The Ministry of Finance clarifies the tasks of the Supreme Committee for Reform of the requirements for implementing the program {White Paper}

02/16/2021 09:53:13
 
{Baghdad: Al Furat News} The Council of Ministers decided to form the Supreme Committee for Reform of the requirements for implementing the "White Paper" program for the economic and financial reform project in the country.

A statement by the Ministry of Finance, of which the Al Furat News Agency received a copy, stated that “the committee is headed by the Prime Minister and includes in its membership the ministers of finance (as a deputy), planning and oil, the secretary general of the cabinet, the central bank governor, the executive director of the Supreme Committee for Reform (a rapporteur), and an advisor. The Prime Minister for Strategic Affairs, Head of the Legal Department in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers and Adviser to the Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, in addition to two experts nominated by the Prime Minister and a representative of each of the two international support organizations (the International Contact Group and the World Bank Group) as observers without any of them having the right to vote.

Based on the decision, the Supreme Committee for Reform undertakes the following tasks:

Firstly:

1- Supervising the implementation of the reform program and the projects it consists of, according to the plans and timetables approved by the Supreme Committee for Reform, including adding, deleting or amending new projects.

2- Ensuring the availability of administrative and financing approvals in a timely manner during implementation and taking the necessary measures to overcome emerging obstacles.

3- Coordinate the work of the various bodies responsible for implementation and support, define the duties of each of them, and achieve integration between them.

4- Monitoring good performance and applying accountability according to the law.

5- Submit periodic reports on the progress of the reform program to the Council of Ministers.

Secondly:

1- The Cabinet Resolution (18 of 2020) is repealed and the Supreme Committee for Reform replaces the Emergency Cell for Financial Reform established pursuant to it.

2- Meetings of the Supreme Committee for Reform are held at the invitation of the President or his deputy, with the approval of the President and in the presence of at least half of its members, including the Chairman or his deputy, in the absence of the Chairman, and decisions are taken by the majority of the attendees, including the Chair.

3- The committee's meetings are at least quarterly.

4- The Supreme Committee for Reform has an executive director named by the Prime Minister, who is directly related to him and authorizes the necessary powers to implement the committee’s decisions and recommendations and achieve its goals and is tasked with following up the implementation of its decisions and recommendations and conducting its daily affairs under the supervision of its president.

5 - The Supreme Committee for Reform to form work teams or sub-committees to carry out specific tasks and to delegate the necessary powers to achieve its goals and facilitate its work.

6- The Supreme Committee may host whom it deems appropriate to attend its meetings, in order to fulfill its duties.

7 - The Prime Minister authorizes the powers of the Council of Ministers for the work of the Supreme Committee for Reform.

Third:

The formation of a cell called (Reform Management Cell) headed by the Executive Director of the Supreme Committee for Reform, to be based in the Prime Minister’s office and undertake the following tasks:

1- Executive management of the entire reform program under the supervision of the Supreme Committee for Reform.

2- Providing support to the officials of the reform program projects and the relevant executive teams, to improve performance and confirm the selection of the best operational paths to achieve the set goals.

3- Enhancing communication between project officials and work teams on matters pertaining to each project and coordinating interconnectedness between different projects within the reform program to enhance complementarity and synchronization in implementation.

4- Dealing with developments directly, first level, for reporting and solving problems.

5- Following up the implementation of basic activities and evaluating performance with an independent professional evaluation and submitting periodic reports to the Supreme Committee for Reform, including reporting on the level of work progress, obstacles, anticipated risks and suggested solutions.

6- Watching in determining the procedures required of the project official in the event of delay in implementation or deviation from the correct path.

7- Following up on the officials of the reform program projects and holding them accountable in case of delay in achieving the goals approved within the approved timetable.

8- Any additional tasks assigned to the cell by the Supreme Committee for Reform.

Fourthly:

The executive director of the Supreme Committee for Reform has the authority to contract with experts and executives without pay and has the authority to duly contract for a fee with the approval of the Supreme Committee for Reform.

Fifthly:

All government agencies are obligated to give the reform program priority, cooperate and coordinate between them and the reform management cell and submit the required reports and data within the specified time period, including naming an official whose rank is not less than a general director for each project and allocating the work teams and human and material resources required to ensure the progress of the reform program according to the approved plans .

Ammar Al-Masoudi

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