The government: Salaries for employees and retirees are guaranteed and there is no printing of currency.

The spokesman for the Prime Minister, Haider Al-Aboudi, confirmed today, Wednesday, that the Prime Minister, Ali Falih Al-Zaidi, will not hesitate to expose the corrupt, while he indicated that the salaries of employees and retirees are secured and there is no printing of currency.

Al-Aboudi said in a press conference held at the Council of Ministers that “the government decided, based on the directive of the Prime Minister, Ali Falih Al-Zaidi, to adopt a program budget in coordination with the World Bank,” noting that “the Prime Minister adopted the development fund project through effective international contributions.”

He added that “the Prime Minister has adopted a policy of restricting weapons to the state within a specific timeframe, in addition to adopting the development fund project,” noting that “the Prime Minister will not hesitate to announce those involved in stealing public funds.”

Al-Aboudi pointed out that “the government is committed to paying the dues of contracts and workers, and their transfer to the budget is left to the Ministry of Finance,” indicating that “the salaries of employees and retirees are secured and there is no printing of currency.”

He explained that “the Development Fund is an investment vehicle that receives international contributions from Iraq’s friends, and this contribution covers the requirements of the development situation. The Ministry of Finance is working on preparing a program budget, and the Prime Minister has decided to adopt a program budget to promote economic reforms.”

Al-Aboudi stressed that “the government is looking forward to completing the ministerial cabinet to complete its tools, but currently the House of Representatives is in legislative recess, and if the political consensus is completed, it is possible to hold a session to vote on what remains of the ministerial cabinet,” noting that “Iraq will not accept being a launching pad for targeting any country, and it will also not accept any country’s interference in Iraqi affairs.”

Alforatnews.iq

Al-Zidi is preparing for a visit to Washington with several key issues on his agenda, most notably attracting major companies to Iraq.

A government source reported on Wednesday that Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi’s upcoming visit to Washington will include several topics, including opening partnerships with giant American companies and raising the rate of oil exports to the United States to about half a million barrels per day.

The source told Shafaq News Agency that “Al-Zidi will carry with him important files that address intractable problems in the country, which he will discuss with the American administration, including exporting 500,000 barrels per day to America in exchange for entering into important partnerships with giant companies to solve complex problems in Iraq, including electricity, in addition to the industrial and agricultural sectors and others.”

He pointed out that “these partnerships are conducted according to a known time and financial ceiling and binding controls for both sides, whereby the oil revenues referred to will be used to finance projects to improve the economic, service and even tourism situation.”

He explained that “these economic partnerships will positively impact the political and economic direction of the government, by achieving sustainable interests that meet the country’s needs and enhance the implementation of the government program promised by Al-Zidi, which focuses on prioritizing public interests over private ones.”

The source indicated that “the measures that the government will adopt to achieve an investment, reconstruction and service revolution will be with the approval of all partners in the political process without discrimination.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi announced last Saturday an official visit to the United States accompanied by businessmen to expand mutual and joint investment opportunities, noting at the same time that the development fund is for the private sector and will absorb a contribution from the Central Bank worth $10 billion.

Al-Zaydi stressed that the government is counting on cooperation with the private sector to make its reform efforts in the economy and development a success, and that it will adopt an open-door policy towards the proposals, requests and problems that businessmen put forward that require intervention and resolution.

Al-Zaydi added: “We have an upcoming official visit to the United States, and we will be taking a number of businessmen with us to expand mutual and joint investment opportunities.”

Shafaq.com

Political agreements to expedite the passage of the remaining cabinet positions

Abdul Rahman al-Jazaeri, head of the political body of the National Tribal Movement, confirmed the possibility of replacing rejected candidates in the cabinet and bringing in other figures to be voted on in parliament to complete al-Zaidi’s government.
Al-Jazaeri told Al-Maalouma, “It is clear and natural that there will be objections to some candidates for the cabinet, which has already happened recently, but today there is a genuine move to proceed with completing the cabinet.”

He added, “There are discussions and agreements among the political parties to prioritize professionalism over sectarian quotas in selecting candidates for Ali al-Zaidi’s cabinet, with the aim of forming a strong government.”

He explained that “any candidate who does not receive support from the political blocs in parliament will be replaced by another candidate from the same bloc, who will then be presented to the House of Representatives for a vote, thus finalizing all remaining cabinet positions.”

Almaalomah.me

An economist calls on Al-Zaidi to bring specialized ministers to Washington to prevent businessmen from taking “commissions”.

Economic expert Hashim al-Haboubi criticized on Wednesday Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s intention to take groups of businessmen and investors with him on his upcoming visit to Washington, D.C., describing the move as “unfortunate” and a repetition of previous scenarios.

Al-Haboubi told the Information Agency, “Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s announcement of his intention to take businessmen and investors to Washington, similar to what al-Sudani did previously, is not at all in the public interest.” He pointed out that “these individuals will not invest in America, but rather seek to act as intermediaries between the government and American companies to obtain commissions.”

He added, “Preserving public funds requires taking ministers specializing in the financial and economic sectors, along with a very limited number of advisors. This is the correct approach to ensure that contracts and economic activities are concluded directly between the state and companies without any intermediaries, thus avoiding suspicions of corruption.”

Almaalomah.me

Al-Marsoumi reveals the conditions set by foreign companies for resuming oil production in Kurdistan.

Economic expert Nabil al-Marsoumi explained on Wednesday that foreign companies operating in the oil sector have set a number of conditions before resuming production and exports in the Kurdistan Region.

Al-Marsoumi stated in a Facebook post that “these conditions include, firstly, the necessity of protecting oil fields and wells from drone and missile attacks to ensure the safety of facilities, workers, and foreign technical staff.”

He added that “the second condition is the establishment of a clear and regular mechanism to guarantee the payment of current financial dues upon the resumption of exports, in accordance with the amendments to the federal budget law.”

He pointed out that “the third condition pertains to the necessity of settling outstanding debts and previous dues owed by the companies, including those owed to the Norwegian oil company DNO, which previously announced the cessation of production and exports via pipelines in the region due to delayed payments estimated at approximately one billion dollars.”

Al-Marsoumi emphasized that “resolving these issues is essential for the normal resumption of oil activity in the region.”

Almaalomah.me

A decisive move without fanfare: a strategic step to remove the protective umbrellas from the corrupt.

It appears that serious action has recently begun between the executive and legislative branches, taking a different approach from the usual media channels. This involves moving beyond empty slogans and grandiose press releases towards intensive, practical steps aimed at dismantling financial and administrative corruption networks at their roots.

These quiet yet serious moves are being undertaken through joint coordination between the executive and legislative branches, activating high-level investigative committees with broad powers and conducting a comprehensive review of legal loopholes in investment contracts and major projects that have drained the state treasury for years.

This strategic shift, agreed upon during an extensive meeting between the Integrity Commission and the Parliamentary Integrity Committee, reflects a genuine desire to build a rigorous oversight environment based on forensic evidence and professional financial auditing, free from politicization or defamation. This paves the way for recovering embezzled funds and restoring the prestige of state oversight institutions, amidst public anticipation of the tangible results of these measures.

In this context, a parliamentary source within the Integrity Committee revealed on Wednesday details of an extensive meeting held with the Federal Integrity Commission, which resulted in a strategic agreement to resolve current and past major corruption cases and refer them to the judiciary, free from political interference.

The source told Al-Maalomah News Agency that “the meeting resulted in a bilateral agreement to proceed with resolving the cases without any pressure,” emphasizing that “if any party is subjected to political pressure to protect corrupt individuals, the parties involved will be immediately exposed to the public through the media.”
He added that “this step includes opening massive and serious corruption cases valued at tens of billions of dollars, related to suspicious government contracts and encroachments on state properties.”

The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, explained that “the agreement also included imposing complete confidentiality and preventing the leaking of details of the cases to the media before their final resolution, to ensure they are not delayed and to expedite legal procedures and bring those involved to justice.”

Member of Parliament’s Integrity Committee, Ahmed al-Shammari, revealed the committee’s continued pursuit of corruption cases, the recovery of stolen funds, and the prosecution of fugitives involved both inside and outside Iraq. He emphasized that the amount of embezzled funds has doubled in recent years.

Al-Shammari told the Al-Maalomah news agency, “The Integrity Committee continues to pursue cases of recovering stolen funds and prosecuting those accused of corruption inside and outside Iraq, in coordination with the relevant authorities.”

He added, “The amount of embezzled funds has doubled in recent years, necessitating more effective measures to recover public funds and hold those involved accountable.”
He indicated that “the coming period will witness the opening of major and serious corruption cases concerning various state institutions, as part of efforts to combat corruption and enhance transparency.”

He affirmed that “combating corruption and recovering stolen funds are national priorities due to their role in protecting public funds and strengthening citizens’ trust in state institutions.”

Almaalomah.me

The Ministry of Finance announces the launch of the third phase of the ASYCUDA project.

he Ministry of Finance directed the launch of the third phase of the ASYCUDA project at the beginning of July. In a statement received by Al-Maalomah News Agency, the ministry said, “The Minister directed the launch of the third phase of the ASYCUDA project at the beginning of next month, which supports efforts to develop customs operations and enhance digital transformation at border crossings and customs centers.”

The statement emphasized that “the ASYCUDA project represents one of the fundamental pillars in modernizing customs administration, as it provides tools that contribute to simplifying procedures, enhancing transparency and oversight, and raising performance efficiency, which will positively impact non-oil revenues and improve the business environment.”

It added that “the Customs Authority has completed a significant portion of the technical and procedural requirements for the project,” noting that “the third phase will constitute a qualitative leap in managing customs operations by expanding the scope of automation and strengthening electronic monitoring at border crossings.”

Almaalomah.me

Abdul Qader: The million-dollar bribery allegations necessitate revealing the big names to the public.

Former MP Abdul Qader Mohammed confirmed that talk of a $200 million bribe offer is a dangerous indicator of the extent of corruption permeating state institutions, indicating that the current stage requires moving from general statements to revealing the facts to the public.

Abdul Qadir told Al-Maalomah News Agency that “any information related to attempts to offer bribes of this magnitude must be accompanied by clear judicial and public procedures, because the citizen is waiting to know the parties and figures involved, and not just to point out the existence of corruption files without resolving them.”

He added that “combating corruption is not achieved by statements alone, but by referring those involved to the judiciary and revealing names and facts to the public, especially if the case involves huge sums that affect public funds and the prestige of the state.”

He pointed out that “the Iraqi street is looking forward to opening the major files that wasted billions of dollars during the past years and holding all those involved accountable, regardless of their positions or political affiliations,” stressing that “establishing trust between the citizen and state institutions begins with transparency and publicly revealing the results of investigations.”

It should be noted that corruption remains one of the most prominent challenges facing the state, amidst ongoing demands to open major cases, disclose the results of investigations to the public, and hold those involved accountable within the legal framework, free from any political considerations.

Almaalomah.me

The framework allows Al-Zidi to complete his cabinet, and the latter is proposing a quarter-trillion-dollar project.

A source familiar with the behind-the-scenes details of the recent meeting of the Coordination Framework forces revealed on Wednesday that Prime Minister Ali al-Zidi announced his intention to establish a “sovereign development fund” with a capital of approximately a quarter of a trillion dollars, with Gulf participation. The source also indicated that the assembled forces authorized al-Zidi to freely choose the blocs’ candidates to fill the vacant ministerial portfolios in his government cabinet.

The source told Shafaq News Agency that “the forces of the Coordination Framework, during their last meeting, gave Al-Zidi the green light to complete his government cabinet through dialogue with the parties entitled to occupy ministerial positions.”

He added that “the political blocs will nominate a number of names, and Al-Zaydi will personally choose whomever he deems suitable for the position, especially the Minister of the Interior. The ministries that fall within the share of the parties that have armed factions were also discussed, and Al-Zaydi will also conduct dialogue with them to reach a specific mechanism regarding the nomination of the candidate.”

The source indicated that “this matter will be resolved after Al-Zidi’s visit to Washington, and therefore the completion of the cabinet will be after the end of the legislative recess of the House of Representatives.”

He pointed out that the issue of the mechanism for integrating armed factions into the Popular Mobilization Forces, and the results of the work of the committees overseeing the restriction of weapons to the hands of “both were addressed during the meeting.”

In another part of the meeting, Al-Zaydi revealed his intention to “establish a sovereign development fund that will provide great job opportunities for young people, as it will be allocated to developing infrastructure and implementing important projects, which necessitates employing unemployed youth.”

According to the proposal, “the fund will be initially financed by the Central Bank of Iraq with ten billion dollars, and some Gulf countries will be approached to contribute to this fund through their companies in implementing some projects or entering into investment partnerships in implementing some projects.”

According to the source, “some Gulf countries will raise the ceiling of funding for the fund to about $250 billion.”

Al-Zaydi also reviewed everything related to the proposal in order to discuss it in detail and develop mechanisms for its implementation, as it will contribute to solving a large part of the problem of appointments, in addition to improving the state of infrastructure throughout the country, according to the source.

The Coordination Framework forces held an evening meeting last Monday, the 2nd of this month, during which they authorized the Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ali al-Zubaidi, to take the decisions and measures “that would preserve the country’s higher interests,” while announcing their support for the project to restrict weapons to the state and to separate the Popular Mobilization Forces from political, partisan, and social frameworks.

The framework stated in a statement received by Shafaq News, following its 279th regular meeting held at the office of former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, in the presence of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, that the meeting discussed “a number of priority national and security files.”

Shafaq.com

Gold prices fell to their lowest level in 11 weeks due to the rise of the dollar and oil.

Global gold prices fell by more than 1% during trading on Wednesday, hitting their lowest level in 11 weeks, affected by the rise in the US dollar and oil prices, amid renewed military tensions between the United States and Iran, which boosted concerns about inflation and continued high interest rates.

Spot gold fell 1.8% to $4,187.59 an ounce, its lowest level since March 23, while U.S. gold futures for August delivery declined 1.7% to $4,213.40 an ounce.

This decline coincided with a rise in the US dollar, which made dollar-denominated gold more expensive for holders of other currencies, as well as an increase in oil prices by about 1% as a result of escalating hostilities between Washington and Tehran.

Tensions in the Middle East have also increased inflationary concerns, which has reinforced market expectations that the US Federal Reserve will keep interest rates high for longer, with traders anticipating a probability exceeding 70% for a rate hike by next December.

Markets are awaiting the release of US inflation data, primarily the Consumer Price Index for May, in addition to the Producer Price Index, to determine the direction of US monetary policy in the coming period.

In other precious metals, silver prices fell 1.5% to $64.43 an ounce, platinum 2.8% to $1,678.10, while palladium dropped 0.8% to $1,212.31 an ounce.

Shafaq.com