“Iraq News” Posted by Clare at KTFA 4-19-2024

KTFA:

Clare: Iraq’s prime minister on building a stronger relationship with the United States

FRI, APRIL 19, 2024 • 2:30 PM ET

1030 15TH ST NW

12TH FLOOR

WASHINGTON, DC 20005

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, the prime minister of Iraq, discusses his state visit to the United States.

Clare: Al-Sudani: Iraq is witnessing a new reality today in the private sector

4/19/2024

Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani met today, Friday, with an elite group of Iraqi businessmen residing in the American state of Michigan, as part of his official visit to the United States.

The businessmen reviewed their companies’ specializations and businesses, and expressed their willingness to be in Iraq to pursue and participate in investment opportunities available in various sectors and contribute to building their country.

Al-Sudani stressed, during the meeting, that Iraq is witnessing a new reality today with regard to the private sector, explaining a series of practical steps taken by the government and the facilities it granted to the private sector. He also pointed out what has been accomplished at the level of financial and banking reform, which has increased the percentage of contracts that comply with the standards. The global rate reached 80% according to reports of international institutions.

He touched on the government’s important projects in the field of the pharmaceutical industry and the housing sector, pointing to the start of establishing new residential cities, which include the construction of tens of thousands of housing units, the job opportunities they provide for young people, and the revitalization of the construction sector and dozens of related professions.

The Prime Minister urged Iraqi businessmen to seize the available investment opportunities and bring production lines to laboratories and factories in various specializations, noting that Iraq’s budget for the three years included, for the first time, providing sovereign guarantees to the private sector, in addition to establishing the Iraq Fund for Development, which will work with this. The sector is implementing vital and important projects, which contribute to moving the wheel of the economy and implementing the government’s vision for sustainable development and a strong and prosperous Iraq.  LINK

Ryan1216:  It’s not over until it’s over but It looks and feels like our train will come into the station at any moment now …. IMO. Thank you Frank and teams

DeepWoodz:  MOU’s and Sovereign Guarantees…..impossible without sovereign currency that has purchasing power.

We’ve learned that Iraqs contracts have recently been adjusted so that payment is made in dinar. (I think I’m quoting that properly). If so, contracts in the billions with many foreign entities paid in dinar, would require assurances that the exchange rate would not move in a negative direction after contracts have been agreed to. It may even go so far as to give an exchange rate.

If the rate were to move negatively, the foreign contractors would lose out because the value of the agreed upon amount in reflection to their home currency would also be less. That’s a no go.

Im only reasoning this out in my head. Thoughts? Sounds freakin fantastic.

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Clare:  Al-Sudani: Iraq is a country full of opportunities and its projects amount to 400 billion dollars

4/18/2024

Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani met on Thursday with a number of members of the Iraqi community in the city of Houston, Texas, USA, where he learned about their conditions and listened to their proposals and proposals, all of which serve the service of their country.

The Prime Minister indicated, in his speech, the government’s keenness to communicate with members of the Iraqi community everywhere, stressing the need for their capabilities and competencies in all fields, and announcing the imminent creation of a department for expatriates linked to the Office of the Prime Minister, for the purpose of following up on the conditions and requirements raised by members of the Council of Ministers. Iraqi communities.

He stated that Iraq today has regained its health, and is proceeding with confidence in the development taking place in the right direction, especially after the victory of the Iraqis through their brotherhood and cohesion over ISIS terrorism, a battle that united all segments of the Iraqi people and moved the country towards stability and development.

Al-Sudani stressed that Iraq today is embarking on the field of reconstruction, development, and completion of infrastructure, an image that may not reach the entire outside world, in addition to the economic and social renaissance that the country is witnessing.

He explained that his current visit to the United States comes to establish the foundations of partnership and permanent bilateral relationship between the two countries, in accordance with the sustainable interests of the two peoples, and that the government today has been able to achieve an advanced percentage in the government program, in a way that enhances the citizen’s confidence in the performance of the service and official agencies, strengthens the factors of stability, and pushes development projects and government priorities towards completion, implementation, and achieving the aspirations of citizens.

The Prime Minister stressed that Iraq is a country full of opportunities, and the size of the projects, as certified by international organizations, amounts to 400 billion dollars. At the end of his speech, he praised the Iraqi community in America, which he described as important and qualitative, and we are proud of its contributions and expect it to contribute to the reconstruction and prosperity of Iraq.   LINK

Clare:  Al-Sudani meets an elite group of members of the Iraqi community at the Iraqi Chaldean Center in the US state of Michigan

4/19/2024

Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani met, at dawn today, Friday (Baghdad time), with a number of members of the Iraqi community, who met at the Iraqi Chaldean Center in the city of Detroit, in the American state of Michigan.

Al-Sudani reiterated the government’s pride in all members of Iraqi communities everywhere, with their affiliation to their homeland, Iraq, across all spectrums, and with the initiatives they offer towards building the state, which prompts the government to communicate more with the community, especially as it carries the competencies, capabilities, and capabilities. Many human beings, in various scientific and humanitarian disciplines.

Al-Sudani pointed out that growth in Iraq is on track to achieve the priorities identified by the government in its programme, many of which have been achieved within a year and a half of the government’s life, in addition to adhering to the democratic system and the principles of freedom and human rights protected by the Constitution in many of its articles.

In his speech, Al-Sudani touched on the Iraqis’ victory over ISIS gangs, and the growing capabilities of our armed forces of all types, which was based on the cohesion of the Iraqi people despite all failed terrorist attempts to incite hatred among Iraqis. He reaffirmed respect for the authentic Christian component within the fabric of Iraqi society, and that the state A protector of this rich diversity in Iraq, and committed to supporting brotherhood, tolerance, coexistence, and everything that instills security and stability for the people of Mesopotamia throughout Iraq.

At the conclusion of the visit, Al-Sudani toured the center and viewed its permanent exhibition, which reflects the cultural, heritage and civilizational features of the Christian component in Mesopotamia. He also met with a number of Iraqi families residing in the diaspora.  LINK

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Clare:  Iraq’s prime minister heads to Michigan to meet Arab Americans at a tense time for the Middle East

by: JOEY CAPPELLETTI and TAREK HAMADA, Associated Press

Posted: Apr 18, 2024

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The leader of Iraq will travel to Michigan on Thursday following a sit-down with President Joe Biden to meet with the state’s large Iraqi community and update them on escalating tensions in the Middle East following Iran’s weekend aerial assault on Israel.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s trip to both Washington and Michigan to discuss U.S.-Iraq relations had been planned well before Saturday’s drone and missile launches from Iran-backed groups. The visit has been thrust into the spotlight as tensions in the region escalate following the strike, which included drone and missile launches that overflew Iraqi airspace and others that were launched from Iraq by Iran-backed groups.

Michigan holds one of the largest populations of Iraqis in the nation and many local Democrats have pushed back against U.S. support for Israel’s war in Gaza following the Hamas attack on Oct. 7. The state holds the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the country.

The Iraqi prime minister is expected to land in the Detroit area Thursday evening and be met by local leaders, including Wayne County Executive Warren Evans and Assad I. Turfe, a deputy Wayne County executive. He will then travel to a mosque in Dearborn Heights to meet with Iraqi community members and officials to give an update on his meeting with Biden talking about the economic relations between Iraq and the U.S., according to Mohammed Al-mawla, a community member involved in the planning.

There are just over 90,000 residents in Michigan of Iraqi descent, the largest of any state, according to the most recent U.S. Census. In Wayne County, home to the cities of Detroit and Dearborn, 7.8% of residents identified of Middle Eastern and North African ancestry, alone or in any combination, the highest percentage of any U.S. county.

The concentration of those residents in the outskirts of Detroit has led to multiple visits to the area from officials engaged in Middle Eastern relations.   LINK