Latest Finance Ministry data reveals spending hike on food rations and local development

Newly released data from the Ministry of Finance shows that government spending between January and September rose by 27% compared to the same period last year. Operational spending increased by 22% while capital spending more than doubled. Given that Iraq did not pass a federal budget this year, spending allocations have been based on last year’s budget. Most of the surplus spending can be attributed to financing from the Emergency Food Security Law that was approved in June, which authorised up to 25 trillion IQD in additional spending.