Iraq’s struggle to stabilize the dinar worsens as growing reliance on dollars, rising imports, and inflation risks signal a shift in the wrong direction.
Iraq is facing serious financial challenges as it tries to reduce its dependence on the U.S. dollar and strengthen its own currency, the Iraqi Dinar (IQD). Despite efforts from the government and the Central Bank, Iraq is relying more on the dollar than ever before.
This makes it harder for the country to build a stable economy. Instead of improving the value of its own money, Iraq’s economy is moving in the wrong direction. By printing more dinars and buying record amounts of dollars, the country risks weakening its currency and becoming more dependent on foreign markets.
What you will learn reading this article:
- Why Iraq’s increasing purchases of U.S. dollars signal deeper economic issues
- How issuing more Iraqi dinars is weakening the currency and fueling inflation risks
- The impact of rising foreign currency transfers on Iraq’s dependency on imports
- Why current economic policies are falling short of creating long-term stability for Iraq’s economy
Iraq is struggling to gain control over its currency as its reliance on the U.S. dollar grows. Despite efforts by the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) to strengthen the IQD and reduce dependence on foreign currency, the country’s economic strategy appears to be faltering.
Recent financial activities suggest that Iraq is moving backward in its quest for economic independence, raising concerns about the future of the nation’s financial stability.
Record-Breaking Dollar Purchases Signal Alarming Economic Trends
One of the clearest signs of Iraq’s deepening economic troubles is the Central Bank’s substantial purchases of U.S. dollars. In July 2024, the Central Bank of Iraq bought an unprecedented $9.6 billion worth of dollars from the Ministry of Finance, marking a record high since such transactions began in 2003. The trend is not confined to a single month either; in 2024, monthly purchases of U.S. dollars have averaged $5.9 billion.
This pattern of heavy reliance on the dollar is driven largely by the government’s growing expenditure, which requires more Iraqi dinars to fund its operations. As the government spends more, it turns to the dollar to keep the economy running. However, these purchases erode the strength of the IQD, pushing Iraq further from its goal of economic sovereignty.
Issuance of More Iraqi Dinars Weakens Its Value
To meet the Ministry of Finance’s financial needs, the Central Bank has issued more Iraqi dinars, but this strategy is creating new problems. Printing more dinars risks oversupply, which weakens the currency and threatens to fuel inflation. Historically, Iraq has struggled with inflationary pressures, and the current influx of newly minted dinars could reignite those issues.
Rather than stabilizing the currency, this approach is diluting the dinar’s value, putting Iraq in an even more precarious position. Instead of fostering a strong IQD, the country is becoming increasingly dependent on foreign currency reserves, predominantly U.S. dollars, to maintain its financial balance.
Rise in Foreign Currency Transfers Highlights Dependency on Imports
Another backwards trend is the rise in foreign transfers of U.S. dollars, which surged by 99% in recent months, reaching over $264 million in a single auction. The Central Bank uses these transfers to pay for imports and settle international accounts. The spike in foreign transfers is evidence of Iraq’s reliance on international markets to meet domestic needs.
This dependence on foreign goods and services weakens the IQD and diminishes the prospects of building a robust domestic economy. Each dollar sent abroad is a reminder of Iraq’s continued dependence on foreign markets, making it increasingly difficult to achieve economic independence.
Economic Policies Fall Short of Long-Term Stability
While the Central Bank has made efforts to ease the process for private banks to transfer money overseas, these policy changes are far from a solution. Such measures may keep imports flowing and help Iraqi banks pay international suppliers, but they fail to address the core issues plaguing Iraq’s economy.
The real problem lies in the country’s dependence on the U.S. dollar and its lack of a comprehensive strategy for strengthening the IQD. Unless Iraq shifts its focus to long-term growth and economic independence, these short-term policy changes will only provide temporary relief without resolving the underlying challenges.
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