Thread: Archive - Latest News Think Tank - 15/01/09 - 04/05/09

Cabinet examines major amendments on investment law- source

The Iraqi government is currently examining "serious amendments" on investment law, especially with respect to housing projects and commercial construction, the cabinet's official spokesperson said on Wednesday.

"The current law is unable to satisfy the required guarantees by foreign investors," Dr. Ali al-Dabbagh told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

"The government is interested in reconsidering this bill," he said.

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZA...vestment%20law

Expert of Election and Political Affairs at UN visits Adnan Mufti

Speaker of Kurdistan Region Adnan Mufti received the Expert of Election and Political Affairs at UN Abdul Hessen Hindawi on Thursday, February 19, 2009.

Preparation for another electoral round of Kurdistan Region Parliament, which is expected to be held on May 19, was their key issue discussed during a meeting.

They also discussed the Iraqi provincial elections in the meeting and Adnan Mufti confirmed, “These elections were successful despite our notes about its shortcomings.”

Iraqi Constitution, Article 140 and next moves of implementing the article especially efforts of UN were also discussed in the meeting.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...=9419&Itemid=1

Excess liquidity, the Iraqi currency between reality and ambition

This comes from a weekly economic paper in Iraq. Updates usually every Thursday. This is dated 18th February 2009.

Political and security situation back to the hearts of those who returned the money to get rid of the Iraqi dinar, especially after they found that the Iraqi dinar is still between 117 to 118 dollars, for the rise and fall depending on the political and security situation in the country, although the Iraqi dinar is a rise in the recent crisis.

Where it was before 125 dinars to the dollar has made the Central Bank of Iraq launched a war of nerves on the speculators and said he now has the capabilities, which enables him to intervene to maintain the rate of Iraqi dinar and the damage to Balamadarbin and despite the fact that the central bank means what it says, but the problem of security and stability of the political situation will be stronger, and above all, the economic recession experienced by the Iraqi market for Ayaod not only political stability but the security is an extension of the economic stagnation in the region, so there is no room for investment in the best in Iraq, so will the owners of the money and capital to employment in the foreign assets so as to achieve the desired profit.

The deteriorating security situation and political instability and lead to destabilization of the monetary situation, but started on the horizon, because the real potential of the Iraqi dinar regain its strength despite the intensive campaign to buy the dollar by the Central Bank of Iraq is still an ongoing process and in spite of a disruption to the business and interests of people as a result of lack of security and political stability Nevertheless, the exchange rate has risen recently, the Iraqi dinar by two factors:

1 - to escape from the dinar to the dollar to reap the profits of speculation.

2 - to improve the political and security which has been said and much later proved to be still some way off.

What's striking is what has happened in recent times as a result the Central Bank for the purchase of large quantities of dollars to have a central bank liquidity has not happened before and there is room for investment of almost non-Treasury bonds, I believe, therefore, central banks and banks to accept the Iraqi treasury bonds, the IPO is a large and particularly raising the interest rate from 8% to 10% or 12%, while investment rates between the dollar Ranged 9.8% depending on the nature of the depository.

Thus, a surplus of treasury bills of hundreds of billions of Iraqi dinar and the State will find itself for the first time in a very enviable position.

Therefore, the bonds would finance a large part of the budget, but perhaps the largest part of the State and will be more optimistic and thus Alaktabat of the State to fill the part of the external debt and so can the State and the Central Bank to isolate the liquidity surplus on the factor of inflation, even temporarily, there is a perception among bankers and economic experts, the need to reduce the treasury bonds and borrowing from the Central Bank, through the pressure on everyone to return to the resources needed to remedy the inflationary effects of the value of bonds and the purchase of dollars from the market liquidity of a huge surplus each group hold the proceeds of the port, which is owned by a very inauspicious for the resistance with the customs and tax revenues, estimated that the intervention of the State Treasury.

Thus, the Central Bank of Iraq is fighting a great enemy is the retail division after the economic and political security, which affect the economic cycle in the country. This is the decisive factor, which raises the capital to escape, therefore the State should have a government capable and influential in the conduct of economic and administrative rudder.

By Observer

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The parliament postponed the election of a speaker to the next legislative term

The Attorney for the United Iraqi Alliance, Hassan Sunaid, on Friday, that the choice of Speaker of the House will be postponed to the next legislative term, noting that the parliament will discuss at its next budget, 2009.

"Sunaid told (Voices of Iraq)," turn in the coming days to discuss the budget and then disrupting the parliament in recess the constitutional separation of legislative proceed to select the next speaker of parliament."

He added that "the game of the minority and the majority of the unresolved issue of the presidency of the parliament, therefore, will the House of Representatives to choose a president by the political blocs." He pointed to "the presence of about two or three names of candidates for the settlement of the table."

Senaid called "the political blocs to coincide with each other on a candidate receives the majority of the votes of the parliamentarians, not the half plus one."

Deputy, the United Iraqi Alliance, said Hamid burdensome on Thursday told (Voices of Iraq) that the members of the House of Representatives are determined to finish the issue of the chairmanship of the House of Representatives in the coming days, ruling out that the issue to be deported the next legislative term.

Began on the afternoon of Thursday, the voting and counting for the election of the President of the Parliament of the presence of 234 deputies. Are competing for the succession as parliamentary speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, who resigned from his position 23/12 in the past, each of Iyad al-Samarrai (Accordance Front) and Khalil Jadou) National Dialogue Council).

The MP Iyad al-Samarrai, the 136 votes, while his deputy, Khalil Jadou to 81, where none of them an absolute majority of the votes, the parliament decided to postpone the meeting until Saturday, according to Deputy Sami Atrushi.

The first round took place on Wednesday and obtained by the House, Iyad al-Samarrai on 123 votes and MP Khalil Jadou on 43 votes and MP Abdul Mutlaq Jubouri, 18, and the Attorney-Bounding Shaker eight voices, MP Hussein al-Falluji, three votes, voted with the number of deputies a white paper without no candidate receives an absolute majority of votes (235 deputies present at the Board) announced that First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Sheikh Khaled al-Attiyah said the second round will take place between each of the MPs, Iyad al-Samarrai, Khalil Jadou who obtained the most votes.

http://66.102.9.132/translate_c?hl=e...yf6JxKrB2Txvng

US and Iraqi armies in race against 2011 clock

The Iraqi military, hobbled by Saddam Hussein's disastrous wars, and its American allies are in a race against the clock before a US pullout, with logistics a key priority. While the Iraqi side appears confident, its Western allies doubt the country's army will be able to stand up on its own in logistics terms by the end-of-2011 deadline for US soldiers to withdraw.

"There's no mission ... without the logistician," said US Colonel Edward Dorman, who runs the US army's day-to-day logistics in Iraq, during a tour of Iraqi facilities in Taji, north of Baghdad. But in the countdown to the deadline under the two countries' security pact signed in November, their partnership faces an uphill battle.

Australian Major John Snell, whose country supports the logistics training mission as part of the US-led coalition that toppled Saddam, said supply chain issues were key to rebuilding Iraq's military. "We have identified the biggest Achilles heel of the Iraqi army," he said as large black crows flew over what used to be Iraq's top military base until it was pulverised into a scrap metal graveyard during the 2003 US-led invasion. "If we left today they could defend themselves, but they would soon fall apart," Snell said.

While the US military says it aims to achieve "sustainable security" for Iraq by the time its troops go home, the Iraqi army faces the nuts-and-bolts issue of being able to resupply itself in the face of a dogged insurgency. The presence of General Nassir Abadi, deputy chief of staff of Iraq's armed forces, during a tour of Taji's supply depot underlined the new emphasis on logistics, repairs, spare parts and training. As Iraqi army mechanics work to refurbish used Humvees, part of a consignment of 8,500 of the armoured vehicles donated by the United States, other soldiers have been busy sorting and storing parts.

"They can do the basics now," said Dorman. "They are a nascent force, so there are gaps," he said of Iraq's military which fought three wars in less than 25 years and faced a decade of international sanctions before being disbanded in 2003 and then reformed. Dorman identified a reluctance to delegate authority as a major obstacle which he put down to "cultural differences" between the West and the Arab world. "Things that should take two days in the supply chain can take two weeks to two months. In fighting an insurgency, that's too long," he said.

But Abadi was confident that modern methods and "the best qualified will come through" in the new Iraq. "We are getting there but it will take time," he told AFP in perfect English.

The process is also bogged down by paperwork because the Iraqi logistics operation is not yet computerised. But video-conferencing to check on supplies has begun to improve timings. Colonel Philip Battaglia of the US 1st Cavalry Division told reporters in Baghdad this week that Iraq -- whose supply arm has launched a five-year plan and has 84 warehouses to repair -- still has a long way to go. "A lot of work they need to do is in logistics -- maintenance, training, repairing vehicles, (sourcing) vehicle parts, medical supplies and all forms of logistics," he said, with a support role likely for the US army beyond 2011. "Frankly, it will take many years."

And since there is no conscription and the army has no fixed-term contracts, army training at Taji in marketable skills such as driving fork-lift trucks can lead to desertions to a higher-paid private sector. Looking at the broader picture, strategic planning on spending and maintenance is also weak in the Iraqi military.

"It is often a case of catalogue-shopping without trials," said Snell, pointing to Baghdad spending millions of dollars on unusable ammunition from eastern Europe and field kitchens which could not provide three meals a day.

Abadi asked his allies during the Taji tour to help Iraq "look for reliability, to find the right products for our environment, for our operations," Dorman said, adding: "We will get there."

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidAN...202011%20clock

Iraq to have open relations with France in armament, oil- PM

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Thursday said that Iraq will establish open relations with France in the fields of armament, oil, in addition to other sectors.

The remark came during his reception of the French minister of state for foreign trade affairs, Anne Marie Idrac, in his Baghdad-based office, according to a statement released by Maliki's office and received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

Maliki stressed his government's keenness to strengthen its relations with France in all fields, particularly after French President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to Iraq, which has highlighted the two countries' willingness to develop mutual relations, the statement added.

http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm/sidZA...ament%2C%20Oil

Iraq announces final results of provincial elections

The Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq (IHEC) announced on Thursday the final results of the landmark provincial elections.

The final results showed that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's Dawlat al-Qanun (State of Law) coalition comes ahead in Baghdad and five southern provinces.

Maliki's best results were in Baghdad and Basra, where his coalition won 28 seats of Baghdad's 57 seats and 20 seats out of 36 in the oil hub city of Basra.

Earlier in February, preliminary results covering 90 percent of the ballot showed that Maliki's coalition came first in Baghdad and eight southern provinces.

Maliki's rival powerful Shiite Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), headed by Abdul Aziz Hakim, hardly regained power in the three Shiite provinces of Najaf, Maysan and Dhi Qar, where the final results showed that Maliki and Hakim divided equal seats.

On Jan. 31, millions of Iraqis headed to cast their ballots in polling stations across 14 out of the 18 Iraqi provinces to choose their leaders in provincial councils.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...=9431&Itemid=1

Parliament welcomes the decision by Jordan to provide facilities to Iraqi businessmen

The lawmaker with the Accordance Front, Dr. Alaa Makki, the Jordanian government's decision to provide facilities to businessmen and investors to enter the Iraqi territory.

Mekky said told the independent press (Iba) today, Friday, that this step comes as part of an effort to increase both trade and investment between the activation of the two plans and flexibility in the process of commercial traffic, as well as to facilitate the presence of Iraqis in Jordan.

He added that the decision will support the government moves to push the economy forward and opening up the economies of neighboring countries, in particular, and the nations of the world in general and especially in Iraq is required to develop its economy and to find general formulas for the activation of the decisions on this aspect. Stressing that the coming days will strengthen relations with Jordan in other aspects.

He called on the government to play a complementary role with respect to the largest Iraqi funds frozen in Oman and to provide support to Iraqis living in Syria and Jordan.

He said the Jordanian government taken to disburse some of this money on the Iraqis residing on its territory in a pre-emptive, which means that the Iraqis need to be the role of government to help them. He asked to identify the needs of Iraqis and their support through the transfer of items within their food ration card.

The Jordanian authorities announced yesterday the first to provide facilities for investors, many Iraqis who want to own real estate in the country to encourage trading in this sector are affected by the repercussions of the global financial crisis in addition to the facilities in the transfer of goods and commodities to Iraq.

http://216.239.59.132/translate_c?hl...B3Q0W-JM2vdiuw

Iraq sells uranium to a Canadian company

He said Ali Dabbagh, the government approval of the Council of Ministers on the sale of 550 tons of uranium to the Canadian company Cameco Kamiko compared to 90 million dollars.

Dabbagh said that the government agreed to the deal because Iraq signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is no longer in need of these materials collected by the former regime.

http://translate.google.co.uk/transl...hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Electricity invites World Bank to secure implementation of part of amount of investment contracts

Called the Ministry of Electricity, the World Bank to secure the sum of one billion and three million dollars to cover a portion of the amounts of the contracts with the U.S. company General Alicktrick, investment and engineering studies for the electricity sector, and stressed the need for the expeditious completion of projects for power transmission lines in line with the implementation of projects of production and distribution.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Electricity, Aziz Sultan told a news briefing that the Minister of Electricity Karim Wahid al met the Director of the World Bank and the Iraq branch of the two sides addressed the issue of rehabilitation of plant cover was held Hartha in Basra province, which was referred to the Russian company Tknobrom $ 124 million and the reasons behind the company's implementation. He added that the minister of electricity called the World Bank to secure the sum of one billion dollars to cover part of the contracts concluded by the Ministry with the General Alicktrick especially with the company it contracted to supply Iraq with 56 and 125 megawatts of capacity per unit and the amount of three billion dollars.

And Aziz were also approached the World Bank's contribution to the Director through the amount of three million dollars allocated for the purpose of consulting and engineering studies for the electricity sector. Meanwhile, the Ministry confirmed the need for the expeditious completion of power projects for power transmission lines in line with the implementation of projects of production and distribution.

He said ministry spokesman Aziz Sultan said that it was lost during the Minister of Electricity Karim Wahid al number of projects being implemented by the Directorate General of the energy transfer projects. The round included a number of transfer stations in Rusafa briefed by the minister to outline projects completed and in progress, Muaza overcoming obstacles and difficulties of the work, noting the importance of expediting the completion of the work and commitment of time for the meeting of the implementation of projects in conjunction with the transfer of energy production and distribution projects.

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