PM Barzani and Iraq Central Bank chief discuss confronting terrorism financing, money laundering

Mustafa Shilani 2021/06/19 14:53

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani (right), Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, with Mustafa Ghalib Mukhif, Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, June 19, 2021. (Photo: KRG)

Kurdistan Kurdistan Iraq Central Bank of Iraq Masrour Barzani

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Mustafa Ghalib Mukhif, Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, met Saturday in the Kurdish capital to discuss the banking sector and combatting challenges, according to a statement from the premier’s office.

The two spoke about enhancing Erbil-Baghdad coordination and cooperation to reorganize the banking sector and counter terrorism financing and money laundering, the statement said.

Mukhif stressed that the Central Bank deals with its branch in the Kurdistan Region, which is located in Erbil, as the official concerned authority in supervising banking affairs in the region.

On his side, the prime minister reiterated his readiness for the Kurdistan Regional Government to work more closely with the Central Bank, and stressed that reorganizing the banking system would constitute a strong and important pillar for developing economic infrastructure, consolidating the investment process, and gaining the confidence of international banks and financial institutions.