By John Lee.
Iraq’s new Prime Minister, Ali Faleh al-Zaidi, chaired the first regular session of the Council of Ministers on Saturday, issuing a series of directives to ministers that outline the government’s policy priorities.
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According to the Prime Minister’s media office, the session included ministerial briefings on the current state of their respective ministries and the challenges they face.
Al-Zaidi subsequently issued a framework of instructions covering governance, anti-corruption, economic policy, and public services.
Key directives include:
- Financial disclosure by all ministers within one week
- A freeze on staffing changes and ministerial restructuring
- Each ministry to set out its priorities within 30 working days for inclusion in the government programme
- The Ministry of Oil to focus on adding value and increasing production and exports, not merely selling crude
- The Ministry of Electricity to prepare two plans: one for immediate solutions ahead of the current summer, and one for long-term grid development
- The Ministry of Health to activate the health insurance law
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare briefing papers on restoring Iraq’s relations with Arab, regional, and international partners
- Accelerated progress on the Development Road project and integration into global trade chains
- A single-window system to streamline investor procedures
- Full cooperation with the Federal Integrity Commission and efforts to recover smuggled Iraqi funds held abroad
- Digitalisation of administrative processes and automation of government functions
Al-Zaidi also established of a Financial Stability Council and the development of a comprehensive national economic policy