Baghdad: Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has instructed efforts to address tax challenges confronting the private sector until the approval of the general budget law.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, a statement from the Prime Minister’s office revealed that al-Sudani chaired a meeting of the High Committee for Tax Reform. The meeting, held on Wednesday, included participation from the Director General of the General Authority for Taxes, its senior staff, and several economic and financial advisors to the Prime Minister.

The discussions centered on unifying tax accounting procedures and identifying key obstacles faced by companies in the tax domain. A detailed review of the (Tax Accounting) Law, part of the government’s tax reform program, was conducted. The meeting also addressed the need to unify tax procedures between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the Federal Ministry of Finance and explored solutions for internal double taxation.

The issue of tax evasion was also a critical topic of discussion, with legal proposals presented to tackle the challenge. These proposals aim to support companies and investors in aligning their financial and legal statuses. Legal solutions were also proposed to resolve tax-related issues affecting the private sector.

Prime Minister al-Sudani underscored the government’s dedication to tackling these concerns as part of a broader initiative to enhance non-oil revenues. He directed the drafting of a resolution for the Cabinet’s consideration to mitigate tax challenges faced by the private sector and Iraqi companies, pending the 2026 budget law’s approval. Furthermore, he instructed the formation of a committee from the Ministry of Finance and the Tax Authority to collaborate with the Kurdistan Region’s tax authority to advance the unification of tax procedures.