policy
The Iraqi Council of Ministers held its regular session on Wednesday evening, chaired by Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi, to discuss the general situation in the country and decide on the items listed on its agenda. During this 19th session, the Council approved a package of important recommendations covering vital sectors, most notably oil, health, and roads, with the aim of enhancing governmental performance. In the oil sector, the Council approved a recommendation to exempt secondary contracts of oil companies to facilitate their activities. It also agreed to exempt the Oil Projects Company from paragraph (first/5) of its resolution No. (40 of 2026). Regarding the support for petroleum products, paragraph (1 / a) of resolution No. (68 of 2026) was amended to specify the export quantity of black oil resulting from local refining based on (net production minus the allocation for the Ministry of Electricity). The Council obligated the Ministries of Oil and Electricity to submit a report on the results of installing calibrated measuring meters at the supply outlets for power generation units. Furthermore, the Ministries of Oil, Industry, and Minerals were tasked with preparing a comprehensive study to determine the industrial sector's needs for black oil and the feasibility of providing it. Concerning financial and administrative reform, the Council approved recommendations related to the payment of public companies and self-financed departments' share to the public treasury. The Federal Board of Supreme Audit will be responsible for providing the Ministry of Finance with a statement detailing the treasury's share owed by self-financed companies. In the health sector, the Council of Ministers authorized the Ministry of Planning to exempt reputable manufacturers of medicines and medical supplies from the financial solvency requirement stipulated in the government tender regulations annexed to public contracts instructions No. (1 of 2025). It was also decided to form a committee from the Ministries of Health and Planning to develop special regulations for supplying medicines, sera, vaccines, medical supplies, and devices according to previous regulations, while exempting companies and manufacturers contracted with the Ministry of Health/General Company for Marketing Drugs and Medical Appliances (Kimadia) from the financial solvency requirement specified in the public contracts implementation instructions. To enhance road safety procedures, the Council approved a special recommendation for providing road marking machines and their accessories. This will be achieved through the Ministry of Interior announcing a public tender or inviting at least five specialized and reputable manufacturing companies, ensuring that the technical specifications comply with the standards set by the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control.
