,KTFA Members "News and Views" Tuesday 9-25-18

9/25/2018
 
KTFA:

2Cents:  Any possibility that a Newshound or Admin could pull WS post #21 of 9/19 thread and put it with Samson Post 151 of this thread for all to compare???

2Cents:  Thanks Don for putting this together........I find the lack of comments interesting......All should note, it appears this initiative is already calculated in the rv rate based on how I take WS comment.......

Now, they have an actual meeting scheduled to "discuss ways to activate".......this meeting just happens to be on a Thursday........09/27!!!!  

This also happens to be the day of Kavanaugh hearing and Rod Rosenstein meeting with President Trump and just prior to the last weekend of September.......
....


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

Don961:  (per request) Samson:  Al-Hanal: The time is right to launch the JD trillion initiative

President of the Association of Iraqi Private Banks Wadih al-Hanalal «Economy News»

The President of the Association of Iraqi private banks, Wadih al-Hanal, on Wednesday, that the time is appropriate to activate the initiative of the Central Bank of "trillion dinars" for the support of small and medium enterprises .

Al-Hantal said in his speech during the workshop "one-trillion-dollar initiative to support small and medium enterprises" held in the city of Erbil and attended by "economy News", the reason for non-activation of the initiative at the time of launch due to the existence of a window selling the currency, which banks were making profits from it, "When the interest rate was set at 4% to lend to the market there was another source of profit, the window of the currency, but the recent profits ended is left to banks only lending ."

He pointed out that "banks lend from their deposits at a greater interest or Murabaha greater than 4% so when it comes to the initiative of the Central Bank, which is determined by 4% do not use it, because it has funds and can lend .

The head of the Association of Iraqi Private Banks, suggested reconsidering the interest rate and leaving the market is to determine the interest rate and the recent competition will be between banks .

Al-Hanalal thanked the Kurdistan Bank for sponsoring the initiative of the trillion dollar initiative and stressed the encouragement of the Association of Iraqi Private Banks for such activities in the coming stages .

http://economy-news.net/conten.....=13724

Walkingstick:  Article is not accurate.... we are part... numbers are 12 -----> 9 .. already,  calculated/factored in ......

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

Samson:    Al-Nusseiri: Central Bank Governor stresses the need to activate the SME initiative

 24th September, 2018

The governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, on Monday, the need to activate the initiative of the Central Bank of Iraq to finance small and medium enterprises, which aims to revitalize the economic cycle in the country

The banking adviser to the Association of Iraqi private banks, Samir Nusairi said in an interview with "Economy News", "The Governor of the Central Bank addressed during the regular meeting with banks on the need to activate the initiative to finance small and medium projects, which aims to revitalize the economic cycle of the country, Governmental and private development

He added that "the Central Bank called for a meeting on Thursday, 27/9/2018 at the headquarters of the Central Bank to discuss ways to activate loans to finance small and medium-sized projects in light of the experience of banks in lending and reconsider the interest rates adopted and motivated by the increase in the number of loans granted to these projects

He pointed out that "banks call for giving flexibility in the identification of sectors and projects and reconsider some of the conditions and instructions governing the mechanisms of lending   LINK

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

Don961:  :  The role of the United States in determining the future of Iraq

- 2 Hours Passed

The United States has invested a great deal of time and effort in Iraq over the past 15 years. However, the political process in Iraq has been stalled, as the damage caused by the failure to implement the principles of democracy has been reflected in every electoral entitlement in Iraq. To complicate matters, the role played by pro-Iranian Islamic parties in the Iraqi arena has been complicated.

Since these parties believe in the primacy of the Qur'an in the government, and believe in the principle of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (Wilayat al Faqih), its objectives are primarily to support Iran's regional influence rather than to support internal stability and democracy in the country. Those parties view democracy and its principles with great suspicion, especially those concerning women, child protection, human rights and citizenship. In addition to these complex relations, the policy adopted by General Qasim Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force and its Iraqi militias, led to the subordination of these parties to Iranian dictates.

Contrary to Iran's growing influence in Iraq and its clear and ongoing interference in political affairs in the country, US attention to Iraq's future is unclear to many local observers. Although the United States has stated that curbing Iran's regional influence is one of the main objectives of its foreign policy, these efforts have become complicated by its history in Iraq and its foreign policy there. With the Obama administration concluding a nuclear deal with Iran and the withdrawal of US military forces from Iraq, many anti-Iran groups have interpreted US silence as tacit consent to subject Iraq to Iran's expansionist fervor. The inclusion of the Fatah coalition in the dominant political coalition also shows the Obama administration's policy of silence towards Sulaymani's actions in the country, and the continued mixed messages from the current administration.

Iraq's current political and economic crises of Iraqi sovereignty and the absence of the principle of separation of powers and the spread of administrative and financial corruption have, of course, been the inevitable result of the failed American policy that Iran is exploiting to expand its influence not only in Iraq but in the region as a whole. The Iraqi parties, backed by Iran, have shown no interest in the current crisis in Iraq. Iran's interference in Iraq's internal affairs is a major threat to the democratic process there. Iran's Islamic parties systematically rigged the elections, not only in Shiite but also Sunni provinces, which contain Sunni elements burdened with corruption and linked to Sulaimani or his followers.

Now, the newly formed Iraqi government appears to be particularly vulnerable to Iranian machinations, especially after Sulaimani and a number of corrupt politicians have formed a bloc of more than 100 members, a clear challenge to politicians looking to To limit Iranian influence in Iraq.

In the months since the Iraqi elections, Soleimani sent a clear message to both Iraqi and American officials that Iran would have great control over the appointment of ministers and electoral blocs, especially after forming an opposition bloc of 145 members of parliament led by Hadi al-Amiri and Former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

Suleimani's apparent success in controlling the reins of the new Iraqi government demonstrates Iran's firm position and clear policy toward Iraq. Moreover, under the long process of forming an Iraqi government, Soleimani's active positions remain largely in contradiction with the mixed messages of US State Department officials, including the latter's acceptance of the results of the Iraqi elections despite evidence of corruption and fraud.

The lack of clear vision by US officials in Iraq is also expected to lead to a failure to form a new, moderate Iraqi government free of Iran's growing influence. In addition, many Iraqis who have relied on the vision of American democracy as a model for their country have lost confidence in American politics, leading them to fall into Soleimani's arms. It was a fatal blow to independents, moderates and Democrats, and a blow to future US interests in Iraq.

The solution is clear: the United States and its representatives in Iraq must adopt clear positions on their policy in Iraq and realize that the US-Iraqi partnership is not a one-way US investment, but rather a cooperation that guarantees benefits for both countries. The US administration should not allow its staff to repeat the same mechanisms and policies adopted by the Obama administration in Iraq as they no longer reflect the renewed interest of the United States towards Iran.

Perhaps the most effective and quick way to restore American influence in Iraq is to work to activate the Iraqi-US agreements concluded. The United States can also contribute to reconciliation among different communities in Iraq and give Sunni Arab communities the sense that they will be partners in managing the future of the country. By providing additional resources to support decentralization and supporting efforts to recruit Sunni Arabs into the Iraqi security forces. Finally, the United States should work to support and develop the Iraqi media in order to counter Iranian sectarian propaganda that is working to divide the people of the same homeland.

This does not necessarily mean that the United States is unilaterally responsible for developing its relationship with Iraq, but Iraq, for its part, must maintain its oil independence regardless of market signals and regional conflicts. Strengthening the US-Iraqi partnership will not only be achieved through US investment in Iraq, but through joint cooperation that will ultimately lead to economic and strategic benefits for both countries.
An alosi example

Washington Institute   link



Don961:  :  E-governance is an effective way to combat corruption in Iraq

 25th September, 2018

One of the root causes of the unrest in Basra in southern Iraq is corruption, a problem that the federal government faces

But fortunately that Iraq is able to address this problem through a number of anti-corruption measures, including e-governance centers and unified services and encourage the participation of civil society and random inspection procedures, all of which measures have been successfully implemented in other countries. While the special circumstances in Iraq may pose some challenges to the implementation of these tried measures, these tools may be necessary to revitalize people's trust and facilitate the provision of basic services

E-governance

The first of the above measures is e-governance, which means the use of ICT by the government and private organizations to achieve effective management. E-governance is a useful anti-corruption mechanism because it reduces the number of interactions with employees, speeds up decision-making and limits human error

Although the initial costs of e-governance are high, they provide long-term money and ensure transparency at the same time. For example, after Slovakia adopted bidding online for certain goods and services, the cost of waste collection dropped by one-third of the original cost of $ 900 thousand euros in 2008 to 600 thousand euros. Slovakia has also passed a law requiring government institutions to publish their contracts and revenues online, thereby greatly enhancing bureaucratic transparency

In the case of Iraq, significant gains can be made in applying e-governance practices. By facilitating bureaucratic procedures, ensuring transparent public procurement and creating a transparent tax system, the Iraqi government can attract more foreign investors and, as a result, accelerate reconstruction and improve service delivery

But it should be noted that it may be difficult for Iraq to implement e-governance. Since the beginning of 2018, the country does not have a valid postal system, which is one of the primary requirements for online transactions and for the reliable banking sector

It is therefore not possible to make a technological update overnight. However, Iraq can overcome this gap in its potential by requiring every individual to open a bank account to rent a mailbox, provided that it is available at a price not exceeding $ 20 per year

When opening a bank account, customers can also be provided with guides that include information on how to participate in eServices online

 What is meant by all this is to say that the launch of e-governance in Iraq may not be easy, but it is not impossible to overcome this challenge

Single window

The term "single window" refers to a system that collects representatives from various government institutions responsible for providing different aspects of the same public service in one geographic location that a citizen can visit to obtain that service. This system has proven its ability to accelerate service delivery, reduce costs and reduce the need to verify information and documents

In Iraq, the National Investment Authority, established by the government in 2007, is a model of a unified service center. However, due to lack of coordination between national and provincial authorities, foreign companies still face difficulties in investing in Iraq. Therefore, in order to achieve more effective results, it would be prudent for Iraq to follow the example of the United Arab Emirates in the application model of the unified service center based on the following stages

 First, the services included in the unified service center system can not be randomly chosen. In the past, such services must have been submitted in a manner that has been subject to many complaints, that the demand for them is high or that services are necessary for investment

 Second, after selecting the services to be provided by the unified service centers, the Government should prioritize each service

 Thirdly, with a view to establishing a unified service center, the Government should develop a plan of action that would draw up streamlining services and define the responsibilities of each participating body

Encourage the participation of civil society

Civil society organizations can play a very useful role in fighting corruption: evidence shows that these organizations are effective in monitoring and evaluating anti-corruption efforts, exposing corrupt practices, implementing regional and international anti-corruption initiatives, and building alliances to support anti-corruption measures

Random Inspection

Random inspection is a common and widespread procedure in the United States, and is very effective because it increases the likelihood of detecting corrupt practices, especially when the ability of institutions to expose such practices is weak and when opportunities for corrupt behavior are available
Washington Institute   LINK

Samson:  Major international participation in the summit of reconstruction and economic development

  25th September, 2018

The International Conference on Investment, Reconstruction and Development of the Iraqi Economy will be held in December. The conference will be organized in cooperation with the Fund for the Reconstruction of the Liberated Areas in cooperation with the British Frontier Exchange Company, which is specialized in the establishment of international conferences and exhibitions.

"This event comes in very sensitive circumstances, which requires mobilization of efforts and capabilities to promote the national economy and the reconstruction and services sector, especially after the liberation of Iraq completely from the organization of" Da'ash "terrorist and improved security conditions.

"This summit will provide access to employment opportunities and the best local private banks. The summit will be a conference on the sidelines of the Golden Opportunity Exhibition to meet with the world's largest companies and investors looking to work in Iraq as well as international organizations that seek to provide support and aid to the country in various fields such as reconstruction, Economic."

The head of the reconstruction fund of the affected areas d. "The presence of the specialized international effort in Baghdad represents a real support for the reconstruction and reconstruction of liberated areas that require great effort," said Mustafa al-Hitti, adding that "the efforts of the Fund in the reconstruction of the affected areas through the implementation of important projects in these areas, Life of the Iraqi citizen ".

He pointed out that "the presence of international companies in Baghdad is evidence of the ability of participating companies and their desire to work within Iraq, and in turn we will work to provide the appropriate operational environment in cooperation with the parties concerned," and praised the role of the company organized in attracting international effort.   LINK