Shafaq News/ The Prime Minister, Muhammad Shia’a Al-Sudani, chaired today, Tuesday, the 32nd regular session of the Council of Ministers, during which developments in the general situation in the country were discussed, and a number of basic files that fall within the government’s priorities were discussed.
The session witnessed a discussion of the government’s program and plans after the issuance and entry into force of the Federal General Budget Law and its instructions, and an emphasis on the importance of reviewing and updating the projects included in the government program and the implementation targets in light of the financial allocations for the operational and investment budgets for each ministry and sectoral entity.
In this regard, the Prime Minister directed the following:
1. Ministries and entities not associated with a ministry should immediately start implementing projects and targets included in the government program, which have completed their technical, financial and legal requirements, and update priorities for project implementation in light of allocations and within the framework of the government’s five priorities, which are included in the ministerial curriculum, and focus on service projects with high percentages. Advanced in achievement that serves large segments of citizens, provided that the Ministry of Planning is provided with project requirements no later than August 15, 2023.
2. The Ministries of Planning and Finance prepare a detailed position on the financial allocations for the executive procedures (operational and investment) for the government program, each according to its competence, in accordance with the budget law and its instructions, no later than August 24, 2023.
The Council of Ministers continued to discuss the topics on its agenda and take decisions and recommendations regarding them. In the file of lagging hospital projects, the Council of Ministers agreed to grant the Ministry of Health the authority to issue direct invitations, as an exception to the instructions for implementing government contracts No. 2 of 2014, with regard to financing and implementing affiliated hospitals. To the Baghdad Health Departments (Karkh and Rusafa), which came based on the assignment of the Baghdad Governorate to the Ministry of Health to implement these projects, and according to what was stated in the Ministry’s letter on August 6, 2023, regarding the projects approved by the Baghdad Governorate.
In the economic file, the Council of Ministers approved the recommendation of the Ministerial Council for Economy No. (230162) for the year 2023, which stipulated that the Ministry of Finance pay an amount of 1,403,000 dollars, only one million four hundred and three thousand dollars, for the general increase of the capital of the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
He also approved a second recommendation of the Ministerial Council of Economy (230163 s), which included approving the exemption of contracting fish farm owners, in accordance with Legislative Decree (995 of 1985), from rents for previous years specified in the Ministry of Agriculture’s book, at a rate of (50%).
In the context of the facilities provided to people with disabilities, the Council of Ministers approved the recommendation of the Ministerial Council for Social Services (23018b) regarding controls for the import of cars modified for persons with disabilities, as the import controls were approved, taking into account the notes of the legal department in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.
And in implementation of the directives of the Prime Minister, during the previous meetings of the Supreme Committee for Water, related to facing the challenges of water scarcity and mitigating its effects on the agricultural reality, the Cabinet approved the application of closed irrigation systems and the use of modern irrigation methods, according to the requirements of the type of agricultural investment, and making it one of the basic determinants. To grant investment licenses for new agricultural projects.
In the context of government support for livestock in Iraq, and the many problems buffalo breeders face, the following has been approved:
1. The transfer by the Ministry of Finance of 5 billion dinars from the forage subsidy allocations (yellow corn) included in the general budget for the fiscal years (2023-2024-2025), for the purchase of fodder (molasses and bran) and other supplies, to be provided free of charge to buffalo breeders in southern Iraq, as an exception One of the contracting methods stipulated in the instructions for implementing government contracts (2 of 2014).
2. Forming a team from the departments (livestock, extension and agricultural training) of the Ministry of Agriculture, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Iraq, the FAO, to supervise and implement the initiative, provided that the distribution is direct to breeders through the Ministry of Agriculture represented in the team above, and the Ministry of Agriculture provides A study on regular pens for buffaloes.
In the course of implementing administrative reform and overcoming administrative obstacles, the Council of Ministers agreed to amend its Resolution No. 342 of 2019, to include granting the minister direct powers to government public companies, within the permissible ceiling.
The Council discussed other topics on the agenda, and took the following:
First / Approval of adding allocations of (208,670,369,700) dinars, only two hundred and eight billion dinars, six hundred and seventy million, three hundred and sixty-nine thousand and seven hundred dinars, for the remainder of the annual maintenance projects contract (PUP5-A), from the operational budget allocations / Government program, available in the Ministry of Electricity for the current year; For the purpose of disbursing dues and ensuring the continued processing of materials for the rest of the contracts, and stopping the completion of listing procedures and removing projects from the investment approach, based on the federal budget law for the three years.
Second / Approving the entry into force of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, regarding the abolition of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports, signed in the capital, Baghdad, on June 15, 2023, based on the provisions of the Treaties Law (35 of 2015).
