Iraqi News Sunday Evening 9-4-22
Tlm724 Administrator Bondlady’s Corner
Al-Kazemi’s Advisor: Iraq Is On The “White List” To Combat Money Laundering Crimes
Economie| 09:45 – 04/09/2022 Baghdad – Mawazine News, the financial and economic advisor to the Prime Minister, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, said, on Sunday, that Iraq is currently on the “white list” of countries in the application of international standards in combating money laundering.
Saleh said in a statement to the official “Al-Sabah” newspaper, which was followed by Mawazine News, that “Iraq succeeded in curbing financial waste and combating money laundering by building experienced supervisory bodies that are committed to laws and regulations related to the financial and banking system,” explaining that “the package of financial reforms and effective measures to pursue Sources of funds, which led to Iraq restoring the confidence of the international community in it in financial transactions and commercial deals.
He added, “Iraq has waged a war on money laundering gangs and prosecuting transfers, deposits and concealment operations with high efficiency at home and abroad,” noting that “the Office for Combating Money Laundering, Crime Funds and Terrorism, which is a financially and administratively independent office that carries out information coordination work, is closer to the Financial Intelligence Unit.” .
Saleh pointed out that “the office receives instructions and directions from the Supreme Council for Combating Money Laundering, Crime Funds and Terrorism, and includes in its membership representatives from ministries and agencies related to combating money laundering and financial crimes.” He pointed out that ”
And the Prime Minister’s advisor continued, “Iraq is a member of the International Labor Organization for the Middle East and North Africa,” explaining that “that membership helped Iraq implement international standards in combating money laundering and its exit from the gray list and entry into the white list of countries that combat money laundering.” https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=204418
Hammam Al-Shamaa To / Nina /: The Recovery Of The Smuggled Money Depends On The Presence Of Documents And Political Will
Sunday 04 September 2022 11:17 | political Number of readings: 382 Baghdad / NINA / – The economic expert, Hammam Al-Shamma, confirmed that the recovery of the smuggled money is contingent on the existence of documents and political will.
He told the National Iraqi News Agency ( NINA ) that the smuggled money belonged to strong, controlling personalities or persons who have a very large political and authoritarian position.
Al-Shammaa added: The recovery depends on the existence of an agreement with the concerned country to which the file is sent, so some of the money is recovered with Lebanon, the Emirates and Jordan, but the majority of the files sent are not documented, so that the judiciary and the state in Lebanon in particular cannot follow up on them, and therefore the process of recovering funds is subject to the existence of documents and political will.
He explained: International cooperation exists, but we lack the political will in particular, through which we can recover our smuggled money, the size of which cannot be predicted. / End 3
https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?Key=998137
Al-Halbousi Stresses Holding Early Elections
Today, Sunday, Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi identified ten matters to be agreed upon during the upcoming national dialogue sessions.
A statement issued by the media office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives stated that “the agenda of the upcoming national dialogue sessions must include a number of issues that the political process cannot proceed without agreement on them:
Setting a date for early parliamentary elections and provincial council elections, no later than the end of next year.
Election of the President of the Republic.
Choosing a government with full authority, agreed upon, and one that is trusted and reassured by the people and their political forces.
Re-interpreting Article 76 of the Constitution, and abolishing the shameful circumvention of manipulating the provision of this article, which occurred under political pressures after the 2010 elections.
– Adoption of the Federal General Budget Law.
Maintaining or amending the Parliament elections law.
– Legislation of the Federal Supreme Court Law, according to Article 92 of the Constitution.
Redeployment of military and security forces of all kinds, and the Ministry of Interior is exclusively responsible for the deployment and imposition of security in all cities, and the rest of the forces are in their natural place in the training and deployment camps determined by the military and security leadership, while providing everything necessary to be ready for any emergency.
– The immediate return of all the innocent displaced people who were displaced from their homes and have not been able to return to it so far.
– Organizing the relationship between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government with a public agreement for the people until the approval of the oil and gas law.
https://www.radionawa.com/all-detail.aspx?jimare=31025
Economists Expect The Surplus To Reach $20 Billion By The End Of 2022
Posted On2022-09-04 By Sotaliraq Baghdad/Bright news Economists expected that Iraq’s cash surplus would reach about $20 billion at the end of this year, pointing out that the central bank’s reserve has now reached $90 billion, while noting that the lack of approval of the budget law will prevent Iraq from investment spending.
Iraq currently relies on Federal Financial Management Law No. 6 of 2019 amended to conduct its financial affairs through the monthly allocation of public spending according to the same rates as last year due to the lack of approval of the budget.
The economic expert, Ahmed Saddam, said in an interview with Al-Mada that “the recent rise in oil prices gives rise to optimism and hope for achieving more financial revenues for the public treasury.”
Saddam added, “The relative stability will not last long, and what is required in the economic policy in Iraq is to have a sovereign fund, as is the case in other countries.”
He pointed out, “This fund is directed to large projects that can create added value and solve many economic problems in Iraq.”
Saddam pointed out that “the rise helped achieve a large reserve for the Central Bank of $90 billion,” noting that “official expectations indicate the possibility of achieving a surplus at the end of this year of up to $20 billion.”
He stressed, “The expected surplus, with the presence of political and economic stability, can be directed towards projects that contribute to improving the economic reality and reduce the severity of the shocks to which the Iraqi economy is exposed due to the heavy dependence on oil.”
Saddam stressed, “Prices will drop in the future, and these are well-known economic cycles, and therefore what is required is the existence of policies towards diversifying the economy, and they need pillars and legislation that stimulate foreign direct investment.”
And he continues, that “economic development in Iraq can be based on the oil sector itself, but through industries related to this sector.”
Saddam noted that “the establishment of petrochemical industries can stimulate other industries such as refining,” noting that “such projects can create a lot of income, generate a lot of job opportunities and preserve economic activities.”
He believed, “Such industries stimulate the level of economic growth dependent on oil, but this in itself is a great value. Instead of exporting all crude oil, there will be a large share of oil production that will be transformed into refined products and turned into petrochemical industries.”
Saddam went on to say that “the existence of such industries can stimulate other industries, such as plastics, and this is an important issue that many international experiences have persisted in so that it stems from the competitive advantage that characterizes the economy.”
For his part, the other economic expert, Safwan Qusay, stated that “the lack of political agreement significantly affected the economic situation, and this was evident through the failure to pass the budget law for the current year.”
Qusay added, “The delay contributed to the complexity of the current government’s business when it moved to the caretaker, as it could neither make transfers nor spend higher than the actual spending for 2021.”
He pointed out that “current spending last year was 90 trillion dinars, which means that spending will continue at the same level.”
Qusay stated, “Investment spending will be disrupted, although it is in line with the Iraqi economy, which suffers from desertification in the decrease of job opportunities and the migration of farmers as a result of the lack of water.”
He finds, “Iraq had to approve a budget that responds to these variables,” noting that “the law of emergency support for food security approved by the House of Representatives earlier contributed to supporting the Iraqi economy by launching 17 billion dollars at the level of achieving food security and settling energy dues with The Iranian side has allocated 8 trillion to the provinces to break the partial bottlenecks.”
Qusay stressed, “The country will enter 2023 in the shadow of this political conflict without an investment budget, and there is a problem that if projects are left without funding, the implementers will withdraw and consequently we will suffer losses as a result of this withdrawal.”
And he added, “Parliament has to think of a legal tool that accompanies the process of dissolving it if a solution is resorted to, so that the current government or others can continue with investment spending.”
Qusay went on to say that “there is one window to settle this issue through self-financing funds that have the possibility, through their boards of directors, to finance these projects, or have partners in implementation through the stock market.”
Qusay went on to say that “leaving the issue without thinking about the future, the level of danger will rise, and we do not know whether the next government after the elections can implement the program to address these errors.”
It is noteworthy that Iraq failed to approve the current year’s budget due to the many political differences, and had previously failed to approve the 2014 and 2020 budgets. LINK
US Report: The Conflict In Iraq Has Begun To Threaten Civil Peace
Posted On2022-09-04 By Sotaliraq Translated by Hamid Ahmed A report published by an American news website confirmed that the political conflict in Iraq has begun to threaten civil peace, and quoted experts warning against reaching a civil war unless the forces reach an agreement.
A report by the (The World) news website, translated by Al-Mada, stated that “Safa Imad, 32, witnessed last Monday the recent armed clashes that took place in the Green Zone between supporters of the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, and the other side of the security forces and other armed factions.” .
The report added, “Imad watched while she was in her apartment, plumes of smoke rising from the area, and that some of the bullets hit the windows of their neighbors’ apartment.”
He pointed out, “When the situation became worse and more severe, Imad said that she and her husband decided to leave the place with their five-year-old daughter, but after the security authorities imposed a comprehensive curfew, they had no choice but to stay in their place.”
The report stressed that “the neighborhood in which she lives, although it is now quieter, is still concerned about their safety.”
Imad said, “With the absence of security, the situation in Iraq has become very difficult these days. It is as if we are moving from one war to another, and from one escalation in the security situation to another.”
The report noted, “The protests that took place in Iraq this week are but the most urgent example of the instability that the country has been experiencing in recent months.”
He continued, “Iraqi parties and politicians spent most of the period from last year until now arguing among themselves instead of seeking to form a government.”
And the report added, “Al-Sadr had won the majority of parliament seats in the October elections. But he was unable to form a national majority government that he was seeking to achieve instead of the quota system and consensus, which has proven to be a failure, which encourages corruption and the monopoly of power.
The report continues, that “this caused al-Sadr to withdraw his deputies from parliament, calling for early elections, and said last Monday that he would retire from political life completely.”
And he added, “In response, his supporters stormed the Green Zone, and on Tuesday, al-Sadr asked them during a press conference to withdraw. They obeyed his orders and proceeded to leave the area while they mounted their military vehicles and brandished their weapons in the air. During those clashes in Baghdad and other cities, at least 34 people were killed. ».
Shamiran Mako, a professor of foreign relations at the American University of Boston, said, “What we have been witnessing since June is a kind of growing discord and schism that has reached its climax between Al-Sadr and other Shiite political elites in Iraq.”
The report continued, “A part of these Shiite political elites are supported by Iran, and over the past decade they have been able to acquire significant influence in Iraq through political and party figures and armed factions.”
Mako returns to say, “Al-Sadr presented himself as a figure rejecting foreign foreign interference, and this is what made him enjoy the support of many of the Iraqi people.”
Mako pointed out that «the youth segment constitutes the majority in the population of Iraq. The youth tend to have a kind of attraction towards al-Sadr because of his patriotic rhetoric and his rejection of foreign interference.”
For her part, a sociologist from Britain’s Lancaster University, Ruba Ali Al-Hassani, stated that “there is another important reason that called Al-Sadr to retire, which is that the Ha’eri Marja, who was imitated by Al-Sadr’s followers, said that he no longer wanted to stay in his position, and asked his imitators to follow the Iranian religious guide instead. From him, this news angered the chest.”
And Al-Hasani continued, “The reference, of course, does not resort to retirement and leave his position, he is a pledge that will remain his lieutenant throughout life, for this reason Al-Sadr replied by saying that it appears that Al-Haeri has been forced to retire.”
Mersin Al-Shammari, a researcher at Harvard Kennedy School, said in a tweet that “Al-Sadr’s retirement from politics came in response to Al-Hairi’s statement.”
Al-Shammari continued, “Al-Haeri is trying to strip Al-Sadr of his religious authority and direct his Sadrist followers to follow the Iranian guide Khamenei.”
And the report added, “Iraq is still divided politically and without a permanent government, whatever the reasons behind these two statements.”
Sociologist Al-Hasani asserts that “Iraq is still led by an unelected interim caretaker government that has no authority to pass laws. The month of September has come and the country is still without a budget,” she said, explaining that “the factor of instability has created a culture of fear among the Iraqis.”
Al-Hasani said, “This violence that is taking place has made the Iraqis feel humiliated and ignored, and there is no one to listen to them or care about them.”
The foreign relations expert, Mako, also warned that “Iraq may be closer to the brink of civil war if these political tensions persist and unless there is a negotiated settlement.”
For its part, the Security Council condemned on Friday the recent violence in Iraq, expressing its deep concern about the reported deaths and injuries, calling on all parties to resolve their political differences in a peaceful manner, respecting the rule of law, the right to peaceful assembly, protecting Iraqi institutions and avoiding violence. LINK
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