TNT – “Tidbits From TNT” Friday 11-17-2023

Tishwash:  Government spokesman: Occupying international leadership positions represents the recovery of Iraq’s reputation

 On Thursday, government spokesman Bassem Al-Awadi identified the most prominent features of Iraq’s victory in membership in the Executive Council of UNESCO, while noting that occupying international leadership positions represents the recovery of Iraq’s reputation.

Al-Awday told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “The process of qualifying countries to be members of the executive councils of major international institutions is subject to an assessment of the reputation of the political systems of those countries and the positions of various countries of the world towards them,” indicating that “Iraq, because of the follies of the previous regime, has been removed since 1991 from membership.”

Most, indeed, all major international institutions, and the voting process for Iraq has become subject to pressure, interference, and rejection over the course of three decades.”

He added, “Iraq’s return to occupying its international leadership positions once again represents the recovery of Iraq’s reputation and the overcoming of the signs of the past, and the reputation has become fully qualified and ready to take its place and its natural right in international councils,” noting that “Iraqi policy (internal and external) and the government that supervises it is a place of trust.” International respect qualifies the country to obtain the votes of various countries competing to vote and qualify for these councils.”

He pointed to “the role of countries and governments in pursuing their entitlement to these institutions and working diligently to reach it, as Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani met twice during this year with the leadership of UNESCO and provided a cohesive basis for reserving Iraq’s seat.”

Regarding how Iraq can exploit its seat after winning membership in the Executive Council of UNESCO, he stressed that “this is done by following up on the organization’s work and projects, including supporting illiteracy eradication projects, in addition to supporting vocational training, teacher qualification and training programs, and international science programs, as well as historical and cultural projects.”

Global cooperation agreements, preserving human heritage, supporting internal organizations, efforts, projects and partnerships with Iraqi ministries and bodies, establishing a mechanism for implementing activities in geographical regions, and following up on their implementation.”

He stressed that “Iraq’s acceptance of membership in the Executive Council of UNESCO is a purely governmental effort based on correct indicators that the world has been monitoring over the past year  link

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Tishwash:  Source: Iraqi-Turkish discussions result in 4 points to regulate trade between the two countries

A source in the Iraqi government stated, today, Thursday, that discussions took place with Turkey to regulate trade between the two countries through approved legal and banking methods and means.

The source said in a statement circulated to the media, including Shafaq News Agency, that, “In order to organize trade exchange between Iraq and Turkey on better foundations and standards to ensure containing the pressure on the parallel market and the demand for the cash dollar to feed some aspects of trade exchange between the two countries, the Prime Minister directed that discussions be held.” Wide with the Turkish side.

He added, “An expanded meeting took place on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, which included the Central Bank of Iraq and a number of advisors to the Prime Minister, while the Turkish side included a delegation headed by the Turkish ambassador, Turkish banks operating in Iraq, and a representative of the Turkish private sector.”

According to the source, the discussions resulted in the following points:

1- The importance of the Turkish customs authorities matching the transfer documents with the goods supplied to Iraq at the Turkish customs points in a way that protects the interests and stability of trade between the two countries.

2- Linking Turkish exports to bank transfer documents through Turkish border crossings serves the Iraqi economy, as Iraqi merchants will resort and encourage financial transfers through the banking system instead of using parallel market tools and the cash dollar to finance their trade with Turkey.

3- For its part, the Central Bank of Iraq expressed its readiness to facilitate external transfer procedures by activating the relationship between the branches of Iraqi banks in Turkey and the branches of Turkish banks in Iraq in terms of feeding accounts in foreign currency and financing foreign trade between the two countries.

4- The issue of facilitating the use of credit cards in the Turkish banking market in an accessible way for Iraqi residents and tourists was also discussed.

The source confirmed that these measures aim to regulate and stabilize trade between the two friendly countries through approved legal and banking methods and means.  link

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CandyKisses:  The “curse of corruption” ravages Iraqi society and its danger is equivalent to ISIS. MP points out its repercussions

Baghdad Today – Baghdad

The scourge of corruption is ravaging Iraqi society, while its danger has become equivalent to ISIS and its ideas, according to Member of Parliament Salem Al-Anbaki, who pointed out the five repercussions of this “curse”, as he put it.

Today, Thursday (November 16, 2023), Al-Anbaki stressed that “the repercussions of corruption in Iraqi society can be identified by five important points.”

Al-Anbaki said in an interview with “Baghdad Today” that “corruption in all its forms is a complex problem and its impact is deep and dangerous in the structure of any state, especially since its repercussions are very critical in society due to the severe “damage it causes.”

The member of the House of Representatives pointed out that “the repercussions of (the curse of corruption) on Iraqi society can be limited to five important points: increasing poverty, unemployment, people’s resentment, injustice and loss of confidence in the political system,” noting that it is “a direct cause of the emergence of various types of crimes, including terrorism.”

Al-Anbaki pointed out that “corruption is a serious scourge that parallels the danger of the ideas of (al-Qaeda and ISIS) together in its negative impact on society,” stressing that “corruption has dealt severe blows to Iraqi society, especially since the presence of corrupt people at large accompanied by the obscene wealth of some pushes to raise a number of question marks about ways to follow-up, control and concern for public money, which requires that the war on corruption be real and bear fruit in arresting Those who looted that money.”

He pointed out that “the survival of corruption means the continued weakness of the state and its institutions, and the mechanisms to combat it must be strong and firm.”

Earlier, the World Corruption Perceptions Index for 2022 revealed that Iraq ranked seventh in the Arab world and 157th globally for the most corrupt countries among the 180 countries listed on the list of Transparency International.

The organization stated in its annual report that Iraq ranked seventh among the most corrupt Arab countries in 2022, ahead of Eritrea, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Somalia.

Iraq also ranked 157th with 23 points in the index globally, a rank it has maintained at the Arab and international levels since 2017, according to the report.