Baghdad: Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi chaired the 19th regular session of the Council of Ministers, where significant decisions were made regarding the oil sector, financial reforms, health sector regulations, and road safety measures.

According to Iraqi News Agency, the Council of Ministers met under the leadership of Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi to discuss the nation’s general situation and review agenda items. A key outcome was the decision to exempt oil companies’ subcontracts to facilitate their activities and to exempt the State Company for Oil Projects from a specific resolution. Additionally, there was a focus on amending resolutions related to the export of fuel oil, requiring a collaborative report from the Ministries of Oil and Electricity on fuel supply metrics.

In efforts to further financial and administrative reforms, the Council endorsed recommendations for public companies and self-financing departments to remit shares to the general treasury. The Federal Board of Supreme Audit w
ill support the Ministry of Finance by reporting on the treasury’s share from self-financing entities.

Within the health sector, the Ministry of Planning was granted permission to exempt reputable drug and medical supply manufacturers from financial capacity requirements stipulated in government tender regulations. A committee will be formed by the Ministries of Health and Planning to create regulations for the supply of medicines and medical equipment, with specific exemptions for companies under contract with KIMADIA.

To improve road safety, the Council approved a proposal to procure road-marking machinery via public tender, ensuring compliance with the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control’s specifications. The Ministry of Interior will oversee this initiative, inviting bids from multiple reputable manufacturers.