Ministerial Economic Council discusses water files urea and final account

Minister of Finance and Acting Minister of Planning Faleh Al-Sari chaired on Monday the thirteenth session of the Ministerial Council for Economy at the council headquarters with the participation of several ministers and officials. The meeting hosted the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Water Resources to discuss the framework water agreement projects between Baghdad and Ankara. The council agreed to submit a recommendation to the Council of Ministers authorizing the Ministry of Water Resources to directly invite specialized Turkish companies to implement projects improving the water and irrigation reality locally. In a related context, the council approved Diwaniyah governorate request to exempt residents of the Al-Sunbula residential complex from application conditions, provided their files are audited to ensure inclusion in poverty alleviation policies. The final account of the country for 2020 was also reviewed alongside notes from the Federal Board of Supreme Audit, with a recommendation to host Ministry of Finance officials to continue discussions based on those notes. Regarding the agricultural sector, the meeting hosted the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and approved recommending the Council of Ministers to lift additional customs duties imposed on imported urea fertilizer to protect local production. This step aims to cover current agricultural season needs and address domestic production shortages, with the duty suspension lasting for three months.