policy
The High Commission for Coordination Between Governorates, chaired by Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, held its fifth ordinary session for 2026 on Thursday. Attended by Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Education, Agriculture, Justice, and Industry, alongside the Director of the PM's Office, the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, and the Head of the High Commission, discussions covered general provincial conditions, focusing on service, livelihood, and various critical agenda items. At the session's outset, the Prime Minister introduced the new Investment Cities Initiative, aiming to establish fifteen new administrative investment cities across all governorates. Al-Zaidi specified each city would span no less than ten thousand dunams, strategically located near city centers to boost development and accessibility. Al-Zaidi noted the initiative involves Central Bank loans to provincial investment bodies for infrastructure, alongside attractive banking facilities for investors. Specialized firms will design these cities, integrating each province's cultural identity and historical-spatial attributes. Provincial committees were also directed to delineate specific activities and needs for each new investment city. In a related context, the meeting addressed the Million Residential Land Plots Project. The Prime Minister affirmed this project would target private sector workers who have pension deductions and social security but do not own private housing. The Director of the Prime Minister's Office, also Head of the project's Steering Committee, reviewed progress and completion rates across governorates. Discussions covered assigned personnel from provinces to real estate registration directorates for finalizing project procedures, emphasizing robust coordination between governors and the Ministry of Construction for essential external infrastructure. Among other approved agenda items, the Commission voted to establish a dedicated committee for the Investment Cities Initiative. Chaired by the General Coordinator for Provincial Affairs and comprising governors, a PM office representative, and the coordinating body, this committee will prepare at least 10,000 dunams of land per city in all governorates, ensuring proximity to water sources and urban centers. It will also resolve legal land issues, preparing lands for handover to the National Investment Commission for infrastructure development per approved designs. The meeting also approved the Ministry of Agriculture's preparation of a detailed report on compensation for agricultural contracts terminated in the governorates. Governorates, in collaboration with the Ministry of Construction and Housing and other relevant entities, were tasked with exploring external infrastructure projects for these cities, encompassing wastewater treatment plants, water purification stations, and power supply. To address stalled investment projects, the meeting approved forming a committee, led by the Prime Minister's Legal Advisor and comprising relevant bodies, to examine and resolve legal, technical, and administrative impediments to specific delayed and uninitiated projects in Baghdad Governorate, proposing solutions within set timelines. For Nineveh Governorate, another committee was established to investigate the reasons behind the non-signing of contracts for several investment project licenses. Separately, the Commission voted to amend paragraph (3) of item second of its Resolution No. (31 of 2023), classifying secondary roads mentioned in paragraph (third) of Article (2) of Statement No. (1 of 2022) as local roads subject to provincial administration. Finally, the meeting approved Baghdad Governorate's undertaking of the rehabilitation and maintenance of its youth forums. Recommendations for the media committee overseeing provincial media departments were also endorsed, aiming to enhance local media performance.
