An Analysis the Impact of Economic Reform Policies on Liberalizing the Trade Balance in Iraq for the Period 1990-2020

The aim of the study was to analyse the nexus among economic reform policies and the liberalization of foreign trade and its impact on the balance of trade in Iraq. The study uses the annual time series data for the period 1990-2020. The study applies the ARDL method to estimate the relationship between (exports or trade balance), and economic growth rate and Bounds test approach was used to determine the co-integration. The result of the study revealed that there is a significant negative association, which means there is a long-term relationship between them, but the relationship is very weak in the short term. Because the export parameter was weak and negative, there was no long-term impact on the link between exports and economic growth. Additionally, the results show the weak negative impact of economic growth on the trade balance in both the short and long term, which means that there is a joint integration between economic growth and the trade balance. Therefore, it is concluded that export policy in Iraq did not play a pivotal role in the foreign trade liberalisation programs, as there were many challenges that prevented the expansion and diversity of exports and international competition.