Committees’ recent meetings – 12 November 2020
A summary of Kurdistan Parliament’s committees’ recent meetings and activities:
Integrity Committee
10 November - The Committee, led by the chair Shirin Amin (Change Movement), held their regular meeting.
The MPs discussed the report by the Diwan of Audit about two cases: five million dollars allocated to Erbil as the capital of tourism for 2014, a title awarded by the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism; and Arab tourist countries, 20 billion Iraqi dinars allocated to Slemani as the capital of culture,
After the discussing both issues, the committee decided to direct the cases to the head of the prosecutor’s office in order to reopen them.
Regarding the work of the Integrity Commission, the committee decided to write to Parliament's Presidency on the role of the Integrity Commission, suggestions on amending the law governing the commission and changing its head.
All of the reports and notes sent to the committee were read, discussed, and received a response or were directed to Parliament’s presidency for further work.
Education, Higher Education, and Scientific Research Committee
10 November - The committee held their regular meeting, led by the chair Abdusalam Dolarami (KDP).
The related issues of universities’ schedules and students' problems were discussed, including the issue of not giving students dormitories in some universities and institutes in Kurdistan Region even though their studies have started. The MPs decided to form a sub-committee to visit the universities of Erbil, Slemani, and Duhok to look into these problems.
The committee also discussed Stratford University and Ostrava Technical University both in Erbil, and decided to ask representatives from the Ministry of Higher Education and the two universities to present evidence and documents to the committee, so that the committee can take a stance on what should be decided about those universities and their students.
Energy, Natural Resources, Commerce and Industry Committee
10 November - The Committee, led by the chair Ali Hama Salih (Change Movement), held their usual meeting.
The MPs discussed the damage caused to public finances by the explosion that deliberately sabotaged Kurdistan Region's oil pipeline. The committee formally asked the Ministry of Natural Resources to respond to them in writing regarding the scale of public financial losses and the number of days of production stoppage at Kurdistan Region's oil fields.
Oil revenues and Deloitte's audit of Kurdistan’s oil production and sales reporting were discussed, and the MPs sent an official letter to the Ministry of Natural Resources asking for Deloitte’s report to be given to the committee at the end of every month on oil production, exports, revenues and oil companies’ expenditure, and the oil funds given to the KRG Ministry of Finance and Economy. The report is produced by Deloitte monthly or at least three months if Deloitte is unable to complete it on time.
Waste in the electricity sector was another subject of the meeting, so the committee sent an official letter to the Ministry of Electricity asking for more details and clarification on how electricity is being lost or wasted.
Peshmerga Committee
10 November - Members of the Peshmerga Committee, led by the chair Reving Heruri (KDP) participated in a ceremony in which US forces gave military equipment to the 14th and 16th brigades of the Ministry of Peshmerga.
America’s military and logistical support for the Peshmerga forces included armored vehicles, other vehicles, and military equipment, which will help to strengthen Peshmerga forces’ logistic abilities.
The KRG Minister of Peshmerga Affairs Shoresh Ismail Abdullah, the commander-in-chief, commanders and advisers from the coalition forces took part in the ceremony.