TNT:
Tishwash: The President of the Republic affirms his commitment to strengthening the relations of cooperation and friendship between Iraq and America.
President Nizar Amidi affirmed on Tuesday (April 14, 2026) Iraq’s keenness to strengthen relations of cooperation and friendship with the United States in a way that serves common interests.
The media office of the Presidency of the Republic stated in a statement received by “Baghdad Today” that “President Amidi received in Baghdad Palace the Chargé d’Affaires of the United States Embassy in Iraq, Joshua Harris, who conveyed his country’s congratulations on his election as President of the Republic, wishing him success in performing his duties.”
Amidi expressed his “gratitude for the congratulations, stressing the importance of strengthening the partnership between the two countries in a way that contributes to supporting development paths and achieving stability.”
The statement added that “the meeting also addressed the latest developments in the region, where the need to reduce escalation and adopt dialogue as a fundamental approach to addressing crises was emphasized, in order to enhance security and stability and consolidate international peace.” link
Tishwash: The parliamentary finance committee is leaning towards adopting an annual budget for the current year and is ruling out a return to the tripartite system.
The Finance Committee in the House of Representatives is moving towards adopting an annual general budget for the current year.
In an interview with the official newspaper, which was followed by “Al-Eqtisad News”, MP Zainab Rahim Al-Jiyashi, a member of the Finance Committee, said that the goal of preparing an annual budget is to support vital service projects, especially in the health, education and infrastructure sectors, noting that this approach is consistent with the need to promote fairness in the distribution of resources and improve the quality of public services.
Al-Jiyashi added that “the annual budget represents a more accurate tool in managing public spending compared to multi-year budgets, as it allows for the periodic reassessment of priorities in accordance with economic and financial developments, which positively impacts the efficiency of government spending.
At the same time, she confirmed that it is impossible to return to the three-year budget model at the present stage, because it is not suitable for the economic conditions and fluctuations that the country is witnessing link
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Tishwash: The Iraqi banking sector is at a crossroads… either reform or forced merger
The Iraqi banking sector stands at a pivotal moment in 2026 that could completely reshape its landscape, amid mounting internal pressures and escalating external challenges related to international compliance, the flow of the dollar, and its relationship with the global financial system. Between talk of structural reforms and more stringent options that may include mergers or closures, the banking landscape in Iraq appears poised for profound changes that extend beyond the purely technical to encompass broader economic and political dimensions.
Iraq has more than 75 banks, including government, private, and foreign institutions, but actual activity is concentrated in a limited number of them. Government banks hold the largest share of deposits and transactions related to government salaries and public spending. In contrast, private banks face increasing challenges related to liquidity, compliance, and foreign exchange requirements, especially after the tightening of controls on dollar transactions in recent years.
Financial sources indicate that the Central Bank of Iraq is considering several avenues for restructuring the sector, ranging from tightening solvency and compliance standards and mandating mergers between small and weak banks, to potentially revoking the licenses of institutions unable to adapt to the new standards. These steps, if implemented, would effectively mean a shift from a phase of “gradual reform” to a more profound restructuring that may be imposed by the realities on the ground.
The exchange rate remains at the heart of this equation. The gap that has emerged between the official and parallel market rates in recent years has presented monetary policy with a significant challenge, especially given the Iraqi economy’s near-total dependence on dollar-denominated oil revenues. Any disruption to the flow of hard currency or to the external transfer mechanism is immediately reflected in imports, prices, and market confidence.
The future of the foreign currency auction window remains one of the most sensitive issues. This mechanism, which for years served as a primary tool for supplying the market with dollars, is now subject to rigorous scrutiny, amid discussions about restructuring it to align with international standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing. Restructuring this window effectively means changing the way private banks, money transfer networks, and foreign trade operate.
The biggest challenge is not limited to regulatory aspects, but extends to a crisis of confidence. A large segment of the Iraqi population still prefers to keep cash outside the banking system, due to past experiences, withdrawal restrictions, and weak digital services. Unofficial estimates indicate that a significant portion of the circulating cash does not pass through banking channels, limiting the central bank’s ability to manage liquidity effectively.
In the background, integration with the global financial system stands out as a crucial test. Fully reintegrating Iraqi banks into international banking networks requires rigorous transparency standards, modernized compliance systems, and a rebuilding of trust with global financial institutions. Without this, the sector will remain vulnerable to restrictions, sanctions, or partial isolation.
Based on these facts, Iraq appears to face only two options: either to proceed with gradual reforms that calmly restructure the sector and gradually restore confidence, or to confront a scenario of mergers and coercive measures imposed by financial and regulatory pressures. In either case, this year could represent a turning point in the history of the Iraqi banking system, where the question is no longer whether change will occur, but how, when, and at what cost. link
Tishwash: The IMF predicts an economic contraction in Iraq.
The International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) predicted on Wednesday that the Iraqi economy will experience a significant contraction next year, placing the country among those most affected by the repercussions of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and the pressures facing global energy markets.
According to the IMF’s estimates, which were reviewed by the Al-Maalomah news agency, this decline stems from disruptions affecting the oil sector, the country’s main source of revenue, coinciding with instability that has directly impacted shipping in vital global waterways, leading to disruptions in export operations and increased shipping and insurance costs.
The IMF warned that a prolonged continuation of the conflicts could drive up oil prices, which is typically accompanied by higher import costs and inflationary pressures.
This, in turn, negatively impacts the prices of goods and services within Iraq and increases the cost of living.
The data indicates that the economic impacts will affect several countries in the region to varying degrees, placing Iraq under the dual pressure of fluctuating revenues and increased government spending to address the crisis’s repercussions. This could negatively affect the country’s financial and economic stability. link
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Tishwash: A small meeting of the framework was held at al-Maliki’s house, and the latter proposed al-Shukri’s name to assume the position of Prime Minister.
On Monday evening, the leaders of the Coordination Framework held a small meeting at the home of Nouri al-Maliki, head of the State of Law Coalition, to discuss the agenda of the upcoming meeting dedicated to deciding on the issue of the anticipated premiership. Al-Maliki is proposing the name of Ali al-Shukri to assume the position of Prime Minister.
An informed source told local media outlets, as reported by Al-Mirbad, that the meeting included the head of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, the head of the Supreme Islamic Council, Humam Hamoudi, the head of the Wisdom Movement, Ammar al-Hakim, the Secretary-General of the Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq Movement, Qais al-Khazali, and the leader in the Popular Mobilization Forces, Abu Fadak al-Muhammadawi.
He indicated that the attendees discussed the agenda for the upcoming meeting of the Coordination Framework, which will be held at Humam Hamoudi’s house, and the proposed names nominated for the position of Prime Minister.
The source indicated that “Maliki proposed nominating the leader and former minister in the Sadrist movement, Ali al-Shukri, to assume the position of Prime Minister in the next government.”
He added that “those present at the meeting agreed to add Shukri to the list of candidates, with all of them to be presented at the next meeting of the coordination framework.” link
