Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani chaired the 19th regular Council of Ministers session to discuss essential issues and review progress on government programs and priorities.

At the start of the session, Al-Sudani emphasized the ministries' commitment to implementing the unified treasury account and electronic payment POS instructions. The comprehensive government performance assessment will evaluate compliance and progress in these areas.

The Council of Ministers has approved the nomination criteria for high-level positions, including Director General, Advisor, and Undersecretary. These criteria have been developed based on the recommendations of the Board of Advisors, taking into account feedback from several Council of Ministers members during the session. The conditions for nomination are as follows:

1. The candidate for the position of General Manager should ideally be below the age of 55.

2. The candidate should hold a university degree relevant to the nature of the position's duties.

3. The candidate must fulfill the general and specific conditions required by the special laws for some positions, such as university service, judicial service, foreign service, etc.

4. The candidate for the position of General Manager must have at least ten years of actual service in state departments, and they should have served as head of a division, head of a department, or assistant general manager. The laws and regulations issued by the ministry or state agency should also be considered. More service may be required in the case of state agencies not associated with a ministry.

5. A candidate for a Minister, Undersecretary, or Advisor position must have at least 15 years of actual service in their field of work.

6. Ideally, a candidate for the position of Undersecretary should have worked as an advisor or General Manager of one of the ministry's departments or a state agency.

7. The candidate must not be included in the Supreme National Commission for Accountability and Justice procedures, and the Commission of Integrity must confirm that they do not have any open or pending cases that would prevent their appointment to a higher position.

8. The clearance report from the Directorate of Criminal Evidence regarding the candidates for the positions must be considered, and the candidate must not have committed a crime.

9. The candidate must participate in an interview to determine their suitability for the nominated position or another position based on the interview results, evaluation forms, and approved criteria.

To support financial and administrative reform and enhance the financial institution's capabilities, the Council of Ministers has approved an increase in the capital of Rafidain Bank. The expansion, amounting to 212,000,000,000 dinars, has been recommended by the Committee for Determining Corporate Capitals in the Ministry of Finance.

After the increase, the bank's capital will become 238,000,000,000 dinars, in line with the provisions of the Public Companies Law (22 of 1997). This increase brings the bank's capital on par with other banks, which will aid in modernizing its capabilities.

The Council approved, as part of the financial and economic relations with international financial and banking institutions, the recommendation of the Ministerial Economic Council (23072) regarding the repayment of Iraq's debt to the World Bank. As a result, the Ministry of Finance will pay a cash amount of (26,898,925,642) dinars after approving the Federal Budget Bill for 2023, considering the new USD-IQD exchange rate and the difference between the date of the claim and the date of payment.

The Council followed up on the progress of service projects, particularly hospital projects. It approved the recommendations of meeting (31) of the Diwani Order Committee (45 of 2018) regarding finding the necessary means, mechanisms, and solutions to complete public hospital projects.

As part of the follow-up on investment and development projects in the governorates, the Council of Ministers approved the determination of the rent value for an area of (4800) dunams, a portion of plot number (3078/1m1) in Rutba/Anbar Governorate, according to the estimated value by the Ministry of Finance, State Properties Department, Anbar Governorate Branch, which amounts to ten million dinars per dunam for the establishment of the Joint Economic City between Iraq and Jordan, as an investment project. In addition, the Council also approved the allocation of (3) billion dinars to Anbar Governorate to complete the procedures related to the Arar Border Crossing for receiving pilgrims from the total expenditure of the governorate.

As part of its efforts to enhance international cooperation, the Council of Ministers has approved a bill for Iraq's ratification of the Arab Convention for the Prevention and Control of Human Cloning, signed on January 26, 2022, and referred it to the Council of Representatives.

The Council has also approved the recommendation of the Economic Council of Ministers (No. 23041) to increase Iraq's contribution to the third general increase in the capital of the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit, according to the boost determined by the Ministry of Finance / Iraq Fund for External Development.

In the area of developing foreign relations and bilateral cooperation with several friendly countries, the Council of Ministers approved the following:

Firstly,

1. Granting authorization to negotiate and sign the draft agreement on the exemption of diplomatic and service passport holders from entry visa requirements between the Government of the Republic of Iraq and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs for signature, by the provisions of Article (6) of Treaty Contract Law No. (35) of 2015, dated September 22, 2021. The same applies to the agreement with the Republic of Armenia, which will be signed by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Bilateral Relations, dated February 22, 2021.

2. Approval of two bills on ratification of agreements exempting diplomatic and service passport holders from entry visa requirements between the Government of the Republic of Iraq and the Governments of the Republic of Cyprus and the Republic of Armenia and referring them to the Council of Representatives.

Secondly,

1. Authorising the Minister of Trade to negotiate and sign the draft agreement on economic, trade, scientific, technical, and cultural cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Iraq and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, following the provisions of the Constitution. In addition, a clause will be added to the draft agreement stating the "cancellation of the trade agreement between the Government of the Republic of Iraq and the Military Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria signed in 1977, and this agreement will replace it".

2. Following the approved contexts, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will prepare the required document in the name of the Government of the Republic of Iraq to the Minister of Trade and submit it to the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers to obtain the signature of the Prime Minister.