Iraq’s PM-designate vows to strengthen Erbil-Baghdad ties

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Mohammad Shia’ Sudani said on Thursday that he would work toward strengthening the relationships between Erbil and Baghdad based on the constitution, according to a speech he delivered after he was tasked to form a new government.

Iraqi lawmakers finally convened on Thursday to elect a president for the country more than a year after the parliamentary elections.

The newly elected President Latif Rasheed, a 78-year-old Kurd, tasked Mohammad Shia’ Sudani, nominated by the Shiite Coordination Framework, to form the new Iraqi government.

A former governor, the 52-year-old Sudani pledged that he would work to resolve the outstanding issues and strengthen the ties between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and its federal counterpart according to the constitution, he said in a speech outlining his political agenda.

He promised to fight corruption along with the judiciary and legislative authority.

Holding local and parliamentary elections in a “free and fair atmosphere” is also on Sudani’s agenda.

The would-be prime minister soon received congratulatory messages from officials outside and inside Iraq.

Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President Masoud Barzani congratulated Sudani in a phone call on Thursday, wishing him success in his new endeavor to form a new government.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani similarly congratulated the prime-minister designate and wished him success.