A dialogue workshop entitled (Social justice and economic challenges in Iraq)

Tammuz Organization for Social Development, in cooperation with Friedrich Ebert Foundation, held a dialogue workshop entitled (Social Justice and Economic Challenges in Iraq) at the cultural center in Baghdad 28-29 of July 2016. The workshop was attended by a number of specialists, academics, economic experts, parliament member Mrs.Noura Salim al-Bajari / Economic Committee and Economic consultant of Prime Minister Dr.Mudhafer Mohammed Saleh, as well as representatives of labor organizations, Industrial Union, activists of civil society organizations and media.
The head of Tammuz Organization for Social Development Vian al-Sheikh Ali welcomed attendees and presented a summary on the dialogue workshop, agendas, aims and its signification to contribute in achieving of the justice social and reform of Iraqi economic under crises, which the country passes through it, and also was introduce Tammuz Organization and the partner foundation and projects that implemented in Iraq.
The economic expert Mr.Basim Jamel Antoine participated in facilitating the workshop and its management and presented the public research papers entitled “the economic and social status in Iraq and ways of developing it”, the workshop also included fourth research papers showing and discussing over two days, Dr.Majid al-Souri presented the research paper on the public financial policy and public expenditure and Dr.Falaj al-Robaie also presented his research paper on “labour market and unemployment and its causes”. In the second day, it was showed the researcher paper entitled “cases in the trade policy in Iraq preparing by Dr.Mudhafer Hassani and the last research paper was by Dr.Sa’ad Fathalla on “Investment in Iraq”. All these researches were presented in detail through contributing, interventions and discussions by participants who diagnosed a lot of problems and challenges with present some suggestions to reform economic in order to achieve the social justice.

The most prominent challenges that facing the reform and economic growth are the following:
1-    The economic system is not clear in Iraq
2-    Lack of political will of the decision-makers in order to develop of the economy.
3-    Absent of planning to establish and manage projects and interest of the various investment sector.
4-    Reliance on the funds of the oil sector
5-    Neglect the other local sectors such as industrial and agricultural.
6-    Inefficiency many officials in the economic foundations
7-    Administrative and financial corruption and control some parties on economic of Iraq randomly.
8-    The State institutions did not conducted the studies of the economic future of Iraq and the world, which draws on the basis of plans and strategies.
9-    Retreat the vocational education and public education, which is negatively reflected on the labour market and quality of production.
10-    There is no accurate and real data and statistics in all fields.
The workshop deduced some notes and diagnoses on the economic status that negatively effects the achievement of social justice through active discussions that expressed the concerns of the participants of the economic policy and bad situations in the country, during the workshop presented many suggestions and recommendations as follows:
1-    Anti-corruption of administration and financial in the states departments.
2-    Abide by the terms of Iraqi constitution to achieve the social justice
3-    Provide the social security and fair distribution of wealth to the Iraqi people by endorsement a law.
4-    Interest of the social justice through the financial, tax and customs legislation.
5-    Interest of the alternative energy and investment it.
6-    Prevent the exceptions and favoritism.
7-    Forming a committee to contact with concerned bodies and deliver recommendations to the decision-makers and continuity to carry out the economic reform.
8-    Hold seminars, conferences and workshops to study and understand the labour market and applicability in Iraq.
9-    Create mechanism to ensure the correct enter of goods according to the international standards.
10-    Necessary to unify data and statistics in the concerned department and the Ministry of Planning to provide the groups based on the access to the information.
11-    Provide the investment environment and encourage the international and local investment to support the national economic and develop various sectors.
12-    Activation of fiscal control, ways of exchange and final accounts.
13-    Enhance the national and citizenship membership through social awareness.


Media Office
Tammuz Organization for Social Development
30/07/2016