The College of Business at the American University of Iraq-Baghdad (AUIB) organized a special seminar that brought together its faculty members with Economic Advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister and the Chief Executive of the government’s Reform Management Cell, the Iraqi-American economist, Dr. Amer Al-Adhadh, who delivered a presentation titled, “Fiscal Multipliers in a Suppressed Monetary Environment”, followed by a discussion with the attendees.
Dr. Al-Adhadh expounded on his efforts at trying to solve what he called “the Macroeconomic Puzzle” that Iraq faces today, where there is “muted (economic) growth” despite “massive injections” of fiscal stimulus. He described his work on building econometric models to assess the fiscal multiplier of the Iraqi economy, despite lacking data, culminating in his arrival at conclusions regarding the structural (mainly of the banking system), “cultural and legal impediments” resulting in the suppression of growth.
Following the discussion of Dr. Al-Adhadh’s presentation and related issues, the Advisor and the College of Business faculty expressed their keenness on sustaining this type of interaction between the two parties. They recognized the benefit of such interaction in developing education at the university by engaging faculty on current, significant topics on the Iraqi economy and business affairs, while positively impacting policymaking and sound governance.
