Government advisor: New financial strategy to raise non-oil revenues to 45%
Government advisor: New financial strategy to raise non-oil revenues to 45%
2026/05/25
The financial advisor to the Prime Minister, Mazhar Muhammad Saleh, revealed that the government is moving towards adopting a new financial strategy aimed at raising the contribution of non-oil revenues in the general budget to 45% by diversifying the economy and reducing dependence on crude oil. Saleh told Al-Furat News that “Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, during the historic meeting with the Iraqi financial authority held on May 23, 2026, outlined a firm vision for building the future of public finance in the country,” explaining that “the new beginning came from a fundamental pillar represented by announcing the alternative path for public finance and Iraqi financial policy.”
He added that “diversifying public revenues and breaking dependence on the single resource of crude oil, and ending the Iraqi economy’s connection to the geopolitical risks of the energy market, has become a necessity that must be achieved,” noting that “the Strait of Hormuz shock has reaffirmed the importance of redrawing future maps by adopting economic and financial diversification.”
Saleh explained that “redesigning Iraq’s vision for the period 2020-2025 should be based on the principle of economic diversification based on a genuine partnership between the state and the productive private sector, while launching a suitable environment for a productive social market economy,” noting that “the plan aims to raise the contribution of non-oil revenues from less than 10% currently to about 45% as a first stage.”
He added that “achieving this percentage requires a fundamental shift in the philosophy of public finance, from merely distributing resources to operating and producing them, through establishing a strong relationship with the market economy based on institutions, efficiency and production.”
Saleh pointed out that “the future Iraq must be based on the efficient diversification of budget resources and sources of GDP, in line with the national strategy for developing market forces and the private sector.”
Saleh stressed that “transforming the general budget into a development action plan represents an important reform step in managing the national economy, because it moves it from a tool for distributing expenditures to a tool for directing development and achieving the state’s strategic goals.”
He added that “previous budgets were linked to operational spending, especially salaries and subsidies, which made the margin for developmental investment limited, while the new approach means moving to a model based on advance planning, setting priorities and measuring results.”
Saleh continued, “This transformation requires a change in the philosophy of the state’s management of public resources, so that the budget is based on programs and objectives and not just on traditional items, and that every dinar spent must have a tangible economic and social impact.”
He pointed out that “involving the private sector in implementing development projects is a key element for the success of this approach, because it reduces the burden on the state, enhances implementation efficiency, and increases the dynamism of the economy,” stressing that “enhancing transparency and activating oversight and accountability are essential conditions to ensure the success of the plan.”
Saleh concluded by saying that “the success of this approach remains dependent on the ability of institutions to implement it effectively and not just to plan or announce it, because international experiences have proven that the real difference between successful plans and those that remain just ink on paper lies in the efficiency of management, the stability of decision-making, and the commitment to continuous reform.” He explained that “linking the budget to a clear strategic vision and managing it with a results-based methodology can transform it into an effective development tool for building a more sustainable and diversified economy.”
alforatnews.iq
