KRG Prime Minister Barzani, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zaidi Begin Talks on Kurdistan Region's Budget Share
Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani meets Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zaidi in Baghdad to discuss the Kurdistan Region's disputed share of Iraq's 2027 federal budget.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani began talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zaidi in Baghdad on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, with the Kurdistan Region's disputed share of Iraq's 2027 federal budget at the center of the discussions.
Kurdistan24 correspondent Dilan Barzan reported that the meeting began around noon, following Prime Minister Barzani's arrival in the Iraqi capital earlier in the morning for an official visit.
The two prime ministers are discussing several outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad, including the federal budget allocation for the Kurdistan Region, which remains the most prominent unresolved issue on the agenda.
According to the correspondent, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is dissatisfied with the proposed share allocated to the Region in the 2027 budget, and the two sides have not yet reached an agreement.
The talks provide an opportunity for both governments to address the disagreement directly at the prime ministerial level, although no outcome or agreement had been announced when the meeting began.
Further Political Meetings Planned
Prime Minister Barzani's visit will also include discussions with senior figures from Iraq's political parties. Dilan Barzan reported that the Kurdistan Region prime minister is expected to meet most of the country's leading political figures after concluding his meeting with Zaidi.
Those planned discussions come as Erbil and Baghdad seek to resolve their differences over the Region's financial allocation ahead of the next stage of Iraq's budget process.
The visit marks Prime Minister Barzani's second official trip to Baghdad this year. His latest round of meetings places the unresolved 2027 budget question at the forefront of political engagement between the two governments.
The allocation remains a point of disagreement, with the KRG seeking terms it considers acceptable for the Kurdistan Region. Any progress from Monday's talks will depend on whether the two sides can bridge their differences over the budget.
At the time of the initial report, discussions were underway, and neither government had announced a final settlement.