Since the assignment of Adil Abdul-Mahdi to run the helm of the Iraqi government, and has been seeking to promote the Iraqi economy to achieve comprehensive development, but the political and economic conditions and exceptional circumstances experienced by the country have presented many challenges to him and he must overcome them.
A year after the formation of his government in early October, a wave of protests broke out in which demonstrations are intensified, where thousands went out in the capital Baghdad and a number of other cities, in protest against the spread of corruption, unemployment and poor public services.
However, the Prime Minister understood the demonstrations with wisdom, understanding and attribution. He said that it is a legitimate right. He explained in a statement a few days ago that the demonstrations “prompted the three authorities to review their positions, and there was a wide political mobility, and many decisions were issued to meet many of the demands made by the demonstrators.” The protests “shook the political system” that these demonstrations to be one of the most important events that demonstrate that freedoms are the basic tool for the people to evaluate their rulers and express their opinion.
Abdul-Mahdi stressed the serious reforms in the new budget to improve levy and create jobs, at a time “lagging projects led to the loss of many jobs.”
He also provided solutions to create jobs through the provision of service projects, as well as working on serious reforms to solve economic problems and increase payments to boost the economy, and revealed 989 lagging projects with a value around $ 17 billion, and the return of hard work and completion of these projects and increase resources from non-oil sectors.
He added that the government has put forward a package of reforms and measures and will continue to do more to meet citizens’ demands.
As for the salaries of officials up to the fourth degree of presidencies, ministers, members of the House of Representatives, special grades, agents and directors, he directed to reduce them to reach in the higher cases to the half so that the highest salary and allowances do not exceed ten million dinars per month.
He called for providing a safe atmosphere for the demonstrations to prevent any clash between the demonstrators and security forces to form the Central Court to fight corruption and accounting the corrupt , and open the old and new corruption files.
He also directed ministerial amendments away from the concepts of quotas, focusing on competencies, the independence of ministers and the increasing presence of youth.
For his part, the spokesman for the Kurdistan Regional Government, Gottiar Adel stressed the support of the Kurdistan Regional Government, headed by Masrour Barzani to the government of Adil Abdul Mahdi and the demands of the demonstrators, based on a plan to reduce the salaries of some grades, and that the reduction will include officials until the fourth degree of presidencies, ministers and members of the House of representatives and special grades, agents and managers, bringing in the upper cases by half so that the highest salary and allowances do not exceed ten million dinars per month (about 8 thousand dollars).
Abdul Mahdi stressed the prosecution of those involved in corruption, and the application of the law of parties immediately, and said that “the resignation of the government at the moment and without an alternative means to leave the country in chaos.”
The most important decisions issued were:
– The Prime Minister issued a reform package that included 17 new decisions, most notably facilitating access to residential land and building new units.
-Granting 175,000 dinars (about $ 145) per month to the unemployed for three months.
-The establishment of modern marketing complexes in commercial areas in Baghdad and the provinces.
Abdul-Mahdi, pointed out that he does not accuse any country with friendly relations or cooperation, nor any known political force or parties or the media, all of these have an interest in continuing calm and stability in the country and maintain its security and political system, thanking a large number of friendly countries and international institutions that have communicated and expressed their support and solidarity with the Iraqi government and people.
“The turmoil has cost the economy billions of dollars.”
On the unrest in Iraq, Abdul-Mahdi said it cost the economy billions of dollars, noting that the losses suffered by the Iraqi economy as a result of these demonstrations are very serious,it has led to the cessation of the capital Baghdad and a large part of the south of the country, which cost the Iraqi economy billions of dollars.
The protests have caused huge losses, including the postponement of the Baghdad International Fair and the postponement of the submission of the 2020 budget.
Abdul-Mahdi noted that many countries are concerned about the situation of the country, as well as the owners of development projects nationally and externally, not to mention the internal interests that were stopped by the events.
He also warned that the threat of oil interests and cut off some roads to Iraq’s ports cause huge losses, amounted by billions, and delay the arrival of goods, and this raises prices.
The losses in Basra province, where thousands of demonstrators blocked all roads to the main Gulf port in Iraq near the oil-rich city of Basra, which receives the bulk of imports of cereals, vegetable oils and sugar.
While the losses of the interruption of the Internet on the Iraqi economy, estimated by the company “Net Blox” by about $ 1.358 billion during the month of October.
The loss accounts for nearly 0.5 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, according to Net Blox, a specialist in monitoring Internet services.
The company said in its report that it was clear from the economic data that “the biggest individual economic loss was not caused by low productivity or lack of employment, but from the confusion of the government on its own Internet.”
In the same context, Agence France-Presse in a report, it indicated to the exposure of many business activities for losses estimated at thousands of dollars due to the interruption of the Internet, and the category of small traders were the most vulnerable to losses, in the absence of communication networks and failure of commercial transactions, and that the service is operating by 30 percent of full capacity.
The prime minister’s tough directives to the security forces remains not to use live bullets or any lethal weapons, but to take defensive position facing attacks by outlaws.”
Abdul Mahdi’s government faces a package of challenges and reforms, including:
– Restore the prestige of the Iraqi state and the military institution.
– Disarming the militias.
-Fighting corruption and establishing security and stability.
-Reducing economic crises.
– Improving basic services and infrastructure.
-Achieve true reconciliation among the components of Iraqi society.
– Addressing the crisis of IDPs.
– Draw a new relationship between Baghdad and the Kurdistan region and resolve differences over disputed areas between them.
-Successful management of the relationship with both the United States and Iran.
The Iraqis are looking forward to what can be provided by Iraqi politicians to meet their basic needs in establishing security and stability and improving the standard of living and fighting corruption and the provision of basic services.
Economic Studies Unit
Rawabet Center for Research and Strategic Studies