“The meeting discussed the results of the Kurdistan parliamentary elections, the steps taken to form the new cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Erbil-Baghdad relations, as well as the situation in the country and latest regional developments,” said a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency.
During the meeting, Sudani congratulated the Kurdistan Region on holding successful elections and praised the high voter turnout of 72 percent.
“Both sides stressed the importance of strengthening joint coordination mechanisms and the need to resolve common issues between Erbil and Baghdad through constructive dialogue and compliance with the Iraqi constitution,” the statement added.
President Barzani and Prime Minister Sudani also reiterated the need “to keep the country away from the consequences of regional conflict” with heightened regional tensions against the backdrop of Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
Sudani arrived in Erbil on Wednesday and was received by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani at Erbil International Airport. He will meet with political leaders in the Kurdish capital and then travel to Sulaimani to continue discussions.
The meeting with the Kurdish premier “covered shared issues between the federal government and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, foremost among them the efforts to resume oil exports from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq,” according to a statement from Sudani’s office.
Sudani also “stressed the necessity of forming a new government in the Kurdistan Region” and offered Baghdad’s assistance in the process, while stressing the importance of maintaining cooperation between the federal government and the KRG.
Other topics were also discussed, such as the upcoming population census in Iraq - the first since 1997 and the first to include the Kurdistan Region since 1987 – and regional tensions against the backdrop of Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
I’m pleased to welcome Prime Minister @mohamedshia back to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) November 13, 2024
Our agenda: budgetary payments, census, regional security, and economic growth -mb. pic.twitter.com/8srOpY7x9l
The KRG said in a statement that both prime ministers "emphasized the importance of the resumption of the Region's oil exports in the nearest future and the removal of obstacles and issues before it in a way that is in the interests of all the citizens of Kurdistan Region and Iraq."
Both leaders agreed that the upcoming nationwide census should be used for the aim of development, while "taking into consideration Kurdistan Region's notes in this regard."
The Kurdistan Region held its long-overdue parliamentary elections on October 20 after two years of delays. The vote resulted in a consolidation of power for the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which won 39 seats, followed by its government ally but political rival the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) with 32 seats, and the opposition New Generation Movement with 15 seats scoring third place.
The main Islamist parties - Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) and Kurdistan Justice Group (Komal) - took seven and three seats, respectively. The National Stance Movement (Halwest), led by popular former lawmaker Ali Hama Saleh, obtained four. Lahur Talabany’s People’s Front (Baray Gal) got two seats while the Change Movement (Gorran), once a powerful opposition force, took just one seat.
Komal, the KIU, Baray Gal, and Halwest denounced the election results, alleging fraud and voter manipulation, and questioned the reliability of the voting machines.
Despite the finalization of the results in late October, the parties have yet to start government formation talks.
Erbil and Baghdad have also recently made progress towards resuming Kurdish oil exports, which have been halted for a year and a half. The Iraqi cabinet agreed to a higher rate of compensation for oil transportation and production costs, though the proposal still needs to be approved by the parliament.
