The Prime Minister, Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, chaired today, Tuesday, the twenty-eighth regular session of the Council of Ministers, during which developments in the situation in the country were discussed, and follow-up on the implementation of files related to the priorities of the government program, in addition to discussing issues on the agenda, and issuing decisions and recommendations about them.
The session witnessed a discussion of the current electricity crisis, which is receiving personal attention and follow-up by the Prime Minister.
In the context of addressing the crisis and with the aim of adding new sources of gas, to support the national gas network, and to provide fuel for electric power production stations, the Council of Ministers agreed to reduce the price of gas oil (kerosene) supplied for private generators to 250 dinars per liter, and the Ministry of Finance will deduct the amounts from the share of the public treasury owed by the General Company for the Distribution of Petroleum Products, and this decision is implemented from the date of its issuance, until August 31, 2023.
It was agreed that the Ministry of Oil would purchase quantities of gas from the production of the Kormor field in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
In the same context, the Council of Ministers approved the sale by the Ministry of Oil of quantities of crude oil and black oil to the Islamic Republic of Iran, equivalent to the value of supplying gas and purchasing electric energy deposited in the account of Iranian companies in Iraqi banks.
He also decided that the Ministry of Oil would barter a quantity of crude oil, and black oil for gas imported from the Islamic Republic of Iran, and according to the allocations contained in the Federal Budget Law for the fiscal years (2023, 2024, 2025) for the same purpose, provided that the Ministries of Oil and Finance take the necessary measures to conduct entry settlements in coordination with the Financial Audit Office.
The Council decided to authorize the Oil Marketing Company to set up the necessary marketing and contractual mechanism to implement the above, to sign contracts with companies nominated by the Iranian side as an exception to the controls and instructions approved by the National Oil Marketing Company (SOMO).
Based on the decision of the Ministerial Council for National Security, which emphasized that the movement of Ambassadors and Diplomats be in accordance with diplomatic norms, the Prime Minister directed during the session to form a joint committee from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior, the National Operations Center, and the Joint Operations Command, to develop a specific and clear mechanism for the movement of all Ambassadors, those accredited in Iraq and their activities inside the country.
Emphasizing the government’s approach to proceeding with reconstruction and infrastructure projects, and its support for the private sector and investment, the Council of Ministers approved the issuance of the Iraqi Fund for Development system, based on the provisions of the Constitution, and to facilitate the implementation of Article 42 of the General Budget Law for the years (2023-2024-2025).
In the energy file, the Cabinet approved the entry into force of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Oil in the Republic of Iraq and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, signed on May 4, 2023.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency