PMs Al-Sudani and Barzani discuss key issues, emphasizing the resumption of Kurdistan oil exports

Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met in Erbil to address issues of common interests.

Al-Sudani arrived in Erbil earlier in the day and was welcomed by PM Barzani.

According to a statement from the Iraqi PM’s media office, “At the beginning of the meeting, Prime Minister Al-Sudani congratulated the Prime Minister Barzani on the successful elections for the Kurdistan Region Parliament.”

“The discussions covered shared issues between the federal government and Kurdistan, foremost among them the efforts to resume oil exports from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the importance of organizing these efforts to meet the aspirations of citizens across the country. Additionally, they emphasized the importance of implementing the Federal Court’s decision regarding the salaries of government employees in the region.”

Prime Minister Al-Sudani highlighted the need to maintain political stability in the Kurdistan Region, noting that the Kurdistan Region is “a fundamental component of Iraq’s stability, including in Baghdad and the country as a whole.”

He stressed the necessity of forming a new government in the Kurdistan Region and expressed the federal government’s readiness to “provide assistance in this regard,” underscoring the importance of sustaining the “current level of cooperation between the Regional Government and Baghdad at the national level.”

The meeting also addressed preparations for conducting the population census, sscheduled for November 20-21, and the need to exert maximum effort to ensure its successful completion, particularly after resolving technical issues with the Kurdistan Region Statistics Office. This census is seen as vital for supporting development and planning across all sectors that contribute to Iraq’s progress and advancement, as per the statement.

The regional situation was also discussed, especially in light of “the occupying Zionist forces’ insistence on expanding the scope of the war.”

Both parties affirmed the importance of coordinating positions to preserve the security and sovereignty of Iraq.

The meeting also covered shared concerns, including public sector salaries, the Region’s share of the federal budget, and the resumption of oil exports, with PM Barzani emphasizing that salary payments for KRG employees should remain free of political disputes.

Both leaders agreed on the importance of restarting oil exports and resolving obstacles to meet the expectations of citizens in both Kurdistan and Iraq.