The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Council of Ministers is set to convene today under the leadership of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, with Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani also in attendance. The meeting will focus on critical financial and economic matters, including budget management and the resumption of Kurdistan’s oil exports.

Financial Stability and Budget Planning

A key item on the agenda is the restructuring of the Kurdistan Region’s financial framework to ensure greater fiscal responsibility. The Council will deliberate on five major financial aspects:

Reorganization of Financial Status: Streamlining revenues, expenditures, staffing, and public sector employment.

Employment and Budgeting for 2025: Approving the number, ranking, and costs of KRG employees for the upcoming fiscal year.

Pension Transfers and Military Entitlements: Transferring pensions for Peshmerga forces, security personnel, and families of martyrs and Anfal victims to the General Directorate of Pensions within the Ministry of Finance.

Expenditure Management: Implementing strict limits on operational and investment expenditures to maintain fiscal discipline.

Digitalization of Payroll System: Enhancing transparency by digitizing salary records and reviewing financial balances.

Oil Export Resumption and Revenue Allocation

The Council is also expected to discuss amending Article 12 of the Federal General Budget Law, a move aimed at facilitating the resumption of the Kurdistan Region’s oil exports. The decision is expected to stabilize economic conditions and reinforce the region’s financial autonomy amid ongoing negotiations with Baghdad.

Further discussions will focus on reorganizing domestic revenues, determining ministry allocations, and outlining procedures for transferring Kurdistan’s financial obligations to the federal treasury.

Strategic Economic Measures

Today’s meeting highlights the KRG’s commitment to financial reform, budgetary discipline, and economic stability. By advancing digital transformation in payroll systems and resuming oil exports, the government aims to enhance transparency and efficiency in governance.

The discussions mark a pivotal moment in the region’s economic policy, reinforcing the KRG’s efforts to implement structural reforms and ensure long-term financial sustainability.