PM Barzani, US Diplomat Discuss KRG Budget Share, Government Formation

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met with US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Steve Fagin on Wednesday to discuss bilateral relations, regional stability, the formation of a new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet, and the Region’s financial entitlements from the federal government in Baghdad.

The meeting, attended by Wendy Green, the US Consul General in Erbil, focused on strengthening ties between the Kurdistan Region and the United States and maintaining security and stability in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, according to a KRG statement.

Fagin reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to continuing its support for the Kurdistan Region, while both sides emphasized the importance of reactivating the Kurdistan Parliament and forming a new KRG cabinet.

The discussions also addressed the Kurdistan Region’s constitutional rights and its share of Iraq’s federal budget. Barzani stressed that the Region’s allocation in the 2027 federal budget must be determined fairly and in accordance with its 14.14% share of Iraq’s population, as recorded in the official census.

Budget allocations and the distribution of federal revenues have long been sources of disagreement between the KRG and the federal government in Baghdad. The KRG has repeatedly called for its constitutional financial entitlements to be respected and for budget allocations to reflect the Region’s population share.

The meeting comes as the Kurdistan Region continues to face political challenges over the reactivation of its parliament and the formation of a new cabinet following the October 2024 parliamentary election. The establishment of a new government and the resolution of outstanding financial issues remain key priorities for the Region’s political leadership.