Baghdad-INA
The Council of Ministers issued today, Tuesday, a number of decisions, including the dismissal of the first batch of general managers who failed in assessment.
A statement issued by the Prime Minister's Media Office, received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), said, "Prime Minister Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani presided over the eighteenth regular session of the Council of Ministers, during which developments in the general situation in the country were discussed, and the most prominent service, security and economic files were discussed, as well as discussing the topics on the agenda and issuing decisions and recommendations in this regard.
"And as a commitment from the government in applying the administrative reform within the priorities of work, the Council of Ministers approved the recommendations of the minutes of the fourth meeting of the Diwani Order Committee (23059) concerned with evaluating general managers (originally), which includes transferring the originally appointed general managers who did not obtain a positive evaluation , to a lower degree than the one he held before his appointment as Director General, according to Legislative Decree (880 of 1988), and in this regard, the Prime Minister directed that the replacements for the general managers, who failed to be evaluated, should be among the cadres working within the ministry, and he confirmed that the ministries has many competencies and experiences capable of managing and qualified to assume responsibilities.
The Prime Minister also directed, according to the statement, ministries and all departments to expedite the implementation of points of sale with the electronic payment system (POS) for the public and private sectors, the Cabinet approved the following:
1- Authorizing government agencies to pay the electronic payment commission for the amounts collect (for wages, fees, fines, and sales) according to the commission rates approved by the Central Bank of Iraq for electronic card payments.
2- Authorizing government agencies to pay commissions for amounts collected (such as taxes), of all kinds, by electronic payment, and according to commission rates approved by the Central Bank of Iraq for card payments.
3- The Legal Department in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, in coordination with the Central Bank of Iraq, the Federal Bureau of Financial Supervision and the Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister, will prepare a draft integrated law regulating the electronic payment process in the Republic of Iraq, within a maximum working period of one month, starting from the date of issuance this decision.
According to the statement "In order to confront the water scarcity in Iraq and its effects on agriculture, and to initiate optimal water management, the Council of Ministers agreed to coordinate between the Ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources, in order to fill in the unlicensed lakes."
“And in endeavor of the government to care for patients with immunodeficiency, the Council of Ministers approved a draft law (compensation for patients with immunodeficiency), which was reviewed by the State Council and referred to the Parliament.
In the energy file, the Council of Ministers agreed to endorse the recommendation of the Ministerial Council for Energy (23030) for the year 2023, which includes renewing the contract signed between the Ministry of Electricity / the General Company for the Transmission of Electricity for the Northern Region and the Qaiwan Company for one year, starting from the expiration date of the extension to supply energy of (800- 400) megawatts, according to the equation established by the Ministry of Electricity, provided that the company bears all taxes and fees, until obtaining the approval of the National Investment Commission for the investment license according to the financial validity, taking into account the remarks of the economic advisor to the Prime Minister.
In the same context, the Cabinet approved, according to the statement, the recommendation of the Ministerial Council for Energy (23031) for the year 2023, which provides for the renewal of the contract signed between the Ministry of Electricity / the General Company for the Transmission of Electricity for the Northern Region and the Kar Company for one year, starting from the expiration date of the extension to supply energy of (150 -385) megawatts.
The Cabinet approved the recommendation of the Ministerial Council for Human Development (23012) regarding the creation of a national program to raise awareness and introduce the importance of inclusion in the Pension and social security law for workers.
The statement confirmed that, in the framework of preparing for the provincial elections, the Council of Ministers agreed that the Ministry of Finance would finance the electoral process with an amount of 150 billion dinars, out of the total actual expenditures of the state for the year 2022, provided that the cash balance for previous years be withdrawn from the Commission’s account, noting that the allocation is available within the draft budget law for the year 2023.
Based on the directives of the Prime Minister in providing facilities to citizens in the field of housing, the Council of Ministers approved the draft law of the first amendment to the Iraqi Housing Fund Law No. (32) of 2011, which was audited by the State Council, and referred to the House of Representatives, taking into account the opinion of the Legal Department In the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.
In the file of foreign relations, the Cabinet approved the recommendation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding opening an embassy of the Republic of Iraq in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, based on the provisions of the Foreign Service Law (45 of 2008), and the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations of 1963, taking into account the concern that the opening of the aforementioned embassy is not Above is a reason for increasing the number of workers in our embassies abroad.
According to the statement, the Council of Ministers continued to discuss other issues on the agenda, and issued the following decisions:
First: The Ministry of Oil provided each of the Directorate of Military Engineering in the Ministry of Defense with (250) thousand liters of gas oil, and the Directorate of Military Engineering in the Popular Mobilization Authority (250) thousand liters of gas oil
Second: Approving the amendment of Articles (7) and (8) of the (Iraqi National Intelligence Service Draft Law), issued pursuant to Cabinet Resolution (274 of 2021), by adding (the General Directorate of Counter-Terrorism and Surveillance) within the formations of the aforementioned agency, and referring it to Parliament.
Third: Approving the draft law of the first amendment to the Law of Medals No. (5) for the year 2012, which was audited by the State Council, and referring it to the House of Representatives, taking into account the notes of the legal department in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.
Fourth: Approval of the draft law of the ninth amendment to the Law of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research No. (40) of 1988, which was audited by the State Council and referred to the House of Representatives, taking into account the opinion of the legal department in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers and the observations that were presented during the session.
Fifth: Approval of the following:
1- Authorizing the Minister of Finance, or whomever she delegates, with the authority to negotiate and sign a draft agreement to avoid double taxation and prevent evasion from paying taxes imposed on income and capital, between the government of the Republic of Iraq and the government of the People’s Republic of China.
2- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs prepares the necessary authorization document on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Iraq to the Minister of Finance, according to the approved contexts, and submits it to the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers to obtain the signature of the Prime Minister.
Sixth: Approving the recommendations of the Ministry of Health regarding the pharmaceutical market in the private sector.
Seventh: Amending Resolution (23164 of 2023), by adding Sequence No. 3 to the resolution, according to the following:
Excluding those referred to in paragraphs (1 and 2) of the Personal undertaking clause, that the aforementioned persons, or their wives or minor children, do not own a residential plot of land from the state or cooperative organization, according to Legislative Resolution (120 of 1982).
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