“Financial Deficit Document” Turns the Table… Will Baghdad Ask Washington for Help?
“Financial Deficit Document” Turns the Table… Will Baghdad Ask Washington for Help?
2025-02-18 02:17
Shafaq News/ A circulated document signed by the Iraqi Minister of Finance, Taif Sami, indicating the existence of a “large financial deficit” in the Iraqi state treasury, has raised questions, if true, about the possibility of Iraq requesting financial assistance from the United Nations and the United States of America, especially with the large financial spending in addition to the issuance of American sanctions on Iraqi banks and preventing them from dealing in dollars in external financial transfers.
The document, while addressing the Prime Minister’s Office on February 9, showed that “the treasury suffers from a large deficit in financing the salaries of employees, retirees and social care.”
However, the ministry returned in a statement saying, “There is no financial deficit affecting salary expenses,” noting that “work continues to ensure the stability of the financial policy and provide dues according to the approved plans,” according to its statement.
In this context, legal expert Ali Al-Tamimi said in an interview with Shafaq News Agency, “According to the United Nations Charter and under Article 50 thereof, countries fighting terrorist organizations placed under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter may request economic assistance from the United Nations under the above article of the United Nations Charter.”
Al-Tamimi explained, “It is known that ISIS was placed under Chapter VII by virtue of UN Security Council Resolution 2170 of 2014, and various countries have announced their readiness to provide economic assistance to Iraq, including Britain. Therefore, Iraq can request assistance from the international community and the United Nations to rebuild destroyed cities, confront the consequences of the war on terrorism in accordance with the above, and recover the smuggled funds estimated at 350 billion dollars.”
Al-Tamimi added, “According to Articles 26 and 27 of the Iraqi-American Strategic Agreement of 2008, Iraq can request economic assistance from America, as this article requires, and it is available accordingly, and the agreement is binding on both parties under Article 102 of the United Nations Charter.”
The legal expert explained that “the 2005 International Convention against Corruption issued by the United Nations, which Iraq signed in 2007, allows Iraq to request the United Nations to recover smuggled funds as money laundering and financial corruption, as many countries have done, including Nigeria, the Philippines and Singapore.”
Al-Tamimi concluded by saying, “The current global situation and changes in oil prices and the dollar allow for this, and I do not think this is hidden from the Iraqi government.”
shafaq.com
