s nothing else to climb…you’re at the very end. 

[Iraq boots-on-the-ground report]

FIREFLY: Our government is saying USA defense interest is secured in Iraq for the first time since 2003. Wow! That’s when we were at 1 to $3. Iraq agrees on the troops being here in Iraq. I guess Sudani wants you guys here…this is a win-win for all of us.

FRANK: Let’s see you try to steal something now.

KRG shares first list of Know Your Customer (KYC) data with the Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI). 20 MAY

KRG shares first list of Know Your Customer (KYC) data with the Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI) Erbil, Kurdistan Region ( GOV.KRD ) – The Kurdistan...