The Council of Ministers Holds the 17th Regular Session Chaired by Al-Sudani

Baghdad - INA

The Council of Ministers issued a number of decisions during its regular session held today, Thursday, including excluding the Baghdad Metro and Najaf-Karbala Express Train projects from the listing requirements and conditions, obligating the Ministry of Electricity to purchase the energy actually produced from the waste treatment project to generate electricity, and imposing an additional customs duty of (50%) on imported table eggs.

The Prime Minister’s Media Office said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani chaired the 17th Regular Session of the Council of Ministers. During the session, the general situation in the country was discussed, along with various service, economic, and social files. Additionally, topics listed on the agenda were deliberated, and necessary decisions were made regarding them“.

The Council of Ministers continued addressing stalled projects to resume their completion, following the government's strategy and implementing its program, approving the following:

1. Increase the funding reserve and total cost for the project of constructing the Science and Arts Colleges in Al-Zubair and Abi Al-Khasib (2 colleges), ensuring that the Basra Governorate carefully prepare the bills of quantities for the projects and consider future expansions.

2. Amend Cabinet Resolution (24179 for 2024) regarding the increased cost of constructing housing for faculty and residence halls for students phase 2 at Al-Muthanna University, as follows:
   - Increase the funding reserve and total cost for the project of faculty apartments No. 3 and 4.
   - Increase the funding reserve and total cost for the project of student residence halls 7, 8, and 9.

3. Approve the following:
   - Create a component to supply electricity to the Dujail Water Project in Salah al Din Province, within the project components.
   - Increase the total cost and funding reserve for the project.

4. Increase the contract amount for the component of consultancy services and supervision of the development and maintenance of Martyr Al-Muhandis Street, the Unknown Soldier Street, and the gates of the Green Zone area, to be calculated as a separate component within the total project cost.

5. Create a component named (Rehabilitation and Development of Infrastructure/Phase II) in Al-Hay District, Wasit Governorate, within the components of (Al-Hay Sewage Project/Phase I Wasit with Rehabilitation and Development of Infrastructure for Al-Hay District).
   - Increase the total project cost mentioned above.

The Council of Ministers has continued addressing stalled projects to restart work on them in line with the government's strategy and implementing its program. Decisions were made as follows:

First, for the Baghdad Metro project:
1. Amend Cabinet Resolution (23753 of 2023) to ensure:
   a. Establishing criteria for evaluating and qualifying investors, and for the study and analysis of proposals submitted by them up to the signing of the investment contract.
   b. Verification and approval of all initial and detailed final design and execution documents for the entire Baghdad Metro project, including maintenance and operational documents, project cost validation from investors, and property transfer requirements.
   c. Oversight of the project's execution until operational commencement.

2. Authorize the Baghdad Municipality to contract with the consulting consortium (HSS) from Malaysia and (CHSS) from the UAE (jointly), exempted from the contracting instructions (2 of 2014) and controls (8 and 16) for contract execution as detailed in the aforementioned point.
3. Set consultancy contract fees at 0.6% for the evaluation and verification phase and 1.2% for the supervision phase of the estimated initial cost, with the best tender amount to be approved later.
4. Exempt the project from listing requirements and conditions.
5. The investing entity will reimburse all consultancy contract fees paid by the Baghdad Municipality.
6. Authorize the National Investment Commission to grant licenses and sign the investment contract with investment companies from Baghdad Municipality and the National Investment Commission, in accordance with existing laws and instructions.

Second, for the Najaf-Karbala High-Speed Train project:

1. Project inclusion as follows:
   a. Establish criteria for investor evaluation, qualification, and the study and analysis of their proposals until the signing of the investment contract.
   b. Verification and approval of all initial and detailed final design and execution documents for the entire Najaf-Karbala High-Speed Train project, including maintenance and operational documents, project cost validation from investors, and property transfer requirements.
   c. Oversight of the project's execution until operational commencement.
2. Authorize the Ministry of Transportation to contract with the consulting consortium (HSS) from Malaysia and (CHSS) from the UAE (jointly), exempted from the contracting instructions (2 of 2014) and controls (8 and 16) for contract execution as detailed in the aforementioned point.

3. Set consultancy contract fees at 0.6% for the evaluation and verification phase and 1.2% for the supervision phase of the estimated initial cost, with the best tender amount to be approved later.
4. Exempt the project from listing requirements and conditions.
5. The investing entity will reimburse all consultancy contract fees paid by the Ministry of Transportation/The General Company for Iraqi Railways.
6. Authorize the National Investment Commission to grant licenses and sign the investment contract with investment companies from Baghdad Municipality and the National Investment Commission, in accordance with existing laws and instructions.

As part of the government's initiatives to protect local products and support the national industry while ensuring job opportunities in significant economic projects, the Council of Ministers approved the recommendations from the meeting held on April 24, 2024:

1. Impose an additional customs duty of 50% on imported table eggs, in addition to the existing 20% customs duty established by Cabinet Resolution (23672 of 2023).
2. Mandate producers to affix standard labels on their products (product name, production date, and expiration date on the external packaging).
3. Require producers to mark each egg with the production date and product label within three months from the issuance of this decision.
4. Prohibit the inter-provincial transportation of table eggs lacking the specified labels.
5. Assign the Ministries of Trade and Agriculture, the Competition and Monopoly Prevention Council, and the Iraqi Poultry Producers Care Association to continuously monitor the implementation of this decision and submit monthly reports to the Ministerial Council for the Economy.
6. This decision is effective from May 2, 2024.

Additionally, to ensure the success of the waste treatment and clean energy production project, a priority for the government, the Council of Ministers voted on a resolution requiring the Ministry of Electricity to purchase the actual energy produced from the waste treatment and power generation project. The National Investment Authority will circulate the project's feasibility study conducted by the Higher Commission for Coordination between the Provinces, to guide the implementation.