Shafaq News/ On Monday, the Iraqi Ministry of Planning indicated that the population census in the Kurdistan Region (KRI) may face delays due to technical challenges.

While visiting Erbil with a delegation to discuss and coordinate the census procedures, Abdul Zahra Al-Hindawi, spokesperson for the Ministry, told Shafaq News, "Preparations are ongoing in all governorates, including the KRI, for the census scheduled for November 20."

"We have entered the phase of numbering and listing across all governorates." However, he noted that "the numbering and listing in Kurdistan, particularly in Erbil, might experience slight delays due to issues with the arrival of necessary equipment."

"By next week, KRI governorates [Erbil, Duhok, Al-Sylaymaniya, and Halabja] are expected to join the rest of the country in the census process, which will last for two months and involve numbering and categorizing all buildings and structures as either commercial or residential," he added. "This stage is crucial for the success of the census."

In related news, the Kurdistan Planning Ministry announced the start of training sessions for its staff in Erbil, Al-Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok, with several venues allocated for these sessions.

Notably, the last census in 1997 recorded a population of 22.33 million (excluding KRI), while a 2022 estimate by the Ministry of Planning put the current population at around 42 million. This census, part of a five-year development plan announced by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, aims to provide crucial demographic data for economic and policy planning. However, there are concerns about potential political interference affecting data accuracy.