Iraq PM summons central banker as currency slides by AFP Staff Writers Baghdad (AFP) Dec 27, 2022 Iraq's premier summoned the central bank governor Tuesday amid worries sparked by a currency drop against the dollar, with lawmakers calling for an extraordinary session of parliament. One US dollar traded at 1,580 Iraqi dinars on the street Tuesday, against the central bank rate of 1,470 dinars, state news agency INA reported. The drop, which began about two weeks ago, has sparked alarm in the media in the oil-rich country, and on Tuesday Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met the central bank governor to discuss the issue. The cental bank has blamed the slump on "temporary pressures" sparked by the "adoption of new mechanisms to protect the banking sector, customers, and the financial system". Iraq's Association of Private Banks said the rate had risen as a result of changes to the "mechanism" of foreign currency sales due to international requirements. The government has sought to ease tensions, including by ensuring a flow of dollars at the official rate. Prime ministerial adviser Muzhar Saleh told INA on Sunday said there were "no fears" about Iraq's ability to maintain the exchange rate, noting foreign reserves were at "a high in Iraq's financial history", likely exceeding $100 billion. Economist Safwan Qusai said confidence in the dinar had been "shaken" by corruption scandals, with problems sparked by US Treasury restrictions imposed on "financial transfers to certain countries". Graft, mismanagement and nepotism are rife in Iraq where they have caused widespread public anger. Iraq ranks near the bottom of Transparency International's corruption perceptions index, at 157 out of 180 countries.
Iraq tells visiting Italy PM it seeks closer economic ties Baghdad (AFP) Dec 23, 2022 Iraq's prime minister appealed to visiting Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni on Friday for closer economic ties with his oil-rich country suffering from power cuts and decaying infrastructure. Meloni, who leads the eurozone's third-largest economy, is on her first bilateral trip outside Europe. She is on a pre-Christmas visit to Italian troops posted in Iraq in support of an anti-jihadist mission. "We expressed our disposition to develop economic cooperation in all fields, especially agricultur ... read more
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