Budget

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Analysis

Iraq's 2023 Budget Expectations

Mahmood Baban

Although Iraq's revenues have exceeded $90 billion this year, the government could not set a budget for 2022, the same as in 2020. However, the Iraqi government is now preparing the 2023 budget. Due to the central bank's reserves and oil prices, the 2023 budget is expected to be the most significant proposed budget for Parliament in the modern history of Iraq.

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Analysis

Discrepancies in Financial Figures of Iraq's 1H 2023 Revenues & Expenditures

Mahmood Baban

For instance, a substantial gap of 1 trillion 258 billion dinars is evident in the total expenditures alone. This discrepancy has been identified by multiple entities, including the Ministry of Finance, the Parliamentary Finance Committee, the Iraqi High Economic Council, and 327 Members of Parliament (pp. 60-63). What adds an intriguing dimension to this issue is the variance in expenditures for Anbar province, a matter that should have garnered the attention of the speaker and Sunni members within the finance committee. While the allocated budget for Anbar province was originally set at 466 billion dinars, the actual sum tallies up to just 436 billion dinars. Thus, this stark contrast amounts to a substantial 30 billion dinars in the collection of the allocated budget for this province!

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Analysis

From Nil to Nil: Baghdad's Fiscal Allocation to the Kurdistan Region

Mahmood Baban

On November 14, 2023, the Iraqi Ministry of Finance published a financial report detailing expenditures and revenues over the past nine months. Notably, no dinars were allocated to the Kurdistan Region; instead, funds were sourced from loans and banks. The report indicates total expenditures of 78.25 trillion dinars and combined oil and non-oil revenues of 95.84 trillion dinars, resulting in a surplus of 17.59 trillion dinars compared to expenditures

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Analysis

Iraq's Financial Transparency: The 2023 Budget Figures and Ministry of Finance Reports on Expenditures and Revenues

Mahmood Baban

In terms of revenue, the budget projected Iraq's total revenue in 2023 to reach 134.5 trillion dinars, comprising 117.2 trillion dinars from oil revenue and 17.3 trillion dinars from non-oil revenue. However, according to the Ministry of Finance's annual report, Iraq's total oil and non-oil revenues amounted to 135.6 trillion dinars, with oil revenues at 125.8 trillion dinars and non-oil revenues at 9.7 trillion dinars.