Iraqi Dinar Discussion Board

[Aerospace]

Shabibi, CBI Governor dicsusses Lop.
http://www.zibb.com/article/4468689/Iraqi+central+bank+governor+interviewed+on+monetary+situation
Asked whether the removal of three digits from the Iraqi currency is a step aimed at curbing inflation, Al-Shibibi says this issue has nothing to do with inflation, but the concerned parties are taking this issue into great consideration and giving it precedence over other issues, such as the implementation of certain monetary policies and reserve investments. He adds: "We monitor the value of the Iraqi dinar vis-A -vis the US dollar, which is relatively stronger than the dinar," noting that the digits issue is currently under serious review. Asked whether there is a timeframe for making a decision on this issue, he denies that there is, explaining that this depends on the circumstances and the exchange rate policies.

Rahim notes that the Central Bank has fixed the exchange rate for the US dollar and that it is the only party that controls any increase or decrease in this rate, and he asks Al-Shibibi to confirm this. Al-Shibibi confirms that this is true, "because managing the exchange rate mainly helps in curbing inflation. The system by which we determine the exchange rate is called 'managed float system,' which means that the price of the dinar is kept floating but is closely monitored so that it can be managed whenever a tangible change occurs." He adds that this floating system is linked to the supply and demand for the US dollar, explaining that the Central Bank is obliged to guarantee 100 per cent of the demands by Iraqi banks for the US dollar; otherwise, they might buy it from other local sources at a cheaper price, resulting in the presence of more than one price, which is against the bank's current policy. Asked whether the Central Bank has sufficient amounts of foreign currency to meet the market's demand, Al-Shibibi says that the bank is obliged to meet the demand in full, adding: "We believe that our reserves are sufficient to meet such demand." He explains that any request for foreign currencies that takes place in the currency auction is reviewed carefully before it is approved, requiring the Central Bank to always make foreign currencies available. He notes that the Central Bank receives requests for foreign currency in amounts ranging from 150 to 200 millions daily, [currency not specified], which means that it should be able to meet this demand. He explains that exchange rate fluctuation is more dangerous than any drop in the exchange rate.