Baghdad: Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has underscored the critical importance of revitalizing national industry, considering it the backbone of Iraq’s economy. During the third session of the Industrial Coordination Council, held on Sunday, al-Zaidi articulated his vision in the presence of key ministers and industry leaders.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the meeting was attended by the Ministers of Finance, Oil, Industry and Minerals, and Electricity, alongside the Head of the Council of Advisors, several advisors and directors general, and the Head of the Iraqi Federation of Industries. The Prime Minister reiterated the significance of robust national industry development, emphasizing the necessity of measures such as border control, the ASYCUDA tracking system implementation, and prepayment of taxes and customs duties, which are already underway.

Al-Zaidi highlighted the potential of locally available raw materials, emphasizing their essential role in bolstering and advancing national industry to enhance its competitiveness. The Council approved a series of recommendations and actions aimed at strengthening the industrial sector’s contribution to the national economy.

The session concluded with the decision to enforce the Industrial Coordination Council’s Resolution No. 29 of 2025. Al-Zaidi directed all governorates to allocate a 1,000-dunum plot of land for industrial projects, as nominated by the General Directorate of Industrial Development, to be executed within their respective areas.

Additionally, a prohibition was placed on the export of raw materials for certain metals, including copper and its alloys, aluminum, lead, and iron alloys, in all forms and scrap, to further support the domestic industry.