Al-Hakim: Close exchange-rate gap and protect the poor; budget allocates 5 trillion for regional development
Ammar al-Hakim, head of the State Forces Alliance, on Saturday called to end multiple dollar exchange rates and close the gap between the official and parallel rates while protecting the poor, noting that the budget allocated five trillion dinars for regional development and targets Al-Diwaniyah and Salah al-Din provinces.
On Saturday, Ammar al-Hakim, head of the State Forces Alliance, called to end the multiplicity of dollar exchange rates and to close the gap between the official and parallel rates, stressing the need to protect the poor through a package of recent measures he described as "supportive."
Al-Hakim said, during his meeting with a gathering of Iraqi tribal sheikhs and notables at the Baghdad Diwan, that Iraq was heavily affected by regional events, which led to a decline in oil production and exports and caused the country to incur losses of tens of billions of dollars, prompting the government to take immediate and long-term measures.
He added that the government adjusted the exchange rate to confront speculators and raise revenues, affirming the necessity of addressing the gap between the official and parallel rates in a way that helps limit their economic repercussions, while implementing measures to protect poor groups.
Al-Hakim renewed his call to support farmers, contractors and employees, praising the efforts made in preparing the budget ahead of its imminent discussion and vote and the early issuance of implementation instructions.
He pointed out that the budget allocated five trillion dinars for the development of the regions to stimulate service projects, stating that the upcoming budget targets the provinces of Al-Diwaniyah and Salah al-Din, as well as the higher education and electricity sectors.
