Iraq’s “Development Road”: Rough Terrain Ahead. BY DR. JOHN CALABRESE

Despite sharing a border, Iraq and Turkey have had a history marked by tensions; however, recent developments indicate that the two countries are now entering a new, positive phase in their relationship. Meeting in Baghdad on April 22, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia‘ al-Sudani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the latter making his first visit to Iraq in 13 yea

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IMF Executive Board Concludes 2024 Article IV Consultation with Iraq

Washington, DC – May 16, 2024: On May 13, 2024, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation1 with Iraq and considered and endorsed the staff appraisal. Domestic stability has improved since the new government took office in October 2022, facilitating the passage of Iraq’s first three-year budget, which entailed a large fisc

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Prime Minister al-Sudani’s visit shows Iraq wants to move beyond security and needs U.S. support to address climate, economic and regional challenges. By Sarhang Hamasaeed

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met last week with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House as part of a weeklong visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations. The visit occurred amid several historic anniversaries and dangerous developments in the Middle East. April marks the 21st anniversary of the toppling of Saddam Hussein. Since 2003, the U.S.-Iraq rela

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The World Bank: Conflict and Debt in the Middle East and North Africa

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is expected to grow modestly in 2024, returning to the low growth that prevailed in the decade before the pandemic. In addition to examining the macroeconomic outlook of the region, this edition of the semi-annual MENA Economic Update, titled Conflict and Debt in the Middle East and North Africa, includes two special sections. The

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