ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) met with the Charge d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Baghdad to discuss dollar sales, banking reforms, and ongoing cooperation aimed at strengthening Iraq’s financial and monetary stability.
The CBI said in a statement that Governor Ali Mohsen al-Alaq received US Charge d’Affaires Joshua Harris on Thursday, where the two officials emphasized the importance of “supporting monetary and economic stability in a manner consistent with the requirements of political and security stability in Iraq.”
Harris was quoted as “affirming the United States' eagerness to strengthen its relations with Iraq and support everything that would consolidate stability and safeguard the country from any factors that might contribute to destabilizing its situation.”
Alaq reportedly expressed appreciation for the “continuous support provided by the United States,” particularly through coordination with the US Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve, and stressed the importance of quarterly meetings in advancing cooperation between the two sides.
The two officials also “reviewed the banking reform plan and noticeable progress in stabilizing external transfer operations, including the regulation of dollar sales in line with international best practices and standards,” the statement added.
The meeting comes as Iraq is pressing ahead with efforts to reform the banking sector and regulate dollar transactions amid heightened international scrutiny over financial compliance and money laundering.