16 March، 2026
Al-Rafidain Center for Dialogue (RCD) hosted the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Masoud Hayder, in a dialogue session titled, "Stability of the Financial Situation in Iraq: A Strategic Guarantee for National Security." The event, held at the Center's Sérgio Vieira de Mello Hall in Najaf, was moderated by media personality Mohammed al-Momen and attended by a number of academics, specialists, media professionals, and various segments of Iraqi society.

The Undersecretary first addressed the delay in passing the fiscal budget, explaining that there were both technical reasons and political disagreements among various factions. He described the current budget as traditional and inconsistent with modern fiscal planning.

Mr. Hayder outlined the disagreements between the Federal Government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, emphasizing that they are being addressed in light of the political understandings that preceded the government's formation, as well as through legal and constitutional frameworks.

He pointed to a set of challenges facing the financial sectors in Iraq, highlighting two critical issues:

·        The continued replication of budgets and financial projects from previous governments.

·        The reliance on outdated line-item budgets instead of modern, program-based budgets.

This seminar is part of the periodic sessions hosted by Al-Rafidain Center for Dialogue (RCD), aligning with its scientific and research activities and its mission to discuss the most prominent political, economic, social, cultural, and religious issues.