Baghdad-INA
Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi chaired the third regular session of the Council of Ministers on Monday, during which the general situation in the country was reviewed, agenda items were discussed, and the necessary decisions were adopted.
The Prime Minister’s Media Office stated in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that “Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi chaired the third regular session of the Council of Ministers today, Monday, during which the general situation in the country was discussed, and the topics on the agenda were considered and the necessary decisions were made regarding them.”
At the opening of the session, the Prime Minister and Council members recited Al-Fatiha in tribute to the souls of security forces personnel martyred in an explosion caused by explosive remnants of ISIS terrorist gangs.
The Prime Minister addressed the importance of the Federal Board of Supreme Audit and its overall performance in safeguarding public funds and conducting financial audits of project expenditures. The Council hosted the President of the Federal Board of Supreme Audit to present a review of the Board’s work.
The Prime Minister underscored the Board’s responsibilities in oversight, prevention, anti-corruption efforts, expenditure control, and identifying corrective measures in government spending. He directed the adoption of a maximum threshold mechanism for contracts, with any amount exceeding that threshold referred to a specialized central committee for approval.
Prime Minister Al-Zaidi also directed the adoption of both pre- and post-audit procedures for project implementation and public fund expenditures. He emphasized the importance of completing annual financial audits of state-owned companies within the same fiscal year, referring cases requiring legal action to the judiciary, engaging international auditing firms, developing the Board’s audit mechanisms, and tracking funds through to their final use in projects.
He further directed that the President of the Federal Board of Supreme Audit be granted authority to rotate Directors General within their roles, and that the Board be fully supported with the staffing and human resources needed to carry out its mandate.
The Council reviewed a number of issues and adopted the following decisions:
In support of private generator owners and to ensure reliable electricity supply to citizens, the Council approved providing private generator owners with diesel fuel at a rate of 40 liters per month per 1 KVA of production capacity for the next three months, at 200 Iraqi dinars per liter instead of 400. A projected supply of 1.357 billion liters was allocated, and joint committees were established with Provincial Councils, the National Security Service, and the Ministry of Electricity to monitor implementation.
On the same subject, the Council approved extending the Ministry of Electricity’s contract for the Iraqi-Turkish transmission line by four months, and amended Decision No. 254 of 2026 to incorporate the Ministry of Oil’s proposal regarding the line. The Ministry was also authorized to negotiate with the Turkish side toward a long-term agreement covering tariffs, delivery quantities, and commercial and technical requirements.
As part of anti-corruption efforts, the Council approved designating the Federation of Chambers of Commerce as a regulatory authority over real estate brokerage activities, pursuant to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Law No. 39 of 2015.
The Council approved the North Oil Company’s contracting with logistics support firms identified by the Ministry of Oil to lease space within the security perimeter for establishing headquarters and operational sites, pursuant to the State Property Sale and Lease Law No. 21 of 2013, as amended.
In support of suitable conditions for students and the preparation of schools and examination centers, the Council approved Ministry of Finance funding to the Ministry of Education’s account and the Directorates General of Education in Baghdad and the provinces, covering the required difference for the provision of water, stationery, and fuel.
The Council amended Decision No. 169 of 2023 to include sports activities and club support, and granted governors authority to disburse social benefits allocations accordingly.
The Council of Ministers voted to approve the Bill ratifying the Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Tax Evasion between Iraq and the Sultanate of Oman.
In the area of air transport, the Council approved authorizing the President of the Civil Aviation Authority to negotiate and sign draft air transport agreements between Iraq and the Sultanate of Oman, France, Cyprus, and Rwanda, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tasked with preparing the necessary authorization documents on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Iraq.
The Council approved regulations governing the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross mission in Iraq and called on the Council of Representatives to pass the Bill ratifying the headquarters agreement concluded between Iraq and the ICRC.
The Council also approved the Bill on Iraq’s accession to the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation and referred it to the Council of Representatives.
