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Iraq's Parliament speaker urges water storage planning amid water shortage
Mohammad Al-Halbousi, Iraq's Parliament speaker, emphasized the need for new dams and enhanced irrigation systems during a visit to Diyala province, according to Shafaq News.
Speaking at a joint press conference Wednesday with Muthanna Al-Tamimi, head of the Diyala Governorate local government, Halbousi said, "We need plans to address the irrigation and watering system, and build dams. The last dam in Iraq was built in 1985."
Halbousi also stressed the need for political pressure on upstream countries to ensure Iraq receives its fair share of water according to international norms.
Amid intense drought, officials from Baghdad and Ankara have been discussing water flow from Turkey. The Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources said the country is in its fourth consecutive drought season, prompting urgent water management initiatives.
Aoun Dhiab Abdullah, Minister of Water Resources, recently told the state-owned Al-Sabah newspaper that inadequate water releases are affecting water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. However, discussions with Turkey have shown progress, particularly regarding a summer operational plan for Turkey's dams.
Turkey has indicated a willingness to increase water releases into the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, aiding Iraq's water management plans.
The water crisis in Iraq has intensified over the past three years, reaching critical levels this year with record-low water levels in rivers and dams.
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DPM Qubad Talabani: No other forces on site in Arbat
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Talabani with Hadi Al-Amiri, the leader of the Al-Fatah Alliance:
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Full statement
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Post-cabinet statement in full
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani chaired a meeting of the Kurdistan Regional Government Council of Ministers on Wednesday. At the beginning of the meeting, the Council of Ministers condemned the recent attack on the agricultural airport of Arbat in Sulaymaniyah Province, extending its condolences to the families of the martyrs and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured. Concurrently, the Council called for respect for the sovereignty, security, and stability of both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
The first agenda item was a summary of the high-level KRG delegation's visit to Baghdad on September 14, 2023, led by the Prime Minister. The focus was on salaries and financial entitlements for Kurdish factions in the Iraqi Parliament.
To secure the salaries of KRG employees, the Prime Minister noted that a single, unified stance was presented through a high-level delegation of the Council of Ministers. This stance was based on constitutional rights, detailed data, and a long-term plan for salary provision. At the most recent meeting of the Federal Council of Ministers, a proposal to increase the loan amount provided to the KRG was approved.
The Prime Minister emphasized that salaries for KRG employees should be recognized as a legal entitlement, separate from any conflicts or differences of opinion. Like other Iraqi employees, their salaries should be considered a rightful allocation and should not be dependent on any external factors.
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Here are the quick takeaways from today's cabinet meeting statement
- KRG condemns the Arbat drone attack and calls for respecting the sovereignty and security of both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
- KRG reiterates the need to separate the issue of KRI civil servant salaries from political disputes between Erbil and Baghdad.
- PM Masrour Barzani thanks the people of the Kurdistan Region for their patience. [Note: Many civil servants are on strike and have run out of patience.]
- Barzani also thanks the Kurdish factions in Baghdad for their support during recent talks with Iraqi officials.
- He says there is a good understanding between Erbil and Baghdad.
- PM Barzani tasks KRG ministries with assisting the Financial Auditing Office in preparing data on the total number of KRI employees and the amounts of their salaries.
- He also calls on the KRG Finance Ministry to start paying salaries as soon as it receives the first batch of the 700 billion dinar loan from Baghdad.
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JUST IN: KRG cabinet condemns attack on Arbat Agricultural Airport
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Busy day for the PUK leader Baghdad
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If you're watching carbs, stay away from honey and grapes exhibition taking place in Duhok today
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Iraqi Prime Minister Sudani met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the sidelines of this year's UN General Assembly to discuss boosting bilateral cooperation in the fields of energy and natural gas.
Sudani expressed Iraq's interest in expanding ties in clean and renewable energy sectors, while Scholz indicated Germany's willingness to share its expertise in these areas.
The meeting follows Sudani's January visit to Berlin, where he met with German officials and companies, including Siemens, to explore opportunities for upgrading Iraq's electricity sector, including production, transmission, and distribution.
Full statement by the Iraqi PM's office
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Iranian Foreign minister says the opposition groups in the Kurdistan Region have been moved to five camps.
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No one hurt in drone attack on civilian pickup truck near Mount Qandil
A drone attack targeted a civilian pickup truck parked near Mount Qandil, resulting in damage but no casualties, according to Nahro Abdullah, the head of Sangasar town.
Speaking to Erbil-based +964, Abdullah identified the vehicle as belonging to a resident of Endizai, near Qandil Mountain.
Abdullah also noted that the car's owner is the brother of the former co-mayor of Qandil. Turkey regularly targets Mount Qandil due to the presence of PKK fighters in the area.
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PUK leader in Baghdad
Bafel Talabani, the leader the PUK, met with Nuri Al-Maliki, the leader of the State of Law Coalition, in Baghdad today. He's in Baghdad an awful lot lately.
The meeting focused on several topics, including the 'terrorist (PUK's phrase) attack on Arbat Airport, political developments, and ongoing issues between Erbil and Baghdad, such as KRG employee salaries.
Both leaders condemned the attack on Arbat Airport and called for the Iraqi government to uphold its constitutional responsibilities.
Talabani also declared that Halabja would become a new province within the Kurdistan Region. The Iraqi parliament has been dragging its heels on that particular front for the last week, with three delays in succession to the debate on Halabja's status.
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The EU's delegation in Iraq issues a two tweet statement on the Arbat attack
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U.S. urges Iraq to resolve Kuwait boundary issue
The U.S. State Department spokesperson urged Iraq on Monday to "expeditiously resolve the domestic legal status of the 2012 Kuwait-Iraq Agreement," following a recent ruling by the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court that found the maritime agreement unconstitutional.
The comments came after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with foreign ministers from Gulf Cooperation Council member states and GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi in New York.
The court's ruling questioned the parliamentary approval of the agreement regulating maritime navigation in Khor Abdullah and emphasized the need to "ensure that the agreement remains in force."
Full statement
They called for the complete demarcation of the Kuwait-Iraq maritime boundary beyond boundary point 162 and called on the Government of Iraq to expeditiously resolve the domestic legal status of the 2012 Kuwait-Iraq Agreement to regulate maritime navigation in Khor Abdullah and ensure that the agreement remains in force.
The Ministers renewed their support for UNSC Resolution 2107 (2013) regarding the transfer of the file related to repatriation of all Kuwaitis, including missing Kuwaitis, and return of Kuwaiti property, including the national archives, to the UN Mission to Iraq (UNAMI), and expressed their hope that Iraq will continue to cooperate to ensure progress in this file.
They called on Iraq and the UN to exert maximum efforts to reach a resolution of all the issues involved.
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This is hardly a breaking news but that is how it’s been reported.
KDP’s Kurdistan 24 cites a cabinet source as saying the 700-billion-dinar loan, earmarked for Kurdistan Region civil servant salaries, are to be sent in two batches starting on Sunday.
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On the agenda in KRG cabinet meeting: unpaid salaries, not Sulaymaniyah drone attack
The KDP-led KRG cabinet is meeting for its weekly session in Erbil to discuss the recent visit to Baghdad and the subsequent deal to increase the loan provided by Baghdad. However, salaries have yet to be paid, as the KRG’s Finance Ministry is still waiting for the cash.
Arbat drone attack
Although the fatal attack on Arbat Airport in Sulaymaniyah should have been on the agenda, its omission highlights the KDP's stance toward the PUK and its control over the government agenda, which the PUK views as discriminatory against matters affecting the Sulaymaniyah region. We know that Barzani referred to "illegal activities" in his brief statement on the attack, alluding to the PUK's recent engagement with the Syrian Democratic Party (SDF), especially its Counter-terrorism Groups.
For more on the recent rise in the importance of military power in the PUK-controlled Sulaymaniyah, check out our earlier reporting on the (re-)militarization of the Kurdistan Region’s Green Zone.
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Check out this new piece for AUIS's Institute of Regional and International Studies
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Morning briefing
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