The ongoing discourse on Iraq’s 2021 draft Federal Budget raises concerns. The draft has been substantially revised by the Parliament’s Financial Committee in a way that would keep Iraq within its current “business as usual” status and neglect the long-time needed reforms. In particular, there is no indication that the Financial Committee has introduced any structural changes o
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Pope Francis with Iraq’s top Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Photograph: Reuters Pope Francis has had a symbolic meeting with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, one of the most senior clerics in Shia Islam, in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf. The historic meeting in Sistani’s home was months in the making, with every detail painstakingly discussed and negotiated b
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Summary The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) continue to puzzle policymakers inside and outside of Iraq. Following the territorial defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS), PMF networks have developed into significant security, political and economic forces that compete for power in the Iraqi state. At the heart of unsuccessful attempts to understand, engage or navigate this dy
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CMEC hosted a virtual meeting with Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister H.E Dr Ali Allawi to discuss the wider political and economical reforms in Iraq.* The virtual meeting which took place on Wednesday, February 24th 2021 highlighted and discussed the challenges and opportunities of the current political and economical reforms in Iraq including the White Paper
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February 11, 2021 Washington, DC: On February 8, 2021 the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation [1] with Iraq. The COVID-19 pandemic and a sharp decline in oil revenues have exacerbated Iraq’s longstanding economic vulnerabilities. Real GDP contracted by an estimated 11 percent in 2020, reflecting a slowdown in non-
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