Baghdad: Finance Minister Faleh Sari affirmed that the draft general budget will be submitted to the Council of Ministers within the specified timeframe. He also stated that Iraq is moving towards approving its first program and performance-based budget, which links resource allocation to programs and results.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, a statement from the Ministry of Finance indicated that Minister Sari chaired an expanded meeting on Thursday of the committees tasked with preparing the draft program and performance budget. The meeting was attended by members of the Finance Committee and other parliamentary committees, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Electricity, the governorates of Diwaniyah and Salah al-Din, and several other government institutions.

The Minister reviewed a report on the progress of the budget preparation, including the stages of completion and the remaining requirements. Attendees also listened, via video conference, to the opinions and observations of Iraqi financial experts residing abroad. The meeting included interventions from members of parliament and representatives of participating entities, addressing the stages of completion, the requirements for finalizing the program budget, and the challenges associated with its implementation.

Sari commended the efforts of the committees and teams working on the project, emphasizing the importance of continued work and coordination among all relevant parties to finalize the budget according to a sound methodology. He confirmed that the draft budget will be submitted to the Cabinet within the specified timeframe, emphasizing that Iraq is moving towards approving its first program and performance-based budget, which links resource allocation to programs and results, representing a transformation in public spending management.