Shafaq News/ Iraq's Council of Ministers, chaired by Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani, held its 28th regular session to discuss critical issues and make decisions to address the country's power supply shortage crisis and advance development initiatives.

The decisions made during the session were measures to strengthen the national gas supply network, procure gas from the Khor Mor Gas Field in the Kurdistan Region, and establish the Iraq Fund for Development to support development initiatives.

To tackle the power supply shortage crisis, the Council of Ministers approved a reduction in the price of diesel supplied to private power generators. It authorized the Ministry of Oil to procure Khor Mor Gas Field gas. Additionally, the Council approved measures to exchange crude oil for imported gas from the Islamic Republic of Iran, following the allocations stated in the Federal Budget Law for the fiscal years 2023, 2024, and 2025. The Oil Marketing Company was authorized to implement these decisions.

In the energy sector, the Council of Ministers approved implementing a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Oil in Iraq and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in Jordan. The Council also approved a project involving installing and operating a wet oil treatment unit at the Nasiriyah station, in which the Italian company PEG will be invited to participate. Furthermore, the Council approved the construction of a third marine export pipeline with a capacity of 2 million barrels per day, to be implemented by the Basra Oil Company and entrusted to the Dutch company Boskalis.

Other decisions made during the session included allocations for the expenses of the Baghdad Arab Film Festival, the construction of border posts on the Iraqi-Iranian border within the Kurdistan Region, and amendments to resolve issues related to Imam Ja'afar Al-Sadiq University. Additionally, a bill ratifying the Republic of Iraq on the Arab Protocol to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking was approved.