The Iraqi Council of Ministers has approved a series of new decisions covering administrative reform, agriculture, investment, infrastructure, and public services as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to implement its reform agenda and address priority issues.
The decisions were announced following the tenth regular session of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi, during which ministers reviewed the country’s overall situation and discussed a number of key policy and development matters.
One of the most significant decisions focused on government administration. The Cabinet approved limiting the authority of all ministerial councils to submitting recommendations only, with final decision-making powers remaining exclusively with the Council of Ministers. The move is intended to streamline government operations and strengthen central oversight of executive decisions.
In the agricultural sector, the government approved the 2026 summer agricultural plan for all Iraqi governorates, excluding the Kurdistan Region. The plan is expected to support agricultural production and guide resource allocation during the current farming season.
The Cabinet also approved the cancellation of a previous provision that had delayed the collection of irrigation fees owed by farmers to the Ministry of Water Resources. The decision effectively restores the normal payment process for these fees.
As part of broader financial and administrative reform efforts, the government voted against granting an investment license for the Bisan residential project in Nineveh Province. Officials will instead examine the possibility of transferring ownership of the project land to the Ministry of Finance.
The Cabinet also approved a number of changes within government institutions. A rotation of several provincial health department directors was authorized, while the Prime Minister was granted authority to rotate, transfer, or replace directors general and officials of equivalent rank across government institutions upon the recommendation of the relevant minister or agency head.
In the infrastructure sector, the Council approved adjustments related to the Procession Square project, including correcting reserve allocations and increasing the project’s overall cost. The government also approved work related to the first phase of the Baghdad Road overpass intersection with Al-Hur Al-Kamaliyah Road.
Additionally, the Cabinet approved exemptions for reconstruction projects involving several religious shrines in the governorates of Najaf, Karbala, and Diyala. The projects will be exempt from specific requirements contained in previous Cabinet resolutions, a move aimed at accelerating reconstruction and development efforts at these important religious sites.
The latest decisions reflect the government’s continued focus on administrative reform, service delivery, infrastructure development, agricultural support, and improving the efficiency of public institutions as part of its broader reform program.
