Shakhawan Abdullah: Iraq Is Going Through a Difficult Economic Situation
The KDP parliamentary bloc chief said Iraq’s economic crisis is affecting oil exports and stressed the importance of stronger cooperation between local governments and the Kurdistan Region.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Kurdistan Democratic Party parliamentary bloc chief Shakhawan Abdullah said Wednesday that Iraq is going through a difficult economic situation, during a visit by a delegation from his bloc to Mosul in Nineveh Governorate.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Abdullah said the delegation conveyed President Masoud Barzani’s greetings and reaffirmed its support for the Kurdistan Regional Government’s backing of Nineveh.
“Today, we conveyed the greetings and respect of President Barzani to Mosul Governorate and reaffirmed our support for the Kurdistan Regional Government for the governorate.”
Abdullah said the delegation’s presence in Mosul represented support from the Kurdistan Democratic Party for Nineveh, describing the governorate as a place of particular importance to the party.
Abdullah also reflected on Mosul’s recent history, saying the city had endured several crises, most notably the period of ISIS.
“Mosul has gone through several crises, the most prominent of which was ISIS. However, because of the administration that existed in the governorate, it was possible to overcome the crises and rebuild the city, because the mass killings of the past destroyed not only the people, but also Mosul’s infrastructure and history.”
Turning to Iraq’s political and economic situation, Abdullah said progress in Mosul would have a positive impact on the Kurdistan Region.
He attributed Iraq’s current crisis to the war in the Middle East, saying it has affected the country’s oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite the challenges, he said local governments can play a role in improving the situation.
Nineveh Governor Abdulqader al-Dakhil stressed the importance of the Kurdistan Democratic Party delegation’s visit, saying Nineveh’s security situation is highly stable and that the governorate has become a meeting place for all its components.
“The Kurdistan Democratic Party has provided very strong support for Nineveh, and this visit is also significant support for our governorate.”
The governor said that amid Iraq’s difficult circumstances, local governments should support the federal government in securing appropriate revenues.
He also stressed the importance of economic and security coordination with the Kurdistan Region, highlighting the close social and economic ties between the two areas.
“Many people from Nineveh have their jobs and homes in the Kurdistan Region, while Kurdish citizens have also returned to their places of origin in Mosul. We are proud of this strong relationship.”
The visit underscored the emphasis placed by both sides on continued cooperation between Nineveh and the Kurdistan Region amid Iraq’s wider economic and political challenges.