TNT:

Tishwash:  Al-Sudani and Al-Ameri: The census is an additional pillar for economic reform plans 

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Secretary-General of the Badr Organization Hadi al-Amiri confirmed on Friday that the success of the general census is an added pillar to the development and economic reform plans.

The Prime Minister's media office stated in a statement that "Al-Sudani met with Al-Amiri, where during the meeting they discussed all service and national files, and ways to proceed with implementing the government program, especially after completing the constitutional entitlement and choosing the Speaker of the House of Representatives."

He added that "the two sides discussed the upcoming entitlements, most notably the general population census and the importance of its success to be an added pillar to the development and economic reform plans, in addition to reviewing the regional and international situations, in light of the continued Zionist aggression on Palestine and Lebanon, and international efforts to stop the war and escalation."   link

Tishwash:  Urgent Parliament Presidency sets date for resuming sessions

The Parliament Presidency set, today, Friday, the date for resuming sessions next week after the completion of the population census operations in the country.

The media department of the House of Representatives stated in a statement received by {Euphrates News} that "the Presidency of the House of Representatives affirms its full support for conducting the general population and housing census 2024, and urges the representatives to direct and encourage citizens in their areas to cooperate with the field teams affiliated with the Ministry of Planning to accomplish their tasks with the aim of making the census operations that will be conducted on the 20th and 21st of this month a success." 

The statement confirmed, "Given the presence of representatives in their governorates and the importance of the census, it was decided to resume the sessions next week after the completion of the population census operations in the country."   link

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Tishwash:  PM's advisor: Government able to increase spending without inflation or fiscal deficit

The Prime Minister's Advisor for Financial Affairs, confirmed today, Saturday, that the good performance of the financial space is an indication of the government's ability to spend without problems, while he pointed out that the government was not hindered by the shortage in the regular flow of public revenue in some months.

Saleh told the Iraqi News Agency (INA), "The government's financial policy worked towards the principle of fiscal space in the economy, which means that the pace of growth in general and investment spending on projects in particular were not hampered by the temporary shortage in the regular flow of public revenue in some months."

He added, "Therefore, the good performance of the fiscal space indicates the government's ability to increase spending or social support to support the economy without causing serious financial problems such as inflation or a large deficit."

He continued, "This space is still available when the state's financial situation is good, and allows the government to take fiscal policies to stimulate economic growth, such as increasing spending on infrastructure or improving social services." link 

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Tishwash:  Iranian newspaper: Iraq's development path is a step towards regional economic integration

 Iraqi media reported that Iraq has made its first commercial ship docking at the port of Faw. This project aims to develop Iraq and reduce the country's dependence on crude oil, and will be fully operational by 2050 in three phases. Upon completion of this project, a route will start from the port of Faw and end in Turkey and from there to Europe via land routes in various Iraqi governorates.

The Donya-e Eqtesad newspaper said in a report that this corridor increases the strategic importance of Iraq as a neighboring country to Iran and creates competition between the Iranian North-South Corridor and the Iraqi Development Road Project. As an alternative to traditional transportation routes, the Iraqi Development Road Project connects the Gulf countries to Turkey with the aim of creating a cross-border transportation network for Iraq.

Road development project

The basis of this project is linked to the Faw Port Project. This is one of the important projects implemented by the Iraqi government to improve the country’s infrastructure and boost economic development. The port project, which is located in southern Iraq and adjacent to the Gulf countries, and serves as a vital channel linking the Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea, is expected to require an investment of $1.2 billion.

Overall, the project includes the construction of a new port capable of receiving large ships, complete logistics facilities and related infrastructure. The annual capacity of this port is also expected to reach 12 million tons. After the completion of its final stages, the goal of the Faw Port Project is to improve the transportation capabilities of Iraqi ports, reduce logistics costs, and further promote economic development in Iraq and economic exchanges and cooperation with neighboring countries such as Turkey.

Challenges of Faw Port Project

The Faw Port project requires an investment of $1.2 billion, which poses a major financial challenge. Therefore, it is very important to ensure that the project progresses after addressing the financing issue.

On the one hand, the Iraqi government can seek assistance from international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the Development Bank for low-interest loans or grants. The UAE and Qatar are also expected to provide strong financial support for this project. Other financing options can be pursued including loans from European banks and Turkish investment in this project.

Given the location of this project in a sensitive and strategic region in the Middle East, geopolitical risks are a concern for its project sponsors. Ensuring regional peace and stability is of paramount importance during the project implementation stages. It is necessary to strengthen communication and coordination with regional countries to maintain common peace and stability, and to fully take into account the interests and concerns of neighboring countries in the project implementation to minimize the impact of the project on the political landscape in the region.

The Faw-Iraq-Turkey Port Corridor will not only strengthen Iraq’s relations with Turkey, but will also deepen its engagement with the entire region. The project will play a role in enhancing the close economic and political cooperation between Iraq and Turkey by creating a vital bridge between the two countries.

In addition, the corridor is expected to be integrated into broader regional initiatives, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, thus increasing Iraq’s geopolitical importance. As a participant in the Belt and Road Initiative, Iraq will benefit from closer ties with China, infrastructure development, and investment opportunities. This not only makes Iraq’s economic prospects more clear, but also increases its diplomatic standing on the international stage.

Turkey has played a key role in transporting energy resources from the Caucasus and Russia to energy-hungry European markets. Now, this new highway is a transit point for energy shipments from the Gulf to Europe, which Iraq connects by land. Iraq will thus provide a low-cost route not only for Iraqi oil and gas, but also for Iranian and Qatari oil and gas.

Regional stability

In light of the above, it is clear that the Faw-Iraq-Turkey Port Project is of great importance for promoting regional integration, economic growth and geopolitical stability in Iraq. This means that the construction of this corridor not only creates an important link between Iraq and Turkey, but also brings many benefits and opportunities to the entire region.

Moreover, this is not only an important step towards regional economic integration and development, but also helps to promote peace and stability in the region. This project makes an important contribution to the sustainable development of the region by enhancing trade links, strengthening bilateral relations, and promoting prosperity and development in the wider region.

However, although  the Al-Faw-Iraq-Turkey port project is expected to play  a positive role in regional connectivity and economic development, this corridor is a competitor to Iranian trade routes, especially the North-South corridor, because this project could open an alternative route for the Russians to the Gulf countries, and reduce Iran's strategic importance in the region. link

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