College of Administration and Economics

On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, Discussion Hall No. (2) at the College of Administration and Economics, University of Mosul, hosted the defense of the master’s thesis submitted by Abdulmunim Ali Shabaan Ali Al-Jubouri from the Department of Finance and Banking Sciences, entitled:

“Assessing Fiscal Sustainability in Iraq Using the Fiscal Reaction Function.”

The study aimed to evaluate the sustainability of Iraq’s fiscal policy by estimating the fiscal reaction function during the period (2005–2023) and analyzing the responsiveness of the primary balance to changes in the public debt ratio, in order to determine whether the government follows fiscal behavior that ensures long-term stability.

The findings revealed that Iraq’s fiscal policy does not effectively respond to rising levels of public debt, indicating an absence of fiscal reaction to debt accumulation. This poses a direct threat to fiscal sustainability in both the short and long term. Moreover, the results showed that Iraq’s heavy dependence on oil revenues, coupled with fluctuations in economic activity, increases the fragility of its fiscal position and undermines sustainability.

The examining committee consisted of:

Prof. Dr. Sabah Saber Mohammed Khushnaw – College of Administration and Economics / University of Salahaddin – Chair

Asst. Prof. Dr. Ashti Abdulstar Abdulghani – College of Administration and Economics / University of Mosul – Member

Asst. Prof. Dr. Harith Ghazi Thanon – College of Administration and Economics / University of Mosul – Member

Asst. Prof. Dr. Oday Salim Ali – College of Administration and Economics / University of Mosul – Member & Supervisor

The thesis aligns directly with Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), as achieving balanced fiscal sustainability is a fundamental prerequisite for creating a stable economic environment capable of generating productive employment opportunities and fostering sustainab

le growth in Iraq.