INA - BAGHDAD

The Cabinet held on Tuesday the 39th session chaired by PM Muhammed S. Al-Sudani and issued several new decisions including allocating an amount of 40 billion dinars, from the emergency reserve and from the financial budget allocations to the Ministry of Health, Trade, and the Iraqi Red Crescent Society, to provide relief supplies to the people of Gaza and Lebanon.

During the sessions, the general conditions throughout the country were discussed including several vital files, in addition to the topics included on the agenda and taking the necessary decisions regarding them, according to a statement by the Prime Minister's media office - received by the Iraqi News Agency - INA.

"Iraq will continue to provide humanitarian needs to our brothers in Lebanon and Palestine, praising the donation campaign organized by the holy religious shrines, ministries and personalities, in addition to the great response of our people," PM Al-Sudani said, stressing "the continuation of relief efforts for our brothers in Lebanon, in light of the wave of displacement and oppression practiced by the occupation. The government has sent aid to Lebanon since the beginning of the crisis, including food supplies, medicines and ambulances." 

The statement confirmed that "the Prime Minister directed that October 3rd be an official holiday on the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Iraq, with the suspension of any celebration on this occasion, in solidarity with our brothers in Lebanon and Palestine, who are exposed to attacks and compelling circumstances." 

The statement pointed out that, in response to the directives of the supreme authority in Najaf, and in implementation of the desire of our people to participate in the relief of the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples, who are exposed to difficult circumstances due to the sinful Zionist aggression, in continuation of the government's approach in supporting the brothers in Lebanon and Gaza, and to organize humanitarian relief campaigns, the Cabinet approved the following:

1- Two bank accounts available to all citizens and institutions to receive financial donations and officially record them to spend them in humanitarian relief work for the people of Gaza and Lebanon. This will be under the supervision of the Prime Minister.

2- All departments that received the donations will deposit them in the new bank accounts, and the Federal Financial Supervision Bureau will supervise and audit the accounts.

3- The Cabinet also approved the allocation of 40 billion dinars, from the emergency reserve and the financial budget allocations to each of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Trade, and the Iraqi Red Crescent Society, to provide relief supplies to the people of Gaza and Lebanon, determined by the Supreme Committee formed in the PM's Office, and purchased by the above-mentioned parts, as an exception to the instructions for implementing government contracts, and the instructions for facilitating the implementation of the budget.

Within the file of financial reforms, the Cabinet approved the allocation of an amount of 4 billion dinars to the Securities Commission to finance the project to update and maintain electronic systems for implementing trading in stocks and bonds, as well as exempting the project from the contracting methods stipulated in the instructions for implementing government contracts.