Tishwash: A senior US official arrives in Baghdad
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Michael Regas arrived in Baghdad on Monday, December 1, 2025, on an official visit to strengthen relations between the United States and Iraq.
The visit includes meetings with Iraqi officials and a visit to American diplomatic facilities.
The visit aims to support shared goals of achieving sovereignty and prosperity and enhancing stability and security in the region. link
Tishwash: “Key” is the guarantor of Iraq’s funds
The global smart card company’s vision stems from the concept of “an easier life,” where financial services are guaranteed for both citizens and the state. It relies on the best electronic systems to prevent the misappropriation or misuse of public funds.
One of the company’s most significant achievements for the country was uncovering a large number of fraudulent individuals who had no real existence and were instead depriving legitimate beneficiaries of government financial support. Through its advanced technologies, the company ensured the smooth flow of funds to the rightful recipients.
To guarantee everyone’s rights, the company adopts and leverages the best smart systems worldwide to offer advanced products characterized by ease of payment. This makes it the first national company to provide world-class services and keep pace with the latest developments in the international electronic payment field.
The company recognizes its significant responsibility to serve citizens and meet their needs, alleviating the burdens of life by providing world-class financial services. It continues its service operations across a wide area of the country, tailored to the needs of Iraqi families who require easy access to advanced financial products.
A review of financial activities and the payment landscape in Iraq reveals continuous development. The company operates in accordance with the demands of the local market, which seeks sustainable development and requires advanced products that prevent the return of those who manipulate public funds. This is emphasized by the directives of the Iraqi government and the Central Bank of Iraq, which regulates electronic payments and has contributed to a qualitative leap in this field, aiming to transition transactions from cash to electronic.
Adopting the best global payment systems, which facilitate financial transactions and provide them with greater flexibility and security, represents a growing objective for the company in its future endeavors. This is especially crucial given the urgent need to develop the payment system in Iraq, as it is a key driver of economic growth. The volume of work expected in Iraq necessitates the development of the payment system and the adoption of the best global technologies.
“K” Company understands that flexibility in conducting financial transactions is essential for the smooth and continuous operation of business.
Developing the components of electronic payments and keeping abreast of global developments in payment systems are among the most important aspects of its work, ensuring that our products are on par with the best international products. link
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Tishwash: Al-Nasik Islamic Bank: Expanding customer service channels is a priority
Al-Nasik Islamic Bank confirmed that its management is working to expand its services to citizens by developing banking products that meet the needs of various segments.
A responsible source at the bank stated that the bank seeks to provide practical solutions that facilitate customer transactions and keep pace with the rapid changes in the financial sector.
The source mentioned that the bank’s management has developed a plan to introduce new services based on modern technologies and adhering to the Sharia standards that the bank adopts in all its dealings. He pointed out that the goal is to provide a more flexible and faster banking experience, especially with the increasing demand for digital services.
He added that the bank is focusing on promoting a culture of modern banking transactions in line with the trends of the national market, noting that management closely monitors customer feedback and strives to improve procedures to ensure better service. link
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Tishwash: The Central Bank identifies 3 solutions to address the debt issue
The Central Bank of Iraq identified three solutions to address the country’s debt problem.
While noting that a large part of the internal debt could be addressed through joint understandings, it stressed the need to diversify non-oil revenues and increase investments, asserting that these approaches would transform the economy from a rentier economy to a diversified and productive one.
Earlier, a number of economic experts downplayed the risks of Iraq’s internal and external public debt, stressing that its ratio is still within the safe international standard range, indicating that the strength of the foreign currency reserves has contributed to the stability of Iraq’s financial situation.
Amid this, the Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Dr. Mazhar Muhammad Saleh, stated in a statement to Al-Sabah last week that “only $3 billion remains of the Paris Club debt, and it will be settled by 2028, and that 47% of the internal debt remains within the investment portfolio of the Central Bank of Iraq, and it is covered as cash liquidity or cash liabilities at a rate of more than 100% in foreign currency, thanks to the strength of Iraq’s foreign reserves.”
The official spokesperson for the Central Bank, Alaa Al-Fahd, explained to Al-Sabah newspaper that “all countries, including the United States of America, have internal and external debts,” indicating that debt is not considered negative for the economy if it is directed towards investment spending, because it generates
For additional entry.
Al-Fahd continued, “The debts in Iraq are to cover the operational budget deficit, meaning they are directed towards consumption, and therefore they are a future constraint on debt repayment.”
And its installments and interest.”
Al-Fahd identified three ways to address the country’s debt, most notably diversifying non-oil revenues, increasing investments, and partnering with the private sector, which could reduce dependence on oil, while acknowledging the difficulty of achieving the latter option in a short period of time.
Al-Fahd explained that the external debt amounts to $13 billion, while the internal debt amounts to 91 trillion dinars, noting that a large part of it can be dealt with because the banks are government-owned and state-owned, ruling out that these debts pose any danger to the economic reality, but continuing to rely on debt constitutes a warning bell, according to his description.
For his part, Dr. Ahmed Al-Hathal, Professor of Economics at Al-Mustansiriya University, said that the problem does not lie in the size of the debt as much as it lies in the way it is financed.
Al-Hathal added to Al-Sabah that “financing the deficit through the monetary institution by discounting bonds and financing current spending is the most dangerous path because it leads to unproductive monetary expansion that raises inflation and puts pressure on the exchange rate, and it also weakens the balance sheet of the central bank after it has come to own a large part of the internal debt, which is a worrying situation in any economy.”
He explained that the danger lies in the rentier nature of the economy, with inflated operating spending, stagnant non-oil revenues, and the inability of productive sectors to generate added value. This makes domestic borrowing for consumption, rather than investment, a future burden, because the state will pay off the debt burden by putting pressure on the limited tax capacity of the national taxpaying power, while the risks move from banks to public finances and then directly to the currency.
Al-Hathal explained that the accumulation of non-tradable bonds limits the ability of the monetary policymaker to manage liquidity and increases the fragility of the financial position, while inflationary financing leads to greater pressure on foreign reserves and depletes stabilization tools, making the currency vulnerable to decline with any oil shock.
He pointed out that talking about diversifying revenues and increasing investment remains logical in principle, but it does not address the real problem of continuing to finance the deficit in a way that generates inflation, increases monetary expansion, and weakens the ability to stabilize the currency, at a time when obligations are rising year after year without real structural reform. link
