TNT:

Tishwash:  Parliamentary Finance: The budget will be passed with integrity and fairness

Member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Hussein Al-Saabari, confirmed today, Tuesday, that the proposed tables in the draft budget law are under study, and it is expected that they will be finally passed. 

Al-Saabari stressed in a statement to the Al-Maalouma Agency, “the necessity for the budget to be real and reflect everyone’s interests,” warning that “some amendments may benefit some parties at the expense of others, which is unacceptable.” 

He explained that "the budget must be fair and just for all Iraqis, while ensuring that resources are distributed in a way that achieves the public interest without prejudice to the rights of any party." 

He pointed out that "the draft budget law has not yet reached Parliament, and that the Council and its Finance Committee are ready to receive it as soon as it arrives." 

It is noteworthy that the House of Representatives previously hosted Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and his deputies, the Minister of Planning, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of Interior, where the amendments to the budget for next year 2025 were discussed .  link

************

Tishwash:  Central Bank of Iraq launches strategic projects to support digital transformation

His Excellency the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Mr. Ali Al-Alaq, announced the launch of strategic projects to support digital transformation in the country.

In a speech during the fourth annual international scientific conference, which was titled (Digital Financial Services - Challenges of Reality and Future Foresight), His Excellency the Governor stressed that "the Central Bank has paid great attention to digital transformation as one of its goals within its third strategic plan for the years from 2014 to 2026 to enhance the efficiency of banking work, improve financial performance, and meet customer needs in light of rapid technological development."

His Excellency noted that "the Central Bank has taken great steps to support digital transformation by developing the technical infrastructure and issuing regulations and instructions that contribute to enhancing financial inclusion," referring to "the start of launching strategic projects, including the instant payments project, local cards, and unified payment gateways, as well as issuing controls to license digital banks in Iraq, taking into account cybersecurity requirements and the risks associated with this transformation."

His Excellency added that "cybersecurity is one of the most important challenges facing us today, so the Central Bank has launched projects to enhance cybersecurity by developing the tools and systems of the Cybersecurity Management Center, and adopting an advanced approach to enhance the cybersecurity of the Central Bank and the banking sector."

His Excellency stressed "the Central Bank's commitment to continue its efforts to achieve financial digital transformation and enhance innovation and sustainability in the financial sector."

Central Bank of Iraq
Media Office
December 24, 2024  link

*************

Tishwash:  What are Iraqis waiting for after the news of the "sudden suspension" of the dollar selling platform by the Central Bank?

Financial and banking expert Alaa Al-Fahd commented today, Tuesday (December 24, 2024), on the impact of the Central Bank’s suspension of the “platform” on the markets during the next stage.

Al-Fahd told Baghdad Today, "The Central Bank of Iraq worked during the previous period with a plan through a currency auction in the first phase, then establishing the electronic platform and intensive work to find correspondence methods between local banks and foreign banks with which we have commercial relations and their results in external transfers. Therefore, the bank announced some time ago that the platform will be stopped at the end of this year and there will be direct correspondent banks."

He explained that "this is a natural matter, as all central banks in the world are tasked with maintaining monetary policy, not selling currency. There is no central bank in the world that sells currency and mediates in buying and selling currency. This work is the responsibility and responsibility of banks and exchange companies. This is true and is a major challenge until the relations are direct commercial banking under the supervision of the Central Bank of Iraq."

He added, "Stopping the platform will not affect the local markets in terms of the dollar exchange rate, but there are those who are trying to spread rumors that this step will change the exchange rate, as the same dollar that the Central Bank of Iraq was selling through the platform will be sold to banks and banks that have relations with foreign banks so that the transfer is direct according to electronic transactions and monitoring, and for this reason the situation is under control and there is no fear of the impact on the markets."

Yesterday, Monday, economic expert Ziad Al-Hashemi revealed that the Central Bank of Iraq had suddenly suspended the dollar transfer platform before the scheduled date, without an official announcement, and without taking into account the interests of Iraqi companies and markets, in a move that is, to say the least, far from professionalism and transparency.

Al-Hashemi said in a post on the social networking site "Facebook", which was followed by "Baghdad Today", that "stopping the platform without an official announcement by the Central Bank may indicate that there is uncertainty and fear of the consequences of stopping the platform on the dollar exchange rates, and the lack of announcement may give the Central Bank an opportunity to evade and evade the decision to stop the platform and return to operating the platform, even temporarily, in the event that the dollar begins to rise to high rates  link

Mot:  When Ya Needs to do it Once a Year!!!! Siiggghhhhh 

Mot: Warning!!! -- In these Final Moments!!!! 

Mot:  ......... The List!!!!