KRG PM, Iraqi PM discuss important topics including salaries, budget, oil, population census
The two leaders immediately held a meeting where al-Sudani congratulated Prime Minister Barzani on the successful Kurdistan parliamentary elections, emphasizing that political stability in the Region is fundamental to Iraq's overall stability.
Nov. 13, 2024
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani welcomed Federal Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani at Erbil International Airport on Wednesday morning.
The two leaders immediately held a meeting where al-Sudani congratulated Prime Minister Barzani on the successful Kurdistan parliamentary elections, emphasizing that political stability in the Region is fundamental to Iraq's overall stability.
The Federal Prime Minister also stressed the importance of forming a new regional government to enhance existing cooperation between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government.
The meeting covered several critical issues in the Baghdad-Erbil relationship, particularly focusing on unresolved disputes including public sector salaries, Kurdistan Region's share of the federal budget, oil export resumption, and preparations for the national population census.
Regarding the salary issue, Prime Minister Barzani emphasized the necessity of keeping regional public sector salary disbursement separate from political disputes, particularly in light of the Federal Supreme Court's recent ruling on equal pay for Kurdistan Region employees compared to other Iraqi regions.
On Kurdistan's oil exports, both leaders stressed the urgency of resuming exports as soon as possible and committed to addressing obstacles hindering the process, aiming to meet the aspirations of citizens across both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
Concerning the national population census, the meeting emphasized the importance of ensuring its successful completion, given its crucial role in supporting development and planning across all sectors. Both sides agreed that the Kurdistan Region's observations must be taken into consideration in this process.
The Kurdistan Region and Baghdad have long grappled with disputes over oil exports, budget allocations, and salary payments.
Oil exports from the Kurdistan Region were halted in March 2023 following a legal dispute with Baghdad, significantly impacting the region's economy.
The upcoming national census will be Iraq's first since 1987, making it a crucial milestone for both the federal government and the Kurdistan Region in terms of resource allocation and development planning.