Iraq Economic News 5-31-2024
Parliamentary Finance Announces Its Readiness To Present The Final Report On The Budget Schedules In Next Monday’s Session
Friday 31, May 2024 | Economical Number of readings: 176 Baghdad / NINA / The Parliamentary Finance Committee confirmed its readiness to present the final report on the budget schedules in next Monday’s session.
The head of the committee, Atwan Al-Atwani, said in a statement, “His committee has been continuing for days to study and review the 2024 budget schedules, in detail, in order to complete them in the optimal manner, and to ensure the necessary financial allocations for all sectors.”
He pointed out that “a series of intensive meetings were held, which witnessed the hosting of the relevant ministers,” indicating that “the committee is about to complete the task of discussing and reviewing the details of these schedules, in a manner consistent with the federal general budget law for the years (2023-2025).”
Al-Atwani confirmed that “Parliamentary Finance is ready to present its final report to the House of Representatives in next Monday’s session designated for approving the budget schedules and its annexes.”
He pointed out that “the committee is keen to enable the federal government to implement its service and development plans and programs in a manner consistent with its government program that the House of Representatives voted on.”/ https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1129845
Al-Sudani: The Path Of Development Will Restore Iraq’s Historical Role In Global Trade
Economy | 05/31/2024 Baghdad – Mawazine News Prime Minister, Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, confirmed that the development road project means, according to current market equations and international trade movement, a link between the East and Europe through Iraqi and Turkish lands together.
Al-Sudani, during an interview conducted by Anatolia Agency, said: In the beginning, we must look historically at Iraq’s role in trade between the East and the West over many centuries, and I am not exaggerating if I say that since prehistoric times, Mesopotamia has been an easy trade corridor whose paths trade caravans prefer to follow. And standing and trading with its metropolises, cities and urban centres.”
He stressed that the path of development is essentially to restore this historical role, and the link between the port of Al-Faw and the Turkish border, according to the current market equations and the international trade movement, means a link between the East and Europe through Iraqi and Turkish lands together.”
The Prime Minister of Iraq explained that the region is witnessing conflicts and tensions that recede at times and escalate at other times, and this prompts us to focus efforts on projects that overlap in interests and overlap in benefits.
He added: The Development Road will provide an opportunity for the emergence of industrial cities on both sides of it, which will complement the trade passing through it. Later this year, we will inaugurate the first berths at Al-Faw Port, and the flow of goods through the Development Road route will begin initially.”
He continued, saying: All indicators, economic readings and feasibility studies, say that this corridor is the least expensive and fastest among the rest of the corridors. We do not say that it is an alternative, but rather regional and international trade really needs a path of development, as it is a linking project that promotes overlap in interests and causes of economic sustainability.
Following President Erdogan’s visit to Iraq, Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Oraloglu said that with the operation of the development road, the volume of trade with Iraq will increase from $20 billion to $30-40 billion.
Regarding the future volume of bilateral trade between Turkey and Iraq, which is currently estimated at about 20 billion dollars, the Prime Minister of Iraq said: The increase in the volume of bilateral trade with Turkey can be expanded vertically, but we are seeking vertical expansion as well. In short, this is the role of the Development Road Project and the projects attached to it. “.
He added: Experience and history have proven that the progress of a country alone and in isolation from its neighbourhood, is something that carries an unknown future despite all possibilities and conflicts. Therefore, we focus on increasing the capacity of exchange and actual partnership (with Turkey) is the guarantor of stability and deep, long-term relations.
He continued: In our relationship with our Turkish brothers, we also focused on one of the most promising sectors in investment and cooperation, which is the agricultural sector, and soon we will witness practical steps in this aspect, and the participation of Turkish companies.”
Regarding investments in Iraqi gas fields, the Prime Minister of Iraq said, in his interview with Anadolu: “Gas investment is a strategic test for Iraq, and our national wealth must be optimally employed in serving our people and development plans.”
He added: It is not possible to continue burning gas, firstly due to the waste of this wealth that can be benefited from, and secondly due to the environmental effects. We announced a special round of licenses to invest in gas fields.
He continued, saying: We plan for Iraq to be self-sufficient in domestic gas production within 3 years, and Iraq is moving confidently to be an important element in the gas market within 5 years, and we will achieve self-sufficiency in this material at the expense of electricity production.
The Prime Minister of Iraq said: Specialists know that the existence of a technological base for gas investment is at the same time a base for the broadest petrochemical industries, and this is what we seek.”
Regarding potential partnerships in these investments, the Prime Minister of Iraq indicated that the doors are open to every reputable and specialized company that wishes to participate in this sector, and we also welcome regional companies because they will expand the base of cooperation in other areas.
He added: It is important to understand that gas investment means providing additional resources for development in Iraq, which are resources that can be invested in various promising economic rights, and these areas will be open to the participation of Turkish companies and companies of other friendly countries.
Iraq’s current production of natural gas is about 2.7 billion cubic feet, and according to previous estimates, Iraq has a reserve of 132 trillion cubic feet of gas, of which 700 billion cubic feet were burned, as a result of the weak ability to exploit it.
Regarding the flow of Iraqi oil, the Iraqi Prime Minister explained that stopping the pumping of Iraqi oil extracted from the fields of the Kurdistan region of Iraq is undoubtedly a loss for Iraq, and at least it is the loss of an expected benefit that can support development plans in the provinces of the region and strengthen the Iraqi economy as a whole.
He added: He added: We took the initiative to find acceptable settlements and legal solutions and solutions after a thorough legal study, but the matter is surrounded by a legal obligation, because the Federal General Budget Law requires calculating the cost of producing one barrel of oil in all fields to be within the national average of the cost of production, which is around $8 per barrel, according to what was announced. Federal Ministry of Oil.
He continued: But the Ministry of Natural Resources in the Kurdistan Regional Government, and within the contracts signed with the oil company operating there, the cost of production is calculated at around $26 per barrel, and we suggested to Imam that the budget law be amended, or that the agreements and contracts with these companies be amended.”
The Prime Minister of Iraq continued, saying: From this standpoint, companies stopped production, as the ban did not come from the federal government, and we are waiting for a solution to be found. The companies refused to amend the contracts, while the regional government agreed.
He explained that for these reasons, more work is required to find a legal solution that first ensures the rights of Iraq and its people to its wealth.
He added: As for transporting Basra oil through Turkish ports, the matter is subject to study and determining the economic feasibility first of all.
Currently, Iraq’s oil production is approximately 4 million barrels per day, according to data from the Ministry of Oil and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), while it imports about 25 million liters of gas oil, gasoline, and white oil daily, in addition to natural gas.
According to previous statements by Al-Sudani, Iraq intends to be self-sufficient in oil derivatives, stop imports, and save $3.2 billion. https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=248956
Oil Declines After A Sudden Rise In US Gasoline Stocks
Friday 31, May 2024 | Economical Number of readings: 241 Baghdad / NINA / Oil prices fell today, Friday, in the wake of a sudden rise in US gasoline inventories and amid indications that it is unlikely to start lowering interest rates.
Brent crude futures fell 12 cents, or 0.15 percent, to trade at $81.74 a barrel, and US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 17 cents, or 0.22 percent, to $77.74.
This decline in prices comes in light of statements by Lori Logan, President of the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas, about the possibility of rising inflation despite the slowdown in the recent period, warning that the US Central Bank needs to be flexible and keep “all options on the table” while monitoring… “Data determines how to respond.”
Meanwhile, the US Energy Information Administration reported that gasoline inventories rose against expectations that demand will be higher before the weekend.
Inventories rose by two million barrels during the week, to 228.8 million barrels, compared to expectations of a decrease of 400 thousand barrels./End 2 https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=1129766
The Central Bank Announces Raising The Amounts Allocated For Housing Loans
Economy | 05/31/2024 Baghdad – Mawazine News The Central Bank announced today, Friday, raising the amounts allocated for housing loans to 3 trillion dinars.
The bank stated in a statement received by “Mawazine News”, that “based on the strategic vision and main objectives of the Central Bank of Iraq in working to promote sustainable development and prosperity and achieving well-being for citizens, the most prominent of which is the provision of adequate housing, and in a way that contributes to the growth of urban expansion and urban development,
it decided The Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Iraq issued a number of decisions that would provide additional amounts amounting to about (3) trillion dinars, which in turn will be reflected in the response to housing borrowing requests by citizens through (the Real Estate Bank and the Iraqi Housing Fund) in a facilitating manner, in support of the government’s directions in “This regard.”
The statement added, “The Central Bank of Iraq directed the management of both the Real Estate Bank and the Iraqi Housing Fund to develop a well-thought-out plan for housing lending, through which it will receive requests from citizens wishing to borrow, in light of the government’s directives and in accordance with the contexts and regulations in force in each of them, taking into account Priorities in this regard, in a way that achieves the principle of justice among citizens, especially completed or under-complemented transactions.”
At the same time, the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Iraq called on the government and the House of Representatives to provide support to the Real Estate Bank and the Iraqi Housing Fund, by allocating an annual amount within the federal general budget to enhance the capital of each of them, allowing them the opportunity to implement their policy of granting housing loans to citizens. https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=248935
Provoking Thoughts and Points To Ponder on Failures and Mistakes
The man who has done his level best, and who is conscious that he has done his best, is a success, even though the world may write him down a failure.- B. C. Forbes
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from poor judgment.- Anonymous
Life is very interesting, if you make mistakes.- Georges Carpentier
When I have listened to my mistakes, I have grown.- Hugh Prather
Mistakes and errors are the discipline through which we advance.- William Ellery Channing
http://famousquotesandauthors.com/topics/failures_and_mistakes_quotes.html
