A delegation from Kurdistan is heading to Baghdad to complete the budget talks

01/30/2021

 

Baghdad / Al-Mawred News

 

The head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) bloc in the Iraqi parliament confirmed that the negotiating delegation of the Kurdistan Regional Government will visit Baghdad tomorrow, Sunday, to complete its discussions regarding the 2021 federal budget.

Vian Sabri said that the discussions regarding the draft Iraqi budget bill for 2021 are continuing.

Regarding the Kurdistan region’s share of the budget, Vian Sabri said, “The discussions regarding the share of the Kurdistan region are continuing, and for this purpose, the negotiating delegation of the Kurdistan Regional Government is scheduled to go to Baghdad, tomorrow, Sunday.”

With regard to setting the date for voting on the draft budget law in the Iraqi parliament, the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Bloc stated that “the date has not been decided yet, because discussions on the bill are still ongoing.”

For his part, Samir Hawarmi, spokesperson for Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, said that the region’s delegation will head to Baghdad, headed by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Qubad Talabani, to end discussions with officials in the federal government about financial dues and the region’s share in the federal budget for 2021.

He added: The delegation’s visit this time comes to discuss with the Parliamentary Finance Committee, political parties and political blocs in the House of Representatives in order to fix the Kurdistan Region’s share of the federal budget for the current year 2021.

Sherwan Mirza, a member of the Finance Committee, confirmed that the committee  will deduct the Kurdistan region’s share of the budget during the next two days, indicating that there is a rapprochement between the Kurdistan region and the Parliamentary Finance Committee with different proposals on the Kurdistan region’s share.

https://almawrid.news/contents/view/details?id=25950

Al-Jubouri to the World Bank Mission: Many reform measures were included in the budget

Economie | 12:03 – 01/31/2021

Baghdad – Mawazine News,

Head of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Haitham Al-Jubouri, discussed with the representative of the World Bank delegation in Iraq, Ramzi Numan, the draft of the 2021 budget bill.

A statement stated, “The Chairman of the Finance Committee, MP Haitham Al-Jubouri, received the representative of the World Bank mission in Iraq, Ramzi Numan, to discuss a draft Draft Federal Budget Law for 2021. ”

He added, “The meeting discussed the great challenges facing the Finance Committee, during its discussions of the draft budget in light of an unstable economic and financial situation, whether in Iraq or the world, imposed by the Corona pandemic.”

Al-Jubouri confirmed, according to the statement, that “the Finance Committee had a big challenge in the budget represented in the huge deficit and tremendous growth in expenditures without actual reform measures.” Oil revenues by supporting non-oil resources such as border crossings, collection and private sector support to stimulate the Iraqi economy. ”

For his part, Numan said: “The World Bank supports the reform process to revive the Iraqi economy and solve its structural problems,” stressing at the same time that the bank has restored to support investment and development projects in Iraq.

In another context, Speaker of Parliament Muhammad al-Halbousi chaired the thirty-fifth meeting of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, in which it continued its discussions on the draft federal budget bill for 2021.

A statement by the Media Department in the House of Representatives stated that the Speaker appreciated the efforts of the Finance Committee in its discussions to balance the current year and bear the burdens of the confusing financial and economic situation in the country.

He added, “Al-Halbousi presented a set of proposals and ideas that could be included in the draft law that would contribute to developing the agricultural sector, such as obliging the government to pay farmers’ dues and supporting this important segment in the country, and supporting the industrial sector and the private sector to create opportunities for unemployed youth.”

The statement indicated that “the Finance Committee included a text in the budget that includes the establishment of a special fund for petrodollars for oil and gas producing provinces to implement important projects and provide services at the level of all sectors.”

He continued, “The meeting discussed supporting the liberated governorates and providing adequate allocations to the fund for their reconstruction, as well as the need to support the stabilization program to enable the displaced to return to their homes voluntarily.” Ended 29 / A 87

https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=139918

The British Ambassador: Al-Kazemi has an opportunity to implement economic reforms..and we did not consider closing our embassy in Baghdad

2021/01/30 11:21

The number of readings 69

Section : Iraq

Baghdad / Obelisk: The British Ambassador to Iraq, Stephen Hickey, said, Saturday, January 30, 2021, that the visit of the Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi to London, witnessed the agreement with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to support economic reforms in Iraq, indicating that the Ministry of Finance is now in negotiations With the International Monetary Fund to obtain loans to support the economy and hold elections.

Hickey stated in a televised interview that during the visit of the Iraqi government delegation, headed by the Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, to Britain, London took it upon itself to support the Iraqi economy and brought together the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank with the Iraqi government delegation, to support the economic reforms carried out by Baghdad and this is what Now, indicating that Al-Kazemi has an opportunity to achieve economic reforms, he is receiving security support from Britain and the European Union countries.

He explained that negotiations are currently underway between the International Monetary Fund and Finance Minister Ali Allawi, a great opportunity to achieve the desired economic reforms, without conditions other than the language of understanding and dialogue to support the economy and prepare for elections.

Hickey added: I am optimistic that this year will not witness the same threats to the efforts of the Iraqi government. There will be calm and improvement in relations between Washington and Tehran under the Biden administration, and an improvement in the relationship of the factions and Washington in return as well.

He continued, saying: We have concerns about the Iranian role in the region and its nuclear program. We hope for dialogue this year and negotiations. There is an opportunity for settlement and progress in the field of dialogue.

He went on to say: We hope that Iran will deal and cooperate with state institutions in Iraq, and not with the factions that are outside the framework and control of the Iraqi state.

Hickey revealed that there are Iraqi investigations, and the results will be announced, and those who fire rockets at diplomatic missions will be prosecuted, adding that I am not sure that Iran is directly behind those who bomb embassies, but everyone knows that the factions are launching the missiles.

And he added: We did not require Al-Kazemi to dissolve the popular crowd, because the crowd has an important role in the war against ISIS, it is an important part of the Iraqi security forces, and the most important thing is to control most of the joints of the security services by the Commander in Chief, unfortunately there are armed factions outside the control of the crowd and the state represents a great challenge. For the Iraqi people first, its stability and prosperity.

He stressed: We do not work with our allies to dismantle the popular crowd, in the long run the state institutions and the Iraqi army must be strengthened. We focus on the importance of having a strong army and police, and the British army has taken upon itself the tasks of developing the capabilities of the Iraqi army.

He added that the factions outside the crowd and state control represent a threat to our embassy and the United States embassy in Baghdad, adding that we have not considered closing the British embassy in Baghdad, although the threats include all diplomats, and we are among them.

Regarding the relationship with Iran, Hickey pointed out that all indications accuse Iran of supporting the armed factions in Iraq, revealing that he had spoken with the Iranian side and their ambassador in Baghdad, and called for him to support the Iraqi state institutions, as this concerns the Iranians as well. 

“Sometimes my dialogue is difficult with the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad,” Hickey said, “but we meet in the need for stability in Iraq.”  

He pointed out that there is no evidence of a British role, through the company operating at the airport, that it had participated in or assisted in the airport operation and the assassination of the engineer and Soleimani. 

The ambassador expressed his happiness that the Iraqi government has implemented concrete measures to enhance the protection of diplomats in Baghdad. 

He explained that there are those who say that there is direct support from the London Embassy for the protest movement in Iraq, this is not true, but we support Al-Kazemi’s decisions to meet their demands and eliminate corruption.  

Regarding the election file, the British ambassador mentioned that the most important thing is transparent elections in Iraq, and trust between the people and the political class, stressing his country’s aspiration for UN monitoring of elections in Iraq in order to ensure its transparency.

Hickey called on Iraqis to participate widely in the upcoming elections, as there is no alternative to a transparent and fair vote, and the Al-Kazemi government will continue to prepare the atmosphere for that.

Regarding his communication with the Iraqis, Hickey said, I communicate via Facebook with many citizens, we understand the need to communicate with a new generation in Iraq, with a not small percentage under the age of 18 who should be prepared.  

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With full powers … a Kurdish delegation will visit Baghdad tomorrow to agree on the budget

269 Policy 2021/01/30 12:20 ha

Baghdad today – Baghdad

An informed political source stated, Saturday (January 30, 2021), that a Kurdish delegation will visit Baghdad tomorrow, Sunday, to resolve the issue of fixing the Kurdistan region’s share in the 2021 budget.

The source said in an interview with (Baghdad Today), “The Kurdish delegation will be headed by Qubad Talabani and the membership of the finance, planning and regional ministers, and the cabinet secretary will arrive tomorrow, Sunday, to Baghdad.”

He pointed out that “the delegation will be loaded with full powers on a final visit aimed at final agreement on fixing the region’s share in the budget.”

Earlier in the day, the representative of the Saeron Alliance, Riad Al-Masoudi, announced that the House of Representatives had fully completed the 2021 budget bill, while the date for the parliament’s vote was set.

Al-Masoudi said, in an interview with (Baghdad Today), that “the House of Representatives has fully completed the draft budget bill in 2021, and the project will be presented to the political forces within the next two days, to take final opinions.”

He added, “It is very necessary to reach an agreement between the political forces before submitting the budget to the vote under the dome of Parliament, so as not to delay the voting process.”

Al-Masoudi added, “The legislative chapter of the House of Representatives has been extended for a month, and it may not be extended for more than a month, and this period ends at the end of this week. Therefore, the vote on the 2021 budget bill will be taken before the end of this week, and this matter depends on the discussions, which will finally be launched during The next hours and until the voting session. ”

Yesterday, the reporter of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Ahmed Al-Saffar, announced that the price of a barrel of oil was raised in the budget to $ 45 instead of the previous price, which the government had set at $ 42.

Al-Saffar said, in a press statement, that “the committee reduced total expenditures from 164 trillion dinars to less than 130 trillion, in the draft federal budget bill for the fiscal year 2021,” noting that “the committee continues its sessions daily and for nearly two weeks, and the first review has been completed.” For all the articles included in the draft budget, and the final reading has begun.

He added that “the committee has reached Article 12 and there are clear changes in the overall, and there are also proposals, as well as maximizing public revenues according to raising the price of a barrel of oil from 42 dollars to 45, and thus the deficit was reduced to more than 57%, which is less than 30 trillion.” .

He pointed out that “there are other articles that have remained pending, and usually remain for the last days in relation to the reduction and the transfer between the chapters and the inclusion of the budget in functional grades, if any, and the region’s share,” expecting that the draft budget will be completed and presented to vote within a week or 10 days.

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More than 4.8 million active bank accounts in Iraq

Time: 01/30/2021 13:09:35

{Baghdad: Al Furat News} The Iraqi Private Banks Association revealed, today, Saturday, the number of bank accounts in banks operating inside Iraq, indicating that they amount to more than 4.8 million bank accounts.

The executive director of the Iraqi Private Banks Association, Ali Tariq, said in a statement that the Euphrates News received a copy of it, that “bank accounts amount to more than 4.8 million accounts, which is a very good percentage, and are witnessing a significant annual growth of more than 44% thanks to the salaries localization program for employees.” The state and the opening of new companies in addition to the citizens’ need to save in banks because of the high interest rate for fixed deposits and purchases from the Internet and others.

He pointed out that “the number of currently activated bank cards is more than 11.2 million cards, while the number of automatic teller machines is 1170”, explaining that “the point of sale devices known as POS amount to about 4 thousand devices, and electronic payment companies are working on an increase to include all stores across the board. The country in the coming years. ”

Tariq pointed out that “the activated electronic wallets amount to more than 3.5 million wallets, and the points of cash payment amount to about 13 thousand devices spread throughout Iraq.”

He emphasized that “the strategy of the Central Bank of Iraq to enhance financial inclusion contributed to increasing bank accounts, bank cards and electronic payment devices, in addition to that it was able to diversify banking services to all citizens in Baghdad and the provinces,” noting that “the Central Bank works with the International Monetary Fund and the Monetary Fund Al Arabi, the World Bank, the Association of Private Banks and other financial institutions to promote the concept of financial inclusion “inside Iraq.

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Parliamentary Finance meets with officials from the World Bank

Time: 01/30/2021 14:01:48 Read: 520 times

{Baghdad: Al Furat News} The Finance Committee held its meeting with officials of the World Bank.

The Information Department in the House of Representatives stated that “the Finance Committee holds its 35th meeting in which it continues its discussions on the draft Federal Budget Law for 2021, during which it reviews the results of its subcommittees’ meetings with ministries and government institutions.”

She stated that “within the committee’s agenda is to host officials from the World Bank.”

Raghad Daham

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