KTFA:

Samson:  The highest since 2003.. the Iraqi Central announces a rise in foreign reserves

11th September, 2022

The Central Bank of Iraq announced that foreign reserves have risen to more than (85) billion dollars.

And the bank stated in a statement received by Mawazine News / a copy of it, that "its foreign reserves have reached more than (85) billion US dollars, which is the highest level achieved by the Central Bank since 2003."

He added, "Gold reserves also with the Central Bank exceeded (130.4) tons, with a value of (7) billion dollars, bringing Iraq to the thirtieth place globally and fourth in the Arab world."   LINK

Samson:  Al-Jubouri Talks About The “Most Important And Undeclared” In The Al-Party Agreement And Sovereignty

11th September, 2022

Today's agreement between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Sovereignty on the necessity of holding early elections in 2023, to be preceded by the formation of a government with full powers, means their departure from the Alliance to Save a Homeland, which included them with the current.

The most important and undeclared is their agreement that the new government will be President #Mustafa_Al-Kazemi

Mishaan Al-Jubouri   LINK

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Samson:  Only two options.. the international community is preparing to intervene in Iraq

11th September, 2022

The political crisis in Iraq resulting from the last elections is approaching the completion of its first year, in light of international moves to end the crisis with an initiative that is preparing to be put forward by the representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq, Jenin Plasshart.

According to information obtained by Mawazine News, "the international community is increasingly concerned about the developments of recent events in Iraq, which have reached armed clashes, and is ready to intervene through the United Nations and European Union missions to reach a guarantor agreement between the Iraqi political parties."

She adds, "The United Nations and the European Union will be the guarantors of the agreement of the Iraqi political blocs, especially between the coordination framework and the Sadrist movement on the one hand, and with the Kurdish and Sunni political parties on the other."

She points out, "Blackshart will present a working paper similar to the initiative to the Shiite political blocs of the Sadrist movement and the coordination framework to sign it and with an international guarantee.

Two options were put before the Iraqi political forces to agree or move internationally to correct the political process in Iraq." As for the text of the working paper or its articles, the information clarifies that it “includes holding early elections and dissolving Parliament within a period not exceeding six months,” without giving further details.

Since the early parliamentary elections that took place on the tenth of last October, Iraq has been in a state of political impasse that reached its climax during the past month, when the Green Zone witnessed armed clashes that resulted in casualties and injuries, before the leader of the Sadrist movement Muqtada al-Sadr requested the withdrawal of his supporters from the region green.

A few days ago, Al-Sadr issued a statement from several points, in which he demanded early elections and the retention of the presidents of the republic and the ministers, but the coordination framework that includes Shiite forces and is considered the largest bloc refuses to keep Al-Kazemi and insists on forming a government headed by his candidate, Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani.  LINK

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Samson:  The World Bank is ready to support economic reforms in Iraq

11th September, 2022

Today, Sunday, the World Bank expressed its readiness to support the Iraqi government in the field of development and achieving the economic reforms that the country needs. 

The media of the Ministry of Planning said in a statement received by Shafak News Agency, that Minister Khaled Battal Al-Najm received today the new Special Representative of the World Bank in Iraq Richard Abdel Nour and his accompanying delegation, explaining that during the meeting, aspects of joint cooperation between the two sides in various economic issues were discussed. and development, especially in relation to the working mechanisms of the Recovery and Reconstruction Fund in Iraq and the Social Fund for Development.

The statement quoted the minister, confirming Iraq's keenness and strong desire to strengthen relations with the World Bank to serve development in the country, indicating that all projects being implemented within the two funds should be among the priorities identified by Iraq, according to the development gaps.

For his part, Abdel Nour expressed, according to the statement, the World Bank's readiness to provide more support to the efforts of the Ministry of Planning and the Iraqi government, in the field of supporting development and achieving economic reforms, which Iraq needs, after the crises it has faced in recent years.  LINK

Samson:  Integrity: Al-Kazemi directs to activate the electronic system to prevent corruption

09/11/2022 17:11:02

The Federal Integrity Commission announced the formation of a team to coordinate the work of border crossings headed by the Director-General of the Department of Prevention in the authority, and includes in its membership the Board of Financial Supervision and the Border Ports Authority, and representatives of the governors of the governorates that include border crossings; In order to improve the reality of its work, it is considered a basic pillar of national security.

The Authority's Prevention Department referred to the Prime Minister's directive that the authority should coordinate with the Border Ports Authority to follow up on the implementation of the recommendations issued by the detailed report on the meeting of the two bodies with the authorities operating at the ports, indicating in a report that it conducted visits to the border crossings and customs authorities; To follow up on the implementation of the recommendations of the detailed report.

In a report prepared by the department on those visits, the department indicated that the authority's proposal regarding the work of the electronic system has been responded to. 

To prevent corruption and deter spoilers, indicating that the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control works with the electronic system of conformity certificates (online) for incoming goods for all licensed companies contracting with the agency, while the General Company for Ports of Iraq is working to implement the electronic management program; To improve the effectiveness and productivity of the company and achieve the (IMO) requirements for a single window to get the company to the white list, as well as speed up procedures to reduce the time of delivery of goods to beneficiaries, and improve the processes of loading, unloading, payment and electronic collection.

Regarding the authority’s recommendation to switch to an automation system, the Border Ports Authority activated the customs and tax receipt audit program at the ports. 

To ensure that it is not falsified and to link the customs exemptions program with (the National Investment Authority, the General Authority of Customs, and the General Directorate of Industrial Development in the Ministry of Finance) through a special window for each department; In addition to activating the electronic certificate of origin program to ensure that the certificate and commercial invoice are sent electronically, and to prevent forgery of transaction documents, the General Authority of Customs embarked on the first phase of implementing the customs procedures automation contract signed with UNCTAD in accordance with the standards International, and the General Tax Authority in coordination with the Ports Authority; To establish mechanisms for working in tax units. 

The report monitors work to strengthen the cadres of inspection committees in customs centers to ensure the smooth flow of inspection procedures for goods and job rotation; To prevent abuse of the position, and to ward off suspicion of corruption, he noted the formation of a committee in the General Authority of Customs to inventory containers located in customs centers; To reduce the momentum caused by the accumulation of containers, and to obtain fundamental approvals to present them to the judicial authorities; To resolve them and issue decisions to confiscate them, after which, abandoned funds, after the Border Ports Authority obtained the decision (67 of 2022) from the Council of Ministers, which obligated ministries and agencies not affiliated with the Ministry and the governorates to remove the containers from the ports within (30) days, otherwise they are treated as abandoned funds. 

And he touched on the efforts of the Integrity Commission and its control over the ports through its investigation and audit teams to strike preemptively through the operations carried out for smuggling cases that constitute a waste of public money, and to ensure compliance with anti-corruption, as well as holding seminars and workshops that contribute to enhancing integrity and combating corruption, pointing out that all fees collected by the General Company for Ports of Iraq are fees for services costs and real costs performed by the company by contracting with specialized companies in the form of joint operation, provided that part of the revenues and wages are allocated to these companies.

The report stated that the Ministry of Environment had concluded a consultancy contract with one of the companies; For the purpose of setting up radioactive detection gates at the border ports, to tighten control over the entry of radioactive materials, based on the invitation of the Integrity Commission, noting that the health teams of the health departments in Baghdad and the governorates have withdrawn samples of the consignments entering through the border ports, and sent them to accredited laboratories; for a purpose.  LINK