PM Barzani stresses formation of oil, gas law with Baghdad as foremost priority

[6ly410]

PM Barzani stresses formation of oil, gas law with Baghdad as foremost priority

yesterday at 08:29

Julian Bechocha@JBechocha

 

KURDISTAN

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani speaking during a panel at the MERI Forum 2022 in Erbil on November 1, 2022. Photo: Bilind T. Abdullah/Rudaw

Tags: MERI Forum 2022

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Tuesday said that the formation of a joint hydrocarbons law between Erbil and Baghdad is crucial for the resolution of outstanding issues between the two which are currently jeopardizing the Region’s ability to administer its natural resources.

“We have an understanding to stop pressure [from Baghdad] until we work together to draft a new law for the hydrocarbons and then we present it to the parliament and that new hydrocarbons law will be the anecdote solution to all these issues,” Barzani said during a top regional forum in Erbil, with Baghdad being the host of a pressure campaign against international oil companies (IOCs) operating in the Region.

Barzani previously expressed his support for the new government under new Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, hoping for a “new beginning between Erbil and Baghdad – one that fosters cooperation over conflict and dialogue over confrontation.”

“Iraq still lacks an oil and gas law … together, we can work on an oil and gas law and send it to parliament,” the Kurdish premier added, offering his support to Baghdad in drafting a much-needed hydrocarbons law with tensions high between the two governments.

Tension between Erbil and Baghdad has been high since the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court in February deemed the Kurdistan Region’s oil and gas law “unconstitutional”, hence striking the independence of the Region’s energy sector and jeopardizing its industry. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has repeatedly challenged the constitutionality of the court’s ruling.

After he was tasked with the formation of the new government and appointed prime minister-designate, Sudani said that the upcoming Iraqi government will be committed to work “according to the constitution” in strengthening the relationship between Erbil and Baghdad, and “settling disputes and issues that have been lingering for a long time.”

“The cabinet was able to stand on its own feet despite all challenges,” Barzani proudly said, commending the undisrupted distribution of public salaries despite Baghdad cutting the Region’s share of the budget, the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as ongoing oil and gas issues between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

“We want to cooperate and be involved in the strategic topics in Iraq so that we do not miss out on things. If we are a part of Iraq, then we need to be involved with decision-making,” PM Barzani added, stressing that the participation of the Kurdistan Region’s residents in the political process in Baghdad is very positive for the country’s climate.

While extending a hand of support to Baghdad, the Kurdish PM stated that the Region “can become a gateway” for other places in Iraq to experience success, adding that they would be willing to share progress made towards the government’s push for digitalization.

The Iraqi government has threatened foreign companies to suspend their operations in the Kurdistan Region’s oil sector and warned against new contracts with the KRG, with former oil minister Ihsan Abdul Jabbar warning IOCs that should they continue operations northward in the Region, then they will be “working in the smuggling of oil.”

However, despite pressure from the federal government, the KRG pocketed a net amount of about $1.5 billion in crude oil sales between April and June, selling a barrel of oil for $100.

 

[6ly410]

Deputy Ali Al-Mashkoor: There is a ready-made version of the budget that needs amendments only

Monday 31 October 2022 22:07 | EconomicNumber of readings: 760

Deputy Ali Al-Mashkoor: There is a ready-made version of the budget that needs amendments only (ninanews-com.translate.goog)

Baghdad / NINA / - Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Oil, Gas and Natural Resources Committee, Ali Al-Mashkoor, announced that there is a ready-made copy of the budget and it only needs amendments.

Al-Mashkour said in a televised statement: "The Parliamentary Oil Committee is facing a difficult test, which is the issuance of the oil and gas law, noting that wasted gas revenues could reach 60 billion dollars."

He continued: "The misplaced loss of financial abundance is a loss of a great opportunity for reform, adding that it is not easy to change the exchange rate again."/ End 2

 

[keylime]

Nothing in Iraq is easy. It would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than these lovely folks pass the Oil and Gas Law.

But they can do it.

[6ly410]

ERBIL — A delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is scheduled to visit Baghdad next week for talks on the 2023 budget law among other topics related to issues, a report said on Thursday.

The delegation will pay the visit next Tuesday, 8 November, with the discussions to be focused on the completion of the budget law for the year 2023, in addition to the issues related to the oil and gas, a source told Kurdistan 24.

This comes as Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani also reaffirmed earlier this week that no efforts would be spared to prepare the budget law before the parliament begin its recess.

Meanwhile, Finance Ministry Spokesperson Abdul Hassan Jamal told the state media last Monday that preparations were underway to prepare the budget law for the year 2023 and that it would be submitted to the Council of Representatives "soon".

Although the Iraqi official did not elaborate on a specific date for the submission of the budget to the parliament, Kurdish lawmaker Jamal Kochar told Kurdistan 24 last Sunday that the budget law will be submitted to the legislature in the middle of this month and that it will be approved by the end of this year.

[6ly410]

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A delegation of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will visit Baghdad on Tuesday Nov. 8, 2022 to discuss the Iraqi budget law and oil disputes with Baghdad.

The objective of the visit would be to discuss oil and gas matters, as well as preparing the Iraq’s budget law of 2023, a verified source told Kurdistan 24.

The Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani has already stated in a press conference that the budget law for the year of 2023 would be prepared before the break of the Iraqi parliament’s session. Sudani’s statement were confirmed by Abdul Hassan Jamal, the speaker of Iraqi Ministry of Finance.

Iraqi parliament member Jamal Kocher, a member of the Finance Committee, told Kurdistan 24 on Sunday that, everything is ready for the Iraq’s budget law to be ratified by the parliament before the end of 2022.

[6ly410]

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Masroor in Baghdad soon to discuss the region's "share" of the general budget

 

Masroor in Baghdad soon to discuss the region's "share" of the general budget – Iraq News Network (aliraqnews.com)

Last Update:6 November 2022 - 3:42 PM

Baghdad/Iraq News Network - A member of the Kurdistan Regional Parliament, Sabah Hassan, revealed on Sunday the most prominent files that will be discussed by the delegation of the Regional Government that will visit Baghdad this week. Hassan said in a press interview that "the delegation will be headed by the head of the regional government Masrour Barzani and includes a group of ministers, and will discuss various files related to the form of the relationship between Baghdad and Erbil".He added that "the most important file at the moment is to ensure the region's fair share of the budget, as well as the file of salaries of employees and Baghdad's continuation of sending them the amounts allocated to them."

[6ly410]

SULAIMANI (ESTA) — A delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is expected to pay a visit to Baghdad this week for talks on financial entitlements, Esta Media Network has learned.

The delegation is expected to discuss the financial matters between the KRG and the Federal Government, according to information Esta Media Network has obtained.

The delegation will also hold talks with senior Iraqi officials, aiming to discuss and implement the agreement between the Kurdish, Sunni, and Shiite parties regarding the same matter.

A senior Kurdish official from the KRG earlier said that the visit will touch upon preparing a joint bill as well between both governments to settle the financial issues.

The relations between the KRG and the Federal Government have been rocky since the Region developed its own oil and gas resources independently of the federal government.

The Region’s massive untapped oil reserves, lucrative production-sharing contracts and safe environment have prompted international oil companies over recent years to commit to investing billions of dollars there.

However, the Federal government has largely protested against that move by the KRG, showing tough stances several times by issuing decisions against the Region as well as cutting its monthly share in the country’s budget.

[HowieC]

First time getting together with the new GOI . Fingers crossed. This PM has been impressive, so far in a short time. Pound out the HCL already.

[WheresmyRV?]

1 hour ago, HowieC said:

First time getting together with the new GOI . Fingers crossed. This PM has been impressive, so far in a short time. Pound out the HCL already.

Hoping they can finally get this done.

[southbeach]

And start floating the currency.  I’m thinking the more investors turn in currency and reduce the note count, it/that process will fund the ultimate goal of a mid 3s exchange rate.

[southbeach]

God willing.

[6ly410]

• Deputy: Approval of the 2023 budget does not exceed 3 weeks – Iraq News Network (aliraqnews.com)

Deputy: Approval of the 2023 budget does not exceed 3 weeks

Last Update:7 November 2022 - 10:54 AM

Baghdad/Iraq News Network - MP Mohammed Nouri al-Abed Rabbo confirmed on Monday work on approving the 2023 budget within a period not exceeding 3 weeks. Al-Abed Rabbo said in a press interview: "We are currently working with great pressure and efforts to approve the budget for 2023 within a maximum period of less than twenty days."

[6ly410]

 

[6ly410]

ERBIL — A delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has postponed its visit to Baghdad, a government official said on Monday without giving any specific reason for the delay.

“The delegation of the government will not go to Baghdad tomorrow because the visit has been delayed,” Umed Sabah, President of the Diwan of Council of Ministers, confirmed to Kurdistan 24.

However, he neither mentioned the reason behind the delay, nor a specific date for the upcoming visit.

The Baghdad visit was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 8 November, for talks on the 2023 budget law and other issues related to the oil and gas.

Speaking to BasNews, Kurdish lawmaker Amanj Harki pointed out that a delegation of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) will also visit Baghdad to discuss the party’s share from the new government in accordance with the agreements reached between the KDP and Iraqi parties prior to the formation of the cabinet.

Earlier this week, Iraqi new premier emphasized that all efforts would be intensified to prepare the budget law before the parliament begins its recess.

[6ly410]

• Chances of Success and Concerns of Failure in the Eighth Iraqi Government – Iraq News Network (aliraqnews.com)

Chances of success and obsessions of failure in the eighth Iraqi government

Last Update:8 November 2022 - 9:03 am

By Samir Adel

More than a year after the holding of early parliamentary elections, and after severe political conflicts, which almost ravaged the entire Iraqi situation, the page of political stalemate was turned with the formation of the new Iraqi government and its gaining the confidence of the parliament to begin a political phase full of entitlements, expectations, risks and challenges. For the first time, the Prime Minister-designate has succeeded in completing the formation of his government in just two weeks, less than half of the constitutional period of thirty days from the date of assignment. Perhaps for the first time, the prime minister has succeeded in presenting a cabinet that is more like an integrated one, as he has brought twenty-one candidates to fill twenty-one ministerial portfolios out of a total of twenty-three, leaving two portfolios hanging, namely the environment, reconstruction and housing, due to differences between the two main Kurdish parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party led by Masoud Barzani and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan led by Pavel Talabani.

Previously, there were a number of ministries that were inconclusive from the beginning, due to the differences and intersections between the parties, some of which were still managed by the Prime Minister, or other acting ministers.Besides, the speed of granting confidence to the candidates of the ministries by the 253 members of Parliament present at the confidence session, was remarkable and unprecedented, and reflected the existence of consensuses and understandings between the various blocs and political forces, in part in which they began in the desire to overcome the dangerous juncture and impasse they have reached. The political process.

In terms of its general composition, the government composition included political and academic figures affiliated with the forces that formed the coalition of state administration from the three components, Shia, Sunni and Kurdish, represented by the forces of the coordination framework, most notably the State of Law Coalition, the Conquest Alliance, the Asaib Ahl al-Haq Movement and the Correction Bloc, and the two main Kurdish parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Kurdistan Alliance, along with the Sovereignty Alliance and the Azm Alliance, in addition to the Christian Babylon Movement. Earlier, independents, along with the Chernian Extension Movement, the Kurdish New Generation Movement, the Wisdom Movement and the Ishraqa Cannon, announced their non-participation in the government, with a complete boycott by the Sadrist Movement, whose seventy-three members of parliament had withdrawn and resigned in late June on the order of the movement's leader, Muqtada al-Sadr, noting that he later announced his retirement from political work in protest against the quota approach in managing the affairs of the country, and because he was unable to implement his vision of forming a government. A national majority with some of his Kurdish and Sunni partners.

The largest number of members of the Sudanese government have previously held ministerial positions, except five of them, namely Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein and Minister of Migration and Displacement Ivan Fayek, who held the same positions as them in the previous government, in addition to Minister of Industry and Minerals Khaled Battal, who served as Minister of Planning in the previous government, Mohamed Tamim, who was Minister of Education in the second government of Nouri al-Maliki, and was entrusted with the planning portfolio in the new government, as well as the current Minister of Health Saleh Mahdi al-Hasnawi, who was entrusted with the planning portfolio in the new government, as well as the current Minister of Health Saleh Mahdi al-Hasnawi, who was He held the same position between 2008 and 2014.Besides academic and professional figures (technocrats) in the Sudanese government, there are political figures holding advanced leadership positions in some forces and entities selected to assume ministerial positions in the new government, such as Asaib Ahl al-Haq leader Naim al-Abboudi who took over the ministry of higher education and scientific research, the head of the National Sindh bloc and the leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces Ahmed al-Asadi who took over the ministry of labor and social affairs, as well as the leading member of the National Union Party. Kurdistan Khaled Shawani, who held the justice portfolio in the Sudanese government. At the same time, the new government included three women, Finance Minister Taif Sami, who was the deputy minister and mastermind of the ministry, especially when she was the director general of the budget department, Hayam al-Yasiri, who was entrusted with the communications portfolio, and the minister of migration and displacement Ivan Fayek.

There is no doubt that an understanding of the nature of the composition of the new government, from different angles and aspects, can help to a certain extent to indicate the chances of its success, as well as to diagnose the concerns of its failure. The presence of someone like Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at the head of the government is a relative indicator of success, linked to the fact that the man has been included in many senior executive positions, as well as his presence as a member of parliament for more than one term, and therefore has knowledge and familiarity with many details, and does not hide many paths of deviation, mismanagement and planning. Moreover, he has a professional and personal biography free of suspicions of corruption, and not to be involved in any projects of a negative nature, in addition to his good relations with various forces and parties, and came up with a ministerial program characterized by realism and practicality, which included five priorities, namely:

• Combating administrative and financial corruption.

• Addressing the phenomenon of unemployment and job creation for young people of both sexes.

• Supporting the poor, vulnerable and low-income groups of citizens.

• Reform of the economic and financial sectors, especially the agriculture, industry, banking sector and support for the private sector.

• Work urgently to improve and develop services that affect the lives of citizens.

The ministerial program approved the review of all decisions of the caretaker day-to-day government headed by Mustafa al-Kadhimi, especially economic and security, and random appointments. Disbursement of petrodollar dues to oil- and gas-producing governorates according to acceptable time periods, holding provincial council elections and determining the date of their holding in the government program, the government's commitment to build effective tools to fight corruption within a maximum period of ninety days from the date of its formation, the commitment to return displaced persons to their areas of residence within six months of the formation of the government, including the displaced people of the Jurf al-Nasr area after checking their files security, and completing the legislation of the Oil and Gas Law in accordance with the Constitution within six months from the date of formation.

Not only that, but the broad political support and popular interaction with it, and the positive messages from the regional and international periphery, are all appropriate grounds that will enhance and consolidate the chances of success. The important thing is that even opposition and boycotting parties, such as the Sadrist Movement, have remained silent and have not adopted any positions that hinder the formation of the government, as expected. The current seems to have seen the need to give time to al-Sudani and his government, and then to have a position in light of the nature of the performance three months or a little more.

While the atmosphere of support and support and their grounds, the speed with which the Government is formed, the speed with which it has won the confidence of Parliament, its containment of competent and impartial professional personalities, the realism of the ministerial programme and, above all, the personality, biography and career of its President are opportunities and ingredients for success, there are quite a few concerns about procrastination and failure, reinforced by the persistence of the same mechanisms of previous quotas and their contexts in the formation of the Government and the sharing of positions therein, even if the identity of some or most members of the Government are not affiliated with the parties and forces involved. As well as the size of the thorny files and cases related to corruption, services and security, which the Sudanese found or will find stacked in front of him on the table in exchange for short time limits. Not to mention the conflicting wills and interests of the various internal parties, and the unwillingness of many of those parties to give up those interests, even if this is in the public interest and facilitates the implementation of the ministerial program, without neglecting the foreign agendas and requirements, especially the American, which have been put forward and leaked from here and there through articles, studies and reports of some think tanks close to the highest decision-making circles in Washington, such as the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and others.

It is wrong to imagine that all internal and external parties really wish for the success of the Sudanese in his heavy task, and it is wrong to imagine that the atmosphere of support and support, large and wide, and their grounds, will remain the same and not turn into criticisms, smear campaigns, pressures and obstacles, and perhaps from friends and allies before adversaries and enemies. However, under conditions and situations such as those in Iraq, with its past accumulations and its upcoming challenges, it requires the solidarity and solidarity of all, careful diagnosis and planning pending the desired results, avoiding raising the ceiling of optimistic expectations and an adequate understanding of the facts and data of reality.

 

 

[6ly410]

Parliamentary Legality: Political Aspects Stop Conscription, Oil and Gas Law

• Time : 2022/11/08 16:32:37
•  
• Parliamentary Law: Political Aspects Stop Conscription, Oil and Gas Law - Euphrates News (alforatnews.iq)

  

The parliamentary legal committee revealed on Tuesday that the legislation on compulsory recruitment and oil and gas has stopped.

T

Committee member Arif Hamami told Al-Furat News that "laws that carry political sides stop and need consensuses, as happened in the mandatory service law and the oil and gas law, as well as all laws that are the subject of political controversy or controversy."
"The committee stresses the need to approve laws that are of primary interest to citizens, such as social security, retirement and civil service laws, in order to guarantee the rights of employees and equal salaries to each other," Hamami added.

By: Raghad Dahham
 

[ametad]

HCL

2023 Budget

Continued Regional Stability

[horsesoldier]

They've been "stressing the need " for so long now it's the butt of jokes. Have a Nike moment and Do It !

[WheresmyRV?]

8 hours ago, horsesoldier said:

They've been "stressing the need " for so long now it's the butt of jokes. Have a Nike moment and Do It !

Isn't that the truth with them knuckleheads?