Cabinet decisions in today’s session, Sunday

Baghdad-INA  
  The Council of Ministers Holds the 3rd Regular Session Chaired by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani
 
 
The Prime Minister's Media Office said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani chaired the 3rd Regular Session of the Council of Ministers, where discussions on the country's overall situation, key issues, and agenda items led to the issuance of various decisions.
 
In the financial management sector, the Council of Ministers has approved the financing of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for January 2024, aligning with the federal budget for the year 2024 and actual spending, totaling (618,587,029,346) dinars.
 
In line with government program priorities and in pursuit of addressing housing solutions, the Council of Ministers has approved an increase in the limit of the loan from the Iraqi Housing Fund. This adjustment applies to beneficiaries purchasing housing units from housing complexes exclusively constructed by the Ministry of Construction, Housing, Municipalities, and Public Works companies, with the new limit set at one hundred million dinars per housing unit. The loan period for acquiring these housing units is extended to (20) years, as per the provisions of the Iraqi Housing Fund Law (32 of 2011). This decision comes into effect immediately upon issuance.
 
To follow up on service projects and avoid any delay, the Council of Ministers approved the following recommendations from the Ministerial Council for Social Services:
 
1. The Council of Ministers has approved the resolution of the Central Committee for Contracts Review and Approval (Resolution 95) from its 22nd session on December 4, 2023. This entails canceling the decision to withdraw the project for the second time from the contractor (Al-Mathood General Contracting Company Limited), and assigning them the project for maintaining and rehabilitating Al-Buaji and Al-Gharan Wasit Road. The Ministry of Construction, Housing, and Public Municipalities (the Central Committee for Contracts Review and Approval) is duly authorized to implement this decision.
 
2. Approving Recommendation (24003), the Council has endorsed the resolution of the Central Committee for Contracts Review and Approval (Resolution 92) from its 21st session on November 29, 2023. This involves canceling the decision to withdraw the project for the second time from the contractor (Nabih Ismail General Contracting Company), assigning them the Sindiya Concrete Bridge Project. The Ministry of Construction, Housing, and Public Municipalities (the Central Committee for Contracts Review and Approval) is granted the authority to carry out this decision.
 
3. Approving Recommendation (24002 KH), the Council has approved the ownership of the area (4500) square meters of the plot of land numbered (100/4) in the Sekanyan area, Kirkuk Governorate, to the Chaldean Diocese of Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah. This approval comes with a 50% reduction of its value, and the remaining 50% will be written off after valuation by the State Real Estate Department.
 
Within the service aspect and follow-up of infrastructure projects, the Council of Ministers approved the following:
 
1. Adjusting the reserve percentage for the component "Supplementary Works of Al-Rifai Sewage Treatment Plant" to (47.1%) after rounding, instead of the initial (10%).
 
2. Modifying the total cost of the aforementioned component by an additional (16,478,563,400) dinars, resulting in a revised total of (66,675,525,100) dinars, compared to the original (50,196,961,700) dinars.
 
3. Increasing the overall cost of the Al-Rifai Sewage Treatment Plant project by (17,178,959,929) dinars, bringing the new total to (77,621,168,929) dinars, in contrast to the initial (60,442,209,000) dinars. This reflects a (28.42%) increase over the total adjusted cost.
 
4. Acknowledging delays and unwarranted procedures in project management, with the Ministry of Construction, Housing, Municipalities, and Public Works assuming responsibility for the accuracy and validity of information, as well as accountability for prices and specifications as the overseeing authority.
   The Council considered several topics on its agenda and took the following decisions regarding them:
 
First: Granting an exception to the Ministry of Industry and Minerals/General Company for Food Products from Cabinet Resolution (275 of 2017) concerning the sale of expired cooking oil. This exception is made following the Selling and Renting State Property Law (21 of 2013) as amended. The condition is that the utilization of this substance in the soap industry is restricted to companies and factories specializing in this domain, subject to their competence verification through legally established procedures. This decision aligns with the Ministry of Industry and Minerals' letter dated November 29, 2023.
 
Second: Modifying Paragraph (1) of Cabinet Resolution (23530 of 2023) concerning the capital increase of the House of Cultural Affairs. The capital increase for the House of Cultural Affairs/Ministry of Culture, sanctioned by the Federal Board of Supreme Audit and the Committee for Determining Corporate Capital in the Ministry of Finance, is approved to reach (3,323,773,000) dinars, replacing the previous amount of (15) million dinars. This adjustment complies with Article (10) of the amended Public Companies Law (22 of 1997).
 
Third: Authorizing the Minister of Foreign Affairs to negotiate and execute a memorandum of understanding for reciprocal exemption from entry visas for diplomatic passport holders. This agreement is between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iraq and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates in the Kingdom of Morocco. The authorization is granted following Cabinet Resolution (245 of 2022), with due consideration given to the recommendations of the Legal Department of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.