By John Lee. A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has concluded a visit with Iraqi officials, concluding: Economic Challenges: Iraq faces a highly uncertain global environment, declining oil prices, and acute financing pressures, which are harming economic activity and deepening existing vulnerabilities. Urgent Measures Needed: Contain the fiscal deficit by increasing non-oil tax […]
By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani chaired a high-level meeting with the heads of Iraqi banks on Monday, reaffirming his government's commitment to banking reform as a pillar of broader economic revitalisation. He directed all banks to simplify procedures, embrace modern technologies, and encourage public confidence by stimulating deposits. The Prime Minister announced […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has issued a warning to the public regarding the circulation of foreign banknotes - including authentic, withdrawn, and counterfeit currency - used by fraudsters to deceive citizens. According to the CBI, criminals lure individuals into exchanging these notes for Iraqi dinars at inflated rates under the […]
By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani chaired a high-level meeting on Saturday to assess the economic and trade impact of the United States government's decision to raise customs tariffs on imports from multiple countries, including Iraq. The discussion addressed potential effects on global markets, crude oil prices, and Iraq's domestic economy. According to […]
By Ahmed Tabaqchali, Chief Strategist of AFC Iraq Fund. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Banks End a Second Year with a Bang The market, as measured by the Rabee Securities U.S. Dollar Equity Index (RSISX USD Index), continued with the process […]
By John Lee. In his speech to a conference in Baghdad, Ali Mohsen Al-Allaq, Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI), highlighted significant progress in digital payments, citing an increase in ATMs and e-wallets, which helped boost financial inclusion to 40% from 20% in just two years, supported by CBI initiatives. He noted that […]
By John Lee. The Real Estate Bank of Iraq has unveiled its strategic plan for 2025, focusing on expanding financial services, digital transformation, and green financing. Director General Abbas Shihab Al-Jawahiri chaired a meeting with department heads, branch managers, and unit officials to review progress in 2024 and set priorities for 2025. According to a […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has concluded its first quarterly meetings of 2025 with the US Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve Bank, held in Dubai, UAE, with participation from international auditing and consulting firms EY (Ernst & Young), K2 Integrity (K2i), and Oliver Wyman. Key highlights from the meetings included: […]
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has announced General Tender No. (1/2025) for the supply, installation, and operation of 65 currency counting and sorting machines for its branches in Basra (35 units) and Mosul (30 units). The contract, with an estimated value of IQD 1.134 billion (approx. $865,000), will be financed from […]
By John Lee. S&P Global Ratings has affirmed its 'B-' long-term and 'B' short-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings on Iraq. "The outlook is stable," it added. More details, including economic stats, here. (Source: S&P Global Ratings)
By John Lee. The Iraqi government, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI), has launched a strategic initiative to modernise the country's banking sector. The reforms aim to enhance banking standards, strengthen financial resilience, and improve Iraq's integration with global financial systems. Key pillars of the initiative include: Governance and Ownership: Strengthening transparency […]
By John Lee. Turkiye's Global Odeme Hizmetleri (Get Money Global) has been approved to provide foreign remittance services in Iraq within a credit agreement involving Western Union and MoneyGram. The announcement was made by the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) and confirmed by Global Odeme Hizmetleri. (Sources: CBI, Global Odeme Hizmetleri)
