Under Slogan Economic Policies for Social Justice

Tammuz Organization for Social Development and Friedrich Ebert Foundation held a dialogue workshop for economists and public economic seminar within the regional project, which deal with the search on economic policies to achieve social justice that target stakeholders and competent from official and non-official bodies.
The workshop held at the Babylon Hotel in Baghdad on 17th August 2016 at one pm under slogan (economic policies and suggestions for economic reform) with attending 25 persons of professionals, academics, economic experts and representatives of labor organizations and industry associations, as well as a number of activists of civil society organizations and media.
achievement of the social justice, adding that Friedrich Ebert Foundation works to promote democracy and social justice therefore it organized regional project in the Middle East to address these issues and analysis them.
Economist Basim Antoine participated in the workshop and presented a summary on previous economic workshop that held by Tammuz Organization and Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Baghdad on July 28-29/2016 and include the research papers for Dr.Majed Souri (public investment policy), Dr.Falah al-Rubai (unemployment and its ways of treatment), Dr.Sa’ad Fathalah (investment policy) and also research papers of Dr.Mudher Hassani. During the workshop was provided the overview of the research papers of last workshop with interventions and discussions by participants, who diagnosed a lot of problems and challenges with some suggestions to reform economic in Iraq. Manager Programs Iraq at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation Mr.Yousif Ibrahim provided a brief paper of the regional program for economists, which was held in Jordan, where reviewed the recommendations that came out of the conference, focusing on the analysis of financial policies in the poor Arab Countries, and Iraq became the first poor country despite of resources and oil fortunes, but the political and security crisis and falling oil prices have unfortunately affected on the current economic situation, in addition to the tax policies led to failure in the political reforms.
At the six o’clock evening, the participants from experts’ workshop went to the Gilgamesh Hall in Babylon Hotel to start the public economic seminar under slogan (through which economic policies can we achieve social  justice in Iraq); Head of Tammuz Organization Vian al-Sheikh Ali opened the dialogue seminar and welcomed participants and Resident Director Mrs. Anja Wehler briefly talked about the challenges that obstruct the social justice in Iraq. The seminar was attended by 85 participants including professionals, academics, economic experts and representatives of labor organizations and industry associations and number of activists of civil society organizations and media. The session chaired by Dr.Majed al-Souri with Prime Minister’s Advisor for Economic Affairs Dr.Mudher Mohammed Saleh from public sector, Mr.Basim Antoine from the private sector, Director General of al-Rafideen Bank Dr. Khawla al-Asadi and the Politician and Former Deputy in the Iraqi parliament Mr. Abdul Khader al-Tahir, they offered the economic challenges and what are the economic policies to achieve social justice in Iraq.
The professors talked about the social justice and link with the economic policy that dropped because of the depression of the oil revenues did not enough to cover the salaries of republic employees, so the social justice disrupted due to the disruption of the oil market because of the Iraq economy dependence on oil revenues, and they also pointed out the sequences crisis in Iraq such as displacement, illiteracy and wars led to increase of the poverty rate in Iraq with decreased in all services and projects, therefore it must review the subject of wealth distribution to achieve the social justice and non-discrimination between the members of society.
After discussions in the experts’ workshop and public dialogue seminar, which full of common troubles such as corruption, mismanagement and planning of the deteriorating economic situations in the country, where Iraq became apply underdevelopment standards in the world. The attendees arrived to many suggestions and recommendations to achieve the social justice. The following are the most prominent recommendations that will be circulated to the official and unofficial relevant authorities: 

Recommendations:
1- Commitment to implement the ruling regulations for fighting the corruption, money laundering, terrorism financing, organized financial crimes, financial fraud and manipulation of securities.
2- Abide by the terms of Iraqi constitution to ensure the achievement of social justice, the provision of social security, the equitable distribution of wealth and to reconsider the tax policy and administration, as well as organize of the laws and tax rules.
3-Achieve of the social justice in Iraq must adopt the policies to provide job opportunities for youth to reduce the unemployment rates, poor, marginalization and social exclusion.
4- Regulate and strength of the custom ports with computer and modern informatics programs and link with relevant offices in order to enhance supervision, state resources and prevent of corruption.
5-Review rules and procedures of budget and develop of the administrative device commensurate with the requirements of next stages, and the financial information management system depends on the good governance of fiscal policy and management of Iraq’s funds, and procedures check up according to modern basics recognized internationally and consistent with the democratic reconstruction requirements for Iraq, as well as the development of modern technology and software.
6- Develop of the banking and financial foundations and restructuring of banks and the systems such as the system of deposit and loans guarantee and others.
7- Take the suitable procedures including legislation of appropriate laws to limit the leakage of qualified persons by providing a suitable working environment.
8- Take the necessary procedures to end the smuggling capital through supporting domestic and foreign investment, and the preparation of the legislative and the physical environment for the development of industrial domestic, agricultural and service production.
9-Support efforts to join the World Trade Organization and to prepare an appropriately cadre consistent with the needs.
10- Need to unify data and statistics from various offices and deepening transparency and providing information to the categories that need the right of access to information.

Media Office
Tammuz Organization for Social Development
20/08/2016