The Cabinet held its regular meeting in Baghdad on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi.
At the start of the meeting, the Prime Minister told the Cabinet that this Iraqi government came to office to address the challenges facing the country, combat poverty, reduce unemployment among young people, and deliver a fair distribution of wealth.
Following discussions, the Cabinet decided the following:
- Establish the Emergency Cell for Financial Reform under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, and with the membership of the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Planning, the Governor of the Central Bank, the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, and other officials as nominated by the Prime Minister. The Cell’s mandate is to ensure financial liquidity, agree measures to rationalize public spending, maximize resources, and propose mechanisms for reconstruction and investment projects from outside government funding streams
- Direct government entities to submit plans for the rationalization of their administrative structures
Press ahead with the e-government program and with the automation of procedures, especially in the areas of customs and tax collection - Conduct a review of all draft laws related to combating corruption, strengthen the role of the Integrity Commission and the Federal Board of Supreme Audit
- Mandate the Ministry of Planning to conduct a review of the process of awarding government contracts and the basis for agreeing and selecting investment projects
- Provide the necessary staff to enable the Federal Service Council to carry out its duties
- Expedite the draft legislation of the general Federal Budget Law
- Expedite the completion of the draft oil and gas law
- Mandate the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs to submit proposals within a month to increase the number of people entitled to social security benefits
- Authorize the Reconstruction Fund for Areas Affected by Terrorist Operations to establish mobile hospitals to quarantine and treat patients with Covid-19 in regions to be agreed with the Ministry of Health, and to fund this project through the grant from the German Development Bank
Iraq Business News
14/05/2020
