Sami Jizani: Strong Baghdad and Strong Erbil Serve Iraq's Political Stability

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Closer relations and sustained dialogue between the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) offer the best path to resolving outstanding disputes, a spokesperson for the Hikma Movement said on Monday, as Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani arrived in Baghdad for talks on the 2027 federal budget and other unresolved issues.

Sami Jizani told Kurdistan24 on Nov. 9, 2026, that the increased frequency of official visits between Baghdad and Erbil reflected a more constructive political atmosphere, one in which both governments were placing greater emphasis on communication and cooperation.

"The successive visits between Baghdad and Erbil are a clear indication of a healthy situation and a high level of political understanding," Jizani said.

The Hikma Movement spokesperson contrasted the current level of contact with earlier periods when, he said, communication and coordination between the two administrations were less developed.

"The current political landscape, under the present government, has been characterized by a clear and open language of dialogue and continuous communication between both sides," he said.

Jizani described a shared outlook in which the strength of the federal government and the Kurdistan Region are not competing objectives. Rather, he said, Baghdad should be strong and capable while Erbil should also be strong and capable.

He argued that the progress made through dialogue benefits the country as a whole, rather than either government alone.

"All these positive outcomes and developments serve one common interest: serving the country and supporting the stability of the political landscape," Jizani said.

For the spokesperson, bringing the two sides closer is also a practical means of narrowing disagreements. He maintained that continued rapprochement would allow officials to reconcile their positions, address outstanding matters and help end recurring political crises.

His comments came as another high-level round of discussions was beginning in Baghdad, with financial arrangements between the two governments once again at the center of the agenda.

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani arrived in the Iraqi capital on Monday at the head of a senior KRG delegation, according to a government statement. He is scheduled to meet Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi and leaders of political parties and alliances, along with other Iraqi political figures.

KRG spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani told Kurdistan24 that the meetings would focus on the Kurdistan Region's share of the 2027 federal budget and efforts to secure its constitutional and financial entitlements.

The discussions will also address broader unresolved issues between Erbil and Baghdad, including the mechanisms through which the two administrations could reach agreements on disputed matters.

"The Prime Minister's meetings with the Iraqi government and political leaders will focus on finding solutions to the problems on the basis of the Constitution, laws and signed political agreements, in a manner that ensures reaching an appropriate and comprehensive agreement on all disputed files," Hawramani said.

His comments set out the KRG's objectives for the visit, but did not indicate that an agreement had been reached or that any disputed issue had already been settled.

The latest talks take place against a background of longstanding disagreements over the Kurdistan Region's federal budget allocation, public-sector salary payments, oil revenues and the implementation of constitutional provisions governing the relationship between Baghdad and Erbil.

These questions have repeatedly tested relations between the two governments, making financial guarantees and workable arrangements central to their negotiations.

The 2027 budget is the immediate focus of Barzani's visit. The KRG is seeking an allocation that protects the Region's constitutional and financial rights while allowing the two sides to address their other outstanding files.

The trip is Barzani's second to Baghdad this year. His previous visit in May also concentrated on strengthening political ties and discussing shared issues, including the federal budget and the Region's financial entitlements.

Jizani's remarks reflect a view that continued engagement is itself a positive development, even as substantive differences remain. The meetings in Baghdad will test whether that dialogue can produce the comprehensive solutions sought by the KRG.

For now, both the Hikma Movement spokesperson's call for rapprochement and the KRG's stated negotiating approach point toward sustained political contact as the route to resolving disputes between Erbil and Baghdad.