Committees' recent meetings - 13 July 2021
A summary of Kurdistan Parliament's committees' recent work and meetings:
Finance and Economic Affairs Committee
13 July – The committee, led by the chair Ziyad Jabbar (PUK), met to discuss the anticipated Kurdistan Region budget bill, income, taxes, and the 200 billion dinars (approximately 137 million dollars) paid by the Iraqi Federal Government to the Kurdistan Region.
After discussion, the committee decided to write to the KRG Council of Ministers to get an explanation of Kurdistan Region's income and to get clarification about the 200 billion dinars payment from the Iraqi Government, and how it will be spent.
The committee decided to plan for a meeting about the anticipated Kurdistan Region budget bill.
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
12 July - At the request of the committee, the Reform Institute for Development (RID), in cooperation with Parliament’s Research Centre organized a workshop on the Bill on Preservation of national documents, manuscripts and archives in Kurdistan Region.
Some members of the committee including the chair Salma Fatih (PUK), experts on history, archives, manuscripts and documents, and representatives of the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Culture, discussed the bill in detail.
The participants expressed their opinions and comments on the articles and content of the bill.
The workshop was held at the Dedeman Hotel in Erbil.
It is decided that the second workshop on the bill will be held in Slemani in the near future with the participation of experts.
Agriculture and Irrigation Committee
12 July – The committee, led by the vice-chair Shwan Zirari (KDP), welcomed KRG Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Begard Talabani and her accompanying delegation.
Discussions centered on the draft of the bill on production and import of plants and seedlings, their registration and approval, and the protection of agricultural products in the Kurdistan Region.
The meeting also discussed finding solutions to water scarcity and drought, which the agricultural sector in the Kurdistan Region suffers from.
They also discussed receiving farmers’ wheat in silos, and both sides stressed the need for coordination and to solve the problems.
Education, Higher Education, and Scientific Research Committee
12 July – The committee, led by the chair Abdusalam Dolamari (KDP), held its regular meeting to discuss the decision made by the KRG Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs regarding the non-recognition of academic certificates obtained without getting permission to study.
The Parliament Speaker Dr. Rewaz Faiq at a sitting had tasked the committee with following up on the Ministry’s decision, and the committee decided to form a subcommittee to visit the KRG Ministry of Finance. The meeting was attended by the deputy chair, MPs and advisors of the Committee.
MPs also discussed the high school twelfth grade final exams process, which are expected to begin after the Eid break, and stressed the joint monitoring of the exam process with the Ministry of Education and the general directorates of education of the governorates.
The committee also reviewed the letters and requests sent by the public and directed them to the relevant authorities.
Endowments and Religious Affairs Committee
13 July – The committee, led by the chair Hawraman Gacheney (KJG), visited the Saudi Arabia Consulate General to congratulate the new Consul General Mohammad bin Suleiman al-Asiri and welcome him to Kurdistan Region.
They discussed their two nations’ long-standing relations and desire to enhance them, and Kurdistan Region as a model of peaceful coexistence between all religions and ethnicities, who are free to worship and practice their faith.
They agreed on coordinating to spread the message of moderation.
Consul General Al-Asiri thanked the committee for their visit and looked forward to strengthening relations between the two nations.