Baghdad: The Cabinet, under the leadership of Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi, has made a strategic move to streamline government operations by restricting the powers of all ministerial councils. During the tenth regular session of the Council of Ministers on Saturday evening, discussions focused on the country’s general situation and several pivotal files related to the government’s ongoing reform program. The session resulted in key decisions and recommendations concerning items on the agenda.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Council of Ministers reached a consensus to limit ministerial councils to merely submitting recommendations to the Council of Ministers, refraining from making independent decisions. This move aims to centralize decision-making and improve coordination across various government sectors.
In a separate decision impacting the agricultural sector, the Cabinet approved the “summer agricultural plan for the 2026 season at the governorate level,” explicitly excluding the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. This decision is part of ongoing efforts to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability.
Moreover, the Council of Ministers annulled a previous resolution that postponed irrigation fees owed by farmers to the Ministry of Water Resources, thereby reinstating these obligations.
In the realm of investment, the Cabinet voted against granting an investment license for the Bissan residential investment project in Nineveh Governorate. However, discussions are underway regarding the transfer of land ownership to the Ministry of Finance, indicating a potential shift in strategy.
In terms of institutional reform, the Cabinet approved the rotation of health department directors across various governorates. The Prime Minister has been authorized to implement further rotations, transfers, and replacements of directors general and equivalent ranks within all government institutions, contingent upon proposals from respective ministers or heads of non-ministerial entities.
To advance service projects, the Cabinet sanctioned adjustments to the reserve allocation for the Procession Square project component and initiated the first phase of the Baghdad Road overpass intersection with the Al-Hur Al-Kamaliyah Road. The overall cost for this component will see an increase as part of the development efforts.
Additionally, the Cabinet approved exemptions for reconstruction projects of several religious shrines located in the governorates of Najaf, Karbala, and Diyala from specific articles of previous Cabinet resolutions, facilitating smoother progress for these culturally significant endeavors.