During the last week, discussion was made about the vision of the United Nations regarding the Iraqi government’s prioritization for the post-ISIS stage, including the importance of reconstructing the destroyed cities, the return of the displaced people to their homes, weapons restrictions, and fighting corruption. There was also discussion about several terms that call for a change in the Iraqi political scene, including the generation displacement and generation succession or integration. Also, an emphasis was placed on the content of those terms for being associated with the political future of the country, with a reference to the fact that the change is up to the Iraqi voter rather than the theoretical or security terms.

 

In addition, an emphasis was placed again on the rejection of dependency to the neighboring states or the major states, and that the nationality must be the impulse and criterion in building the relations with the world’s states, and the interest of the Iraqi homeland must be a sacred priority in everything. Lastly, a reference was made to the UN resolution 2390 (2017) under which Iraq got out of Item 7.

 

Conclusions:

 

·         Preparing the budget in the same way as in the previous years indicates that Iraq is still on the same approach of preparing line-item budget that does not commensurate with the progressed economics in preparing the budgets of states.

 

·         The adoption of the scientific approach in preparing the program of the budget and its investment projects makes optimal use of the petrodollar, and the continued allocation based on the development of the regions will create a duality in the expenditures allocated to the provinces with their local revenues.

 

·         It was possible to avoid the significant economic decline that Iraq has come to, through the government adoption of sustainable administration.

 

·         Most of the Iraqi voters are divided into several divisions, including: the ideologues, the clan-oriented, people who look for someone that pays for their votes and those who look for expertise, professionalism and national eligibility.

 

·         Iraq will face big challenges after eliminating ISIS, including the victory entitlements, the preservation of the State’s prestige, the restoration of trust among Iraqi people and the imposition of the authority and supremacy of law.

 

Recommendations:

 

·         The government must work to develop the public budget type and convert it into the performance and program budgeting, the zero-based budgeting or other types of budgeting in which the programs and its implementations have the biggest influence on the national economy.

 

·         To adopt the principle of consolidated expenditure through forming the Federal Import Control Authority that will unify the allocations of provinces according the criteria adopted in the Authority’s law, which will consequently eliminate the objections of the provinces and the Region to their shares.

 

·         The government must look ahead dealing with the industrial and agricultural sectors of economy, and give attention to the water resources for being equally important to the oil according to the modern economies.

 

·         It is important to think of a method that is close to the Iraqi scene and work to change the taste of the Iraqi voters. Also, we need a revolution of consciousness that rebuilds the society intellectually and culturally in order to be able to distinguish and choose correctly.

 

·         The victory must be invested instead of dwelling on the triumph of victory and inaction, as the upcoming stage needs vigor and high determination to face the challenges of the post-ISIS period and its consequences.

 

Names of some participating members during the week:

 

(1)   Mr. Hamdallah Al-Rikabi

 

(2)   Dr. Issam Al-Saadi

 

(3)   Dr. Ali Al-Dabbagh

 

(4)   Mr. Karim Al-Nouri

 

(5)   Mr. Jawad Al-Attar

 

(6)   Dr. Abdul Zahra Al-Hindawi

 

(7)   Dr. Abbas Al-Assadi

 

(8)   Dr. Rahim Al-Hasnawi

 

(9)   Mr. Husam Al-Ghazali

 

(10)  Mr. Saeed Al-Jayashi

 

(11)  Mr. Amer Al-Musawi

 

(12)  Mr. Hashim Al-Musawi