2024-02-15T18:31:40+00:00
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/ Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said on Thursday that Iraq imports $70 billion worth of goods annually, noting that the government’s priorities are to reform the economy and not continue to rely on oil revenues.
This came during a speech by Al-Sudani, which he delivered at a dialogue seminar held in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, attended by a number of businessmen and representatives of 40 companies, according to a statement received by Agency.
Al-Sudani stated that “Iraq is currently going through a state of recovery, at various levels, after overcoming the stage of the war on ISIS, in which the Iraqi people were victorious, with the support and assistance of the international community, and the Netherlands was among the countries supporting these efforts.”
He added: “We asked the international coalition to end its mission in Iraq, which lasted 10 years, in light of the readiness and efficiency of the Iraqi security services.”
In the economic file, Al-Sudani stressed that “the government has priorities, including reforming the Iraqi economy, through two paths: the first is achieving reforms in various economic, banking and financial sectors, and gas investment, and the other is implementing projects that provide job opportunities and meet our needs for services and goods.”
Regarding the water file, the Prime Minister pointed out the beginning of a program to use water in the best possible way, in the conditions of scarcity that the region and the world are suffering from, adding: “We supported farmers and cultivators in purchasing modern irrigation systems, and we are trying to invest in successful experiences in the Netherlands to confront water scarcity in Iraq.”
Regarding investment projects, Al-Sudani said, “The Iraq Development Fund will enter into the implementation of projects with the private sector, away from the government, whose role will be planning and organizing,” stressing that “the government provides sovereign guarantees to the private sector, reaching 85% for any project being implemented, and this is an unprecedented percentage.”
He continued: “We have begun a radical reform of the financial and banking sector, and procedures related to compliance with international standards in financial transfers,” noting that “international and Arab banks have begun to open their branches in Iraq, and there is a will and work, at all levels of Iraqi state institutions, to move to a better reality.”