The Weaker Position"... Expert: Iraq Faces Economic And Energy Challenges Until 2028

 
Time: 2025/05/25 Read: 1,650 times   {Economic: Al Furat News} Oil expert Furat al-Moussawi warned that  Iraq's economic and energy challenges will continue until 2028,  attributing this to the country's
     near-total reliance on a rentier economy and the
     lack of radical strategic solutions to date.
 
During his appearance on the program "Free Talk" on Al Furat TV, Al-Moussawi said, 
"Iraq still suffers from a single-source rentier economy that is out of step with global market developments, and  this has caused significant harm to the national economy." 

He pointed out that  "all current projects rely on oil revenues without any real diversification in the productive sectors." 

He added,  "The country is currently exporting approximately 3.4 million barrels per day, 200,000 barrels more than the limit permitted under the OPEC agreement.
 
This has alarmed the organization and prompted some countries, led by Saudi Arabia,
to seek to reclaim their market share." 

Al-Moussawi pointed out that "the price of a barrel of oil approved in the three-year budget is $70,
which poses a major challenge in light of market fluctuations,
while the budget will not regain balance unless the price of a barrel reaches at least $55." 

He emphasized that  "Iraq does not yet have a sovereign wealth fund, which increases the fragility of its financial situation."
 
In the energy sector, Al-Moussawi explained that 
"gas investment is still contingent on increasing oil production,
which limits development potential." 

He added that  "the Karbala refinery has not yet been completed, as has an investment project in Al-Faw,  at a time when the country does not have enough refineries to qualify it for regional competition." 

He continued,  "The only clear project currently is the agreement with Total, Qatar Energy, and Basra Oil, which includes four strategic projects, including
     exploiting seawater for oil fields,
     producing the first 100 megawatts of solar energy, and
     investing in four gas fields."

 He pointed out that  "the government realizes that the current strategy is ineffective, as
evidenced by the lack of effective investments and radical solutions to the energy crisis,"
warning of "the difficulty of achieving gas self-sufficiency before 2028." 

Al-Moussawi emphasized that  "geopolitical turmoil, including the Russia-Ukraine war and sanctions on Iran and other countries,  has contributed to oil price volatility, prompting OPEC to emphasize its study of market developments before making any decision to increase production." 

The oil expert concluded by saying, "Iraq remains in the weakest position among oil-producing countries due to  its complete dependence on oil revenues, lacking any real tools to ensure long-term economic stability." 
  
https://alforatnews.iq/news/الموقف-الأضعف-خبير-العراق-يواجه-تحديات-اقتصادية-وفي-الطاقة-حتى-2028