Shafaq News/ Iraq's federal government on Thursday approved an "updated" document on population policies, the media office of Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani said in a press release.

Al-Sudani, according to the press release, headed a meeting of the Higher Council of Population during which a population policy submitted by the ministerial council for human development was approved.

The prime minister instructed the relevant bodies to provide all the facilities needed to complete the population census by the end of the current year.

Al-Sudani said that his cabinet relies on the census results to implement its government program and devise future developmental plans.

The meeting, the press release said, discussed the preparations of the central agency of statistics for the census, its requirements, and the role of the other ministries.

Iraq's last census was conducted in 1997.