BAGHDAD — Prominent Iraqi politician and former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called on the government of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to increase the exchange rate of the Iraqi dinar against the US dollar by 5.5% in the coming days, amid warnings by economists that such a move could spiral the economy into recession.
The previous government, headed by Mustafa al-Kadhimi, had launched a financial and fiscal reform plan known as the White Paper, mainly aimed at restoring balance to the economy, reducing the public sector and investing financial resources in improving public services and developing productive sectors. The White Paper confirmed that the previous exchange rate was detrimental to the agricultural and industrial sectors.