Iraqi PM approves request to waive E-payment for a cafe in Baghdad

Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani has approved a request by the management of the iconic al-Shabender traditional cafe in central Baghdad to be exempted from obligatory installation an electronic payment (POS) device.

The cafe's owners argued that the device would violate the cafe's cultural heritage.

In the hand-written request signed by the owner Mohammed Kazem al-Khashali, the cafe's administration said that they have been preserving Baghdadi heritage at the cafe since its founding, and that they do not want to introduce modern technology that would disrupt the cafe's traditional atmosphere.

The prime minister responded by approving a waiver for this particular coffee shop and emphasizing that all the other shops in the country should abide by the resolution.

The decision to require electronic payment devices at all businesses in Iraq was made by the Iraqi Central Bank in June 2023. The goal is to promote electronic payment and reduce the use of cash.

Al-Shabender is one of the oldest and most famous cafes in Baghdad. It is located at the end of Mutanabbi Street, near the Kasr al-Nil building.