Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) raised concerns about the exclusion of hundreds of thousands of residents from the recent general population and housing census conducted across Iraq.
According to the results from the census, conducted on November 20-21, Iraq's population has reached 45,407,495, with Kurdistan’s population surpassing 6.3 million, 14% of the country's total.
During a Council of Ministers session, Planning Minister Dara Rashid presented a report outlining the successful completion of the family form stage of the census in both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. Rashid emphasized that the census was intended for developmental purposes and not as a substitute for constitutional provisions in the Region.
The planning minister also discussed upcoming phases of the census, set to proceed in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Planning.
Concerns Over Exclusions
The KRG voiced concern about the exclusion of “hundreds of thousands of residents” in certain areas and called on Baghdad to ensure their inclusion in the census figures for the Kurdistan Region. This adjustment is deemed “crucial for accurately determining the region's population percentages, which directly impact its financial entitlements.”
The Council of Ministers expressed gratitude to Kurdistan residents, including Kurds residing outside the region’s administrative boundaries, for their participation in the census.
Addressing Financial Entitlements
The Council also discussed salary payments and financial entitlements for October, November, and December. It emphasized that “KRG employees’ salaries are a legal right and should be disbursed similarly to those in other parts of Iraq.”
Efforts to resolve salary-related issues with the federal government were reiterated, with a clear message that such matters should remain separate from political disputes.
In its concluding remarks, the Council tasked the General Secretariat with drafting a letter to the federal cabinet, detailing approved proposals and emphasizing the use of updated population percentages for determining the Kurdistan Region’s financial allocations.