Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, said on Saturday (February 1, 2025), that Baghdad’s embrace of Arab and international events reflects the success of the government’s plans.
The Prime Minister’s Information Office said in a statement, received by Baghdad Al-Youm, that “Al-Sudani headed a dialogue session with the Stratix Center, in the presence of a group of researchers, diplomats and experts from several countries.”
He added that “Al-Sudani welcomed at the beginning of the session, the attendance, whose visit to the capital Baghdad coincides with the organization of many events and activities, including the meetings of Arab ministers of youth and sports, the opening of the Baghdad International Exhibition, the declaration of Baghdad as the capital of Arab tourism 2025, and the capital of Arab sports culture.”
“These events confirm the vitality of the city of Baghdad and the government’s plans for openness and the size of stability throughout the country,” Al-Sudani said, stressing that “most Arab and foreign delegations come with an impression, and leave with a completely different impression; because of the confused images reported by some media about Iraq.”
He added that “his government was formed in circumstances that witnessed the reluctance of some to participate in the elections and the decline of confidence in the political system,” pointing out that “the government program was prepared to be viable in order to enhance citizen confidence in the government, and advanced percentages have been achieved in its implementation and achieving its targets.”
According to the statement, the symposium discussed “several axes, most notably the sustainability of stability in Iraq, achieving sustainable development, addressing poverty and unemployment, economic axes, as well as Iraq’s regional and international relations, and the achievements and goals achieved in these fields.”
President Trump sent our Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent...to Iraq to make sure that they got everything done – the new rate – and everything was ready to go from Iraq’s point of view... he was told...Don't come back until you believe it's done.
So he's planning to fly back and be home to the states by noon Saturday...So I'm gonna say likelihood is good for us finally to come to an end of this ride.
We get notified as early as Saturday or Sunday, and then get started to exchange maybe on Monday or Tuesday...That's where we are right now...that's what I'm hearing.
Shafak News / The Federal Ministry of Finance confirmed, on Saturday evening, that work will continue with the Kurdistan Regional delegation since the morning until late at night to find solutions to the issue of the salaries of the region’s employees and retirees.
A statement from the Ministry of Finance and response to Shafak News Agency said that “Minister Taif Sami participated in all the meetings held that witnessed extensive discussions in order to reach fair solutions that guarantee the rights of all citizens, in accordance with the legal and financial controls in force. The minister also attended the meeting with the delegation of the region, headed by Fouad Hussein, and in the presence of the Minister of Finance of the region, his advanced staff and employees, as well as the presence of the advanced staff from the Federal Ministry of Finance.
The statement quoted the minister as stressing after the end of the meeting the need to “hold a meeting at the Ministry of Finance in order to directly audit and confirm the annual and monthly lists and costs and make the required amendment as soon as possible.”
The Ministry of Finance added that “work is underway with the joint committees headed by the minister and the technical committees of both parties from the morning until late this night for the purpose of checking and matching the data of civil retirees’ salaries, contracts and social protection so that we can launch them properly.”
The Ministry of Finance and Economy of the Kurdistan Regional Government said earlier in the day that its technical teams, and the others of the Federal Ministry of Finance, are close to ending their work.
The delegation of the Kurdistan Regional Government with the Federal Ministry of Finance continues their meetings in the capital Baghdad for the second day in a row.
In this regard, the Kurdistan Finance said in today’s statement that the meetings of the technical teams between the two ministries are continuing in order to solve technical problems, and the work is expected to be completed as soon as possible.
A meeting was held on Friday at the house of Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein, where the delegation of the regional government consists of about 20 people headed by the Kurdistan Finance Minister with the participation of many directors general in the ministry, to discuss the salary of December 2024 and the salaries of 2025.
The Minister of Finance and Economy in the Kurdistan Region, Awat Sheikh Janab, confirmed on Friday that the meeting in Baghdad was positive about the salaries of employees, and we hope to resolve the case on Sunday.
Janab said in an interview with journalists, with the participation of Shafaq News Agency, that “the atmosphere of the meeting in Baghdad was very positive and we discussed the issue of employees’ salaries and schedules,” adding that “we hope to end the work and the financing of salaries on Sunday (February 2).”
The roots of the salary crisis in the Kurdistan Region date back to 2014, when the differences between the federal government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government escalated regarding the management of the two budget oil files, in addition to the consequences of the war on ISIS and the decline in oil prices and the subsequent corona pandemic in the world.
Baghdad stopped sending the region’s share of the budget, and the regional government responded by exporting oil independently, and this conflict led to disruption in the mechanisms of paying salaries, starting a series of delays and financial accumulations.
Since that time, there have been many attempts to find compromises between the two parties, most notably the financial agreements that provided for the disbursement of the region’s share of the budget in exchange for its commitment to export specific quantities of oil, although these agreements have not been fully implemented due to continued lack of trust and political differences between the two sides.
As the differences continue, citizens in the region bear the greatest burden, as calls have recently increased from political and economic activists for the need to implement the decisions of the Federal Court, which affirmed the right of citizens to receive their salaries without any delay, while the biggest challenge remains to find a final solution that ensures the sustainability of the payment of salaries and the removal of its file from politicization.
We find out they had 300 businessmen with expertise yesterday, you have 1000 companies coming in tomorrow, you have the 12-2 C for the general budget on the table for Sunday and you have celebrations with TV screens on the streets, in homes and on news websites.
I don't know if you guys see what I see but I don't think there's any coincidences in all the information...but we're going to watch and see because you never know what happens...
I don't think anybody has ever seen what we're seeing today...I'm pretty excited about it just as you should be!
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani confirmed on Saturday that financial transfers are taking place in compliance with international standards, during the opening of the Baghdad International Exhibition in its 48th session.
Al-Sudani said in his speech during the opening of the Baghdad Exhibition followed by (Fourth): “We open today the 48th session of the Baghdad International Exhibition to be a hopeful addition and look forward to productive and promising partnerships and stronger cooperation that enhances facing challenges and maps well-being and confident economic growth.”
The Prime Minister continued: “I welcome the representatives of 1,225 companies and destinations participating in this year’s session that carry communication messages and constructive partnership plans from 22 brotherly and friendly countries.”