INA - BAGHDAD
PM Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi chaired on Monday the 2nd Session of 2026 of the Supreme Authority for Coordination between the Governorates, during which the general situation in the provinces, service and livelihood conditions, and several issues and files before the Authority were discussed, in the presence of several ministers, the Director of the Prime Minister’s Office, governors, heads of provincial councils, and advisors.
At the opening of the session, Al-Zaidi stressed the importance of reflecting the federal government’s core and strategic plans in the plans of local governments across the provinces, and the need for their efforts to be integrated to deliver the best services to citizens, according to a statement from the PM Media Office, received by the Iraqi News Agency - INA.
“The issue of unregulated arms and the importance of pressing ahead with restricting them to state institutions, which will reinforce the role of development and local economic growth. He further addressed anti-corruption measures,” he emphasized, stressing that “efforts must not be limited to minor offenders while higher-level corruption goes unaddressed.”
Prime Minister Al-Zaidi directed that “project audits and performance reviews begin from the stage of estimating costs, with thorough verification conducted with integrity and transparency to protect public funds.”
Al-Zaidi highlighted that “Businesspeople and companies that have worked on provincial projects are invited to contribute to the one million residential land plot project and the preparation of its infrastructure. Project cost estimates are inflated to unacceptable levels and, in some cases, amount to outright theft. The government encourages provinces to proceed with self-financing projects, particularly in the electricity sector, with 50% of revenues returned to the energy-producing province.”
“Commercial plots and water and service projects in the provinces must be utilized in a manner that raises service levels and maximizes revenues. Border crossing revenues must be reflected in the development of the relevant province. We stress the importance of honoring the rights of martyrs and the wounded, and the rights of their families — a significant responsibility that must be fulfilled,” he underscored.
The session also addressed several general high-priority issues relating to the performance of institutions and service agencies in the provinces and the powers granted to them, the importance of fair pricing for crops received from farmers to ensure the continued growth of the agricultural sector, land use conversion, enhancing coordination between local and federal governments, developing mechanisms to advance the electricity sector in cooperation with investment companies, maximizing revenues, reducing expenditures, and encouraging investment across various fields.