Baghdad: Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani chaired the first regular Cabinet session for 2026, focusing on a comprehensive review of the national situation and resulting in several important resolutions.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Prime Minister’s Media Office announced that the Cabinet has declared a public holiday in Baghdad on Thursday, January 15, 2026, to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Musa Al-Kadhim.

In energy-related decisions, the Prime Minister approved the Central Committee’s recommendation on the documentary credit for the Salah Al-Din Power Plant project with China’s CMEC, addressing outstanding dues from 2021 to 2023. Additionally, the Cabinet agreed to extend the power purchase agreement for the Al-Shuaiba investment power plant with GOLD POWER for another year under the same terms.

For the oil sector, the Cabinet decided to assign Basra Oil Company to oversee petroleum operations at the West Qurna-2 field, ensuring financial operations are supported through the Majnoon field account. Furthermore, the Cabinet amended a previous decision to exempt Ministry of Oil-affiliated companies from specific contracting procedures for a year.

The session concluded with the authorization for the National Investment Commission to issue licenses for building judicial complexes and the approval of Iraq’s 2026-2030 program in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).