KRG: Baghdad Has Withheld All Road Funds Since 2014
A KRG official states Baghdad has sent zero funds for roads since 2014. In response, the KRG's 9th cabinet has self-funded over 718 projects worth more than 1 trillion dinars from its own internal revenue.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi federal government has not allocated a single dinar for road and bridge projects in the Kurdistan Region since 2014, forcing the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to self-fund over 718 infrastructure projects valued at more than one trillion dinars, a top official stated.
Speaking to Kurdistan24's "Basi Roj" program, presented by Zhino Mohammed, Deputy Minister of Reconstruction and Housing Agrin Abdullah detailed how the KRG’s ninth cabinet has relied exclusively on internal revenue to build and maintain its road network.
"Since 2014, no funds have been allocated from Baghdad for road and bridge projects in the Kurdistan Region," Abdullah said. "Even regarding the loans Iraq takes from international organizations—the 2023 budget law No. 13, in Article 5, mentions 9 billion dinars for service project loans—no portion of that total amount was designated for road and bridge projects in the Kurdistan Region."
He emphasized the disparity in treatment, adding, "All road and bridge projects in Kurdistan have been implemented using internal revenue. Baghdad has not provided even a small amount of the funds that it has allocated for all other Iraqi provinces."
Abdullah explained that the Kurdistan Region’s internal revenues have been directly channeled into major development.
"It is important to know where the Kurdistan Region's internal revenue goes," he stated. "During the term of the ninth cabinet, a great number of road and bridge projects have been implemented in the Kurdistan Region, including 718 projects valued at over one trillion dinars." He specified that between 100 and 120 billion dinars are provided annually for these projects through the investment budget.
The Deputy Minister provided a further breakdown of the KRG's self-funded initiatives:
General Budget: 392 small-scale road and bridge projects have been implemented at a cost of 47 billion and 152 million dinars.
Regular Budget: An additional eight billion dinars in cash has been provided annually.
Ministry Revenue: The Ministry of Reconstruction has implemented 233 projects valued at 2.5 billion dinars annually using its own revenue.
Maintenance: The KRG has allocated 12 billion dinars annually from internal revenue for road maintenance across 11 directorates.
Machinery: Projects for repairing machinery and other ministry necessities are implemented at a cost of more than one billion dinars.
Abdullah noted that in total, the KRG allocates between 120 and 130 billion dinars from its internal revenue for the various projects and activities of the Ministry of Reconstruction.
