Erbil, Kurdistan Region – In its weekly session today, the Kurdistan Region Council of Ministers, chaired by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and attended by Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, issued key directives to address pending financial and administrative issues, including the disbursement of retiree benefits and the resumption of oil exports.

The Council instructed the Ministries of Finance and Economy, Peshmerga Affairs, and Interior to form a joint specialized committee to establish mechanisms for the swift processing of retirement procedures and the payment of salaries and entitlements for retirees. This decision comes amid long-standing delays in disbursing pensions to civil servants, military personnel, and internal security forces.

The Council emphasized the need to prioritize retirees who have dedicated years to public service, ensuring their financial rights are secured without further delays. The move follows discussions on reorganizing the General Retirement Authority in accordance with Iraq’s Unified Public Retirement Law No. (9) of 2014 and a ruling by the Federal Court.

Acting Minister of Natural Resources Kamal Muhammad Salih provided an update on negotiations between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the Federal Government of Iraq, and oil companies regarding the resumption of oil exports. He confirmed that the KRG has fulfilled all its obligations under Article 1 of Iraq’s Federal Budget Law, and no obstacles remain from the Kurdistan Region’s side.

Despite this, oil exports have yet to restart due to unresolved technical and financial discussions between Baghdad, Erbil, and international oil firms. The Council reaffirmed its commitment to resolving outstanding issues and urged the Federal Ministry of Oil, oil companies, and the State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) to finalize agreements promptly to prevent further financial losses, which have already cost Iraq billions of dollars.

The KRG expects the newly formed committee on retiree benefits to begin work immediately, while negotiations on oil exports will continue under the supervision of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Prime Minister Barzani stressed the importance of transparency and efficiency in handling both matters, stating that resolving these issues is critical for economic stability in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq as a whole.