Baghdad: Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani chaired the forty-fourth regular session of the Council of Ministers today, focusing on various national issues and agenda items. The meeting resulted in a series of decisions aimed at addressing these concerns.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Prime Minister Al-Sudani commenced the session with a speech marking the second anniversary of the government’s formation, highlighting significant accomplishments since their first meeting on October 28, 2022. He emphasized that the government has achieved 62% of its targeted goals, which align with Iraq’s needs and citizens’ aspirations.

Al-Sudani detailed the progress in ongoing projects, revealing that the number of active projects for ministries and governorates reached 8,934. Meanwhile, stalled and suspended projects have decreased from 1,471 to 916. Work has resumed on 555 projects for ministries and 442 in various governorates.

The Prime Minister also reported positive economic indicators, citing a decr
ease in the poverty rate to 17.6% from a previous 23%, and a reduction in the unemployment rate to 14.4% from 16.5%. Additionally, 962 families were included in the social protection network, benefitting approximately 7.6 million citizens with its services.

During the session, the Minister of Planning reviewed steps for the upcoming population census slated for November 20. Al-Sudani instructed the Ministry of Education to fulfill the Ministry of Planning’s requirements for human resources essential to the census.

The Council of Ministers further deliberated on various files and agenda topics, making necessary decisions to address them.