Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10BAGHDAD210
2010-01-27 14:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR IRAQ SUCCESSOR PLANNING
how-toVZCZCXYZ0001 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHGB #0210 0271459 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 271459Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD TO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0957 RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6319 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000210
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2020
TAGS: EFIN PGOV ECON
SUBJECT: DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR IRAQ SUCCESSOR PLANNING
REF: 2009 BAGHDAD 125
Classified By: John Desrocher, Minister Counselor for Economic Coordina
tion for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 000210
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2020
TAGS: EFIN PGOV ECON
SUBJECT: DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR IRAQ SUCCESSOR PLANNING
REF: 2009 BAGHDAD 125
Classified By: John Desrocher, Minister Counselor for Economic Coordina
tion for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (U) Summary: MFA Coordinator of Support and Deputy
Director of International
Organizations, Ambassador Mohammed Al-Humaimidi, described
the state of GOI planning for the successor to the
Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) to Emboffs on January 21.
UNSCR 1905 requires the GOI to put in place an action plan
and transition timeline for a post-DFI mechanism by April 1,
and a report is required at the meeting of the International
Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB) in Amman on January 31.
The Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI),and
the Committee of Financial Experts (COFE) are working on the
action plan and the summary report.
GOI PLANNING MILESTONES
--------------
2. (U) Al-Humaimidi explained that the GOI faces two major
milestones in planning for a DFI successor mechanism. UNSCR
1905 calls for the GOI to put in place an action plan and
timeline by April 1, 2010 and to ensure the timely and
effective transition to a post-DFI mechanism by December 31,
2010. UNSCR 1905 requires the GOI through the head of COFE
to report to the Security Council on a quarterly basis, and
to provide a first report with an action plan and timeline no
later than April 1, 2010. Aside from the requirements of
UNSCR 1905, the GOI must present a summary of its first
quarterly report at the IAMB meeting in Amman on January 31.
Al-Humaimidi stated that the Ministry of Finance and the CBI
are working on the summary report to be submitted at the IAMB
meeting.
ORGANIZATION OF GOI PLANNING
--------------
3. (U) Al-Humaimidi downplayed the January 19 announcement
that the Council of Ministers (COM) had decided to form an
inter-ministerial committee to work on a plan for a DFI
successor and emphasized that work on UN Chapter VII issues
has been ongoing in such an inter-ministerial committee since
November 2009. He pointed out that the Ministry of Finance,
CBI, and COFE have already been working on the plan for a DFI
successor.
Comment
--------------
4. (C) The GOI appears unlikely to be well prepared to
deliver a report on its DFI successor planning to IAMB on
January 31. The Governor of the CBI stated to the Acting
Treasury Attache on January 7 that the CBI had not begun to
consider planning for the successor to the DFI. The Minister
of Finance and his Special Advisor told the Economic
Counselor and Acting Treasury Attache on January 13 that the
Ministry of Finance had initiated contact with the CBI and
was starting to consider its approach to the DFI successor
arrangement. The GOI has a history of not addressing annual
renewals of the DFI until as late as possible in December,
and then only with U.S. prompting. The Ministry of Finance
and the CBI appear to be continuing the habit of last-minute
action in their planning for the successor to the DFI.
HILL
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2020
TAGS: EFIN PGOV ECON
SUBJECT: DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR IRAQ SUCCESSOR PLANNING
REF: 2009 BAGHDAD 125
Classified By: John Desrocher, Minister Counselor for Economic Coordina
tion for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (U) Summary: MFA Coordinator of Support and Deputy
Director of International
Organizations, Ambassador Mohammed Al-Humaimidi, described
the state of GOI planning for the successor to the
Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) to Emboffs on January 21.
UNSCR 1905 requires the GOI to put in place an action plan
and transition timeline for a post-DFI mechanism by April 1,
and a report is required at the meeting of the International
Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB) in Amman on January 31.
The Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI),and
the Committee of Financial Experts (COFE) are working on the
action plan and the summary report.
GOI PLANNING MILESTONES
--------------
2. (U) Al-Humaimidi explained that the GOI faces two major
milestones in planning for a DFI successor mechanism. UNSCR
1905 calls for the GOI to put in place an action plan and
timeline by April 1, 2010 and to ensure the timely and
effective transition to a post-DFI mechanism by December 31,
2010. UNSCR 1905 requires the GOI through the head of COFE
to report to the Security Council on a quarterly basis, and
to provide a first report with an action plan and timeline no
later than April 1, 2010. Aside from the requirements of
UNSCR 1905, the GOI must present a summary of its first
quarterly report at the IAMB meeting in Amman on January 31.
Al-Humaimidi stated that the Ministry of Finance and the CBI
are working on the summary report to be submitted at the IAMB
meeting.
ORGANIZATION OF GOI PLANNING
--------------
3. (U) Al-Humaimidi downplayed the January 19 announcement
that the Council of Ministers (COM) had decided to form an
inter-ministerial committee to work on a plan for a DFI
successor and emphasized that work on UN Chapter VII issues
has been ongoing in such an inter-ministerial committee since
November 2009. He pointed out that the Ministry of Finance,
CBI, and COFE have already been working on the plan for a DFI
successor.
Comment
--------------
4. (C) The GOI appears unlikely to be well prepared to
deliver a report on its DFI successor planning to IAMB on
January 31. The Governor of the CBI stated to the Acting
Treasury Attache on January 7 that the CBI had not begun to
consider planning for the successor to the DFI. The Minister
of Finance and his Special Advisor told the Economic
Counselor and Acting Treasury Attache on January 13 that the
Ministry of Finance had initiated contact with the CBI and
was starting to consider its approach to the DFI successor
arrangement. The GOI has a history of not addressing annual
renewals of the DFI until as late as possible in December,
and then only with U.S. prompting. The Ministry of Finance
and the CBI appear to be continuing the habit of last-minute
action in their planning for the successor to the DFI.
HILL