Shafaq News- Erbil
The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) is pushing to secure its constitutional share of the country's 2027 federal budget, including oil revenues, investment funds and international financing, as Baghdad prepares the draft law for next year.
The KRG delegation raised those demands during talks in Baghdad on Sept. 9 with several federal ministries.
According to a KRG statement, during the meeting with Iraqi Finance Minister Faleh Sari, the delegation called for KRI's financial share and entitlements to be determined on a fair constitutional and legal basis, with a clear formula governing financial relations between Baghdad and Erbil.
Al-Sari affirmed that the Finance Ministry would address the Kurdistan Region's financial rights in line with the constitution and relevant laws.
The delegation, in a meeting with the undersecretary of the Ministry of Planning, along with Directors General overseeing government investment, discussed the allocation of investment funds based on the latest national population census, as well as financing for KRI development projects and petro-dollar allocations.
Read more: Cabinet to vote on Iraq’s 2027 budget in September
The delegation also sought a share of international loans, aid and grants, arguing that the Kurdistan Region bears responsibility for repaying its proportional share of those loans and their interest and should therefore benefit from the financing.
Planning Ministry officials agreed to consider the proposals during the budget process, with both sides committing to continued technical and legal coordination.
The discussions with Iraqi officials also focused on oil, one of the main sources of tension between Baghdad and Erbil. The delegation held talks about the sector's provisions in the 2027 budget, including projected export volumes, oil production from Kurdistan's fields, the estimated oil price for 2027, and volumes allocated for domestic consumption.
The Kurdistan delegation said oil produced in the Kurdistan Region for export would be handed over to the State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) for sale on international markets, with the proceeds transferred to Baghdad.
The delegation also reaffirmed Kurdistan's commitment to its constitutional and legal obligations, while urging Baghdad to secure Erbil's financial and constitutional rights, particularly the salaries and entitlements of its employees, on a fair basis and on par with their counterparts elsewhere in Iraq.
Read more: 2026 budget: Iraq confronts unprecedented fiscal strain