Experts: Public debt is within safe international limits.
Experts: Public debt is within safe international limits.
2025/11/26
Economic experts and specialists downplayed the risks of the country’s internal and external public debt, emphasizing that its ratio remains within safe international standards and that the strength of the foreign currency reserves has contributed to bolstering the country’s financial stability. These expert opinions coincided with the assurances of the Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Dr. Mazhar Muhammad Salih, who explained that “only $3 billion remains of the Paris Club debt, and it will be fully settled by 2028.” He also noted that 47% of the internal debt is held within the Central Bank of Iraq’s investment portfolio and is covered by cash liquidity or cash liabilities exceeding 100% in foreign currency, thanks to Iraq’s strong international reserves.
Saleh told Al-Sabah: “There are less than (6) billion dollars of external debt being withdrawn and spent on projects in the liberated areas. These are loans provided by international development funds and will be settled during the current decade, in addition to about (9) billion dollars of external debt that will be paid gradually during the next decade.”
He explained that the federal budget adopts a precise and regular mechanism for settling external debts and their annual dues, which has consolidated Iraq’s credit rating at the (B) level during the past ten years.
alsabaah.iq
