Iraq Business News brings you the latest Iraq banking & finance news, with information on developments and opportunities.
By John Lee. The Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI), Ali Mohsen Al-Alaq, met with Turkish Ambassador Anil Bora Inan and representatives of Turkish banks operating in Iraq to discuss a newly implemented financial transfer mechanism. The new system, which operates in euros and is executed through Turkish banks, aims to streamline and […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Cabinet has revised an earlier decision to merge its Agricultural, Industrial and Real Estate Banks. At the start of 2024, the Cabinet approved a contract with UK-based professional services firm Ernst & Young (EY) to study the merger of Industrial Bank, Real Estate Bank, and Agricultural Bank [Agricultural Cooperative Bank?] into […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has identified irregularities in the operations of several exchange companies regarding the sale of U.S. dollars allocated to travellers. A recent audit and monitoring of company practices revealed that some exchange firms have been charging citizens a commission of 50,000 dinars for purchasing dollars, double the […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Integrity Commission and China's National Supervisory [Oversight] Commission have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in combating corruption, pursuing fugitives, and recovering assets. The agreement aims to align efforts with the Belt and Road Initiative, promoting transparency and clean governance. Iraq's Integrity Commission head, Judge Haider Hanoun, emphasized the […]
By John Lee. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI), has signed an agreement to develop environmental and social risk management guidelines for the banking sector, and launched a seven-year Sustainable Finance Roadmap and an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Code […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Minister of Finance, Taif Sami Mohammed, signed an agreement with the Austrian ambassador to Baghdad to secure a €262.16 million [$291 million] loan from Austria's Erste Group Bank. The loan will fund the development of pivot irrigation systems for the Ministry of Agriculture, with Austrian company Bauer leading the project's execution. […]
By John Lee. The Iraqi Securities Commission (ISC) has received reports that some electronic payment companies are collaborating with foreign brokerage firms to attract Iraqi investors and traders into trading foreign stocks outside Iraq's financial markets. It warns that these brokerage firms are unlicensed and unauthorized to conduct such activities. "We warn investors (individuals and […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) participated in the "Electronic Payments for Financial Stability" conference, hosted by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani and organized by the Iraqi Private Banks League (IPBL). The event focused on Iraq's digital transformation in the banking and financial sectors. Central Bank Governor Ali Mohsen Al-Alaq highlighted the […]
By John Lee. A court in the Netherlands has recognized and granted the enforcement of an arbitration award against the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI). The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)'s International Court of Arbitration in Paris granted the award in favour of Abu Dhabi-based Cardno ME (CME) on February 26, 2023. It required the […]
By John Lee. Standard & Poor's (S&P) has affirmed Iraq's credit rating at B-/B with a stable outlook. According to Iraq's Ministry of Finance, the report highlights Iraq's financial and economic stability, driven by ongoing economic and fiscal reforms implemented by the Ministry. It adds that the stable rating reflects Iraq's strong foreign currency reserves, […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) announced the outcomes of a high-level delegation visit to the United States, led by Governor Ali Mohsen Al-Alaq, from August 26 to 29, 2024. The delegation held extensive meetings in New York with the U.S. Treasury, the Federal Reserve, and major financial institutions such as Visa, […]
By John Lee. The Iraqi Cabinet has granted the Finance Minister the authority to sign a loan agreement with Austria's Erste Bank, secured by the Austrian Export Credit Agency (OeKB). The loan will finance an irrigation technology project under the Ministry of Agriculture, in accordance with the Federal Budget Law for the fiscal years 2023-2025. […]
