Kurdistan
Masrour Barzani takes the oath as the new prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government at parliament in Erbil on July 10, 2019. Photo: Rudaw video
Masrour Barzani officially was sworn in as the new prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday before lawmakers and government officials.
"This cabinet considers itself the servant of people and the top priority of the new government will be to provide services to the people," Barzani said.
This is the first time that the 50-year-old head of the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) will formally be holding a governmental post.
"My top objective is to combat corruption and carry out reform," Barzani added.
Corruption in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region has been a challenge for successive governments.
"We will show no tolerance to the corrupt," he added, vowing to be "transparent with our people."
Ministers will not be allowed to work outside the framework and agenda of the government, according to Barzani. He warned they should be the ministers of all the people in any corner of Kurdistan.
He hailed developed relations between the Kurdistan Region and Iraq
"[Iraqi PM] Adil Abdul Mahdi has practically shown his goodwill for resolving issues between Erbil and Baghdad," he said.
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9.54 p.m.
Foreign missions look forward to working with new KRG cabinet
Diplomatic missions in Erbil have sent congratulatory messages to the newly-formed Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet, officially established on Wednesday.
“Congratulations Masrour Barzani on your election as Prime Minister. We are looking forward to working with you, with Qubad Talabani and the entire cabinet to strengthen our ties,” the German Consulate General in Erbil tweeted.
Germany was among the major supporters of the Kurdistan Region when Peshmerga forces faced off with Islamic State (ISIS) militants, providing training, modern weaponry, and humanitarian aid.
France, which also offered the Region diplomatic and military support during recent years of instability, sent its congratulations.
“The French Consulate General wishes success for Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and his team. The French Consulate has confidence in the capability of this newly-formed cabinet to respond to the expectations of the people of Kurdistan Region of Iraq as soon as possible regarding job opportunities, security, good governance and public services,” read a statement from French Consulate General in Erbil, published on Facebook.
Nechirvan Barzani, President of Kurdistan Region, arrived in Paris on Tuesday at the official invitation of the Elysee Palace.
He met with President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, thanking him for his support to the Region. The French president has accepted Barzani’s invitation to visit Erbil, Barzani told reporters.
The French consulate said it “realizes that this cabinet will insist on maintaining high level dialogue with the federal government and further strengthening the unity of Kurdistan Region – these are required for the resolution of political issues with Baghdad”.
Earlier the US Consulate General in Erbil congratulated Masrour Barzani and Qubad Talabani on the formation of the new government. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the consulate said it looks forward to working with the new KRG “to advance our shared interests”.
The United Nations envoy to Iraq Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert also sent congratulations.
“Congratulations to @Kurdistan Region and all of Iraq on new KRG Cabinet. Lots of work ahead: closer cooperation & coordination w/ federal government to address all outstanding issues, stability & economic development,” UNAMI quoted her saying in a tweet.
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5:58 p.m.
Masoud Barzani, former president of the Kurdistan Region, sent his congratulations via Twitter.
I wish @masrour_barzani and his new cabinet a successful tenure as the new Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government. I will completely support him in pursuit of the interests of the people of the Kurdistan Region.
— Masoud Barzani (@masoud_barzani) July 10, 2019
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5:38 p.m.
The US Consulate General in Erbil congratulated Masrour Barzani and Qubad Talabani on the formation of the new government. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the consulate said it looks forward to working with the new KRG “to advance our shared interests”.
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5:32 p.m.
In a statement published on Facebook, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani congratulated his cousin Masrour on his confirmation as prime minister.
“I am assuring the Kurdistan nation, your excellency, and the ninth cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government that as the president of the Kurdistan Region, I will fully support and contribute to the success of your work and the ninth cabinet of the government,” President Nechirvan Barzani wrote to PM Masrour Barzani.
Nechirvan also congratulated Qubad Talabani on his return to the government as deputy prime minister.
“It was a pleasure working with you in Kurdistan Regional Government in the last years. I am sure you will serve Kurdistan sincerely and responsibly and do your duty,” he said in a separate Facebook statement.
“As the President of Kurdistan Region, I will continue supporting you to succeed in your work in the new cabinet.”
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12:02 p.m.
Ministers, cabinet members begin taking oaths-of-office
All proposed cabinet ministers were approved by parliament. MPs are to be sworn in individually.
Vala Fared, the current speaker of parliament, congratulated each lawmaker on joining the legislature with "Piroze!"
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11:34 a.m.
Masrour Barzani, Qubad Talabani confirmed as PM, deputy PM
The Parliament of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region convened at 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Masrour Barzani received 88 votes to become the new prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government.
Incumbent Deputy PM Qubad Talabani received 73 votes to keep his post in the new KRG.
Barzani is presenting his cabinet to the parliament for approval.
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10:04 a.m.
Kurdistan Region parliament to hold vote on new ministers Wednesday
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – New cabinet ministers of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will be sworn in at the parliament on Wednesday after nine months of negotiations on power sharing among ruling parties.
Prime Minister-Designate Masrour Barzani, 50, submitted his cabinet nominations on Monday. Parliament and the KRG Integrity Commission have reviewed the nominations and will hold a vote of confidence on the nominations today.
The new cabinet will have three women ministers. The previous KRG had one.
Begard Talabani of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) will be Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources. The other two are Gorran's Kwestan Mohammed and the Kurdistan Democratic Party's (KDP) Vala Fared, for the roles of Minister of Labor and Social Affairs and Region Minister, respectively.
Fared is the parliament’s incumbent speaker, but will be replaced by PUK’s Rewaz Fayaq in line with a bilateral agreement on cabinet positions between the two parties.
The Yezidi, Turkmen and Christian minorities will also be represented in the new cabinet. The Yezidis will have the posts of adviser to the parliament speaker, adviser to Prime Minister-Designate Masrour Barzani, undersecretary for an unspecified ministry, and a director-general in the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, Shingal Mayor Mahma Khalil told Rudaw on Tuesday.
The Region’s Turkmen and Christian minorities have also been granted a ministry each. Turkmen will run one of the Region Ministries and the Christians will have the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
Today, Barzani will present his agenda for the next four years as prime minister. The blueprint has reportedly been prepared jointly with key cabinet partners, the PUK and Gorran.
The new cabinet reportedly aims to diversify Kurdistan Region’s revenues, minimize bureaucratic procedures in the government, conduct economic and administrative reforms, and further strengthen security and stability.
Protection of the rights of minority groups, Peshmerga reforms and development of diplomatic relations with the outside world will also feature importantly in the agenda of the new cabinet.
The Kurdistan Region held parliamentary elections on September 30, 2018, with the ruling KDP winning 45 seats in the 111-seat legislature. The PUK won 21 seats, and the Change Movement (Gorran) 12.
No party won an outright majority to form the government alone, forcing the KDP to negotiate a coalition deal with its nearest rivals, the PUK and Gorran.
To date, the Kurdistan Region was run by a caretaker government for over nine months.
Erbil ushers in a new era of governance with a new cabinet and a new president in place. The KRG will from now on be in a much stronger position to address relations with Baghdad, resolve outstanding issues on oil sales, agree its share of the federal budget, and solve territorial disputes with the federal government.
A new government will also reinvigorate the political and economic atmosphere in the Kurdistan Region as it emerges from a costly war with the Islamic State (ISIS) and a crippling financial crisis following a budget cut by Baghdad in 2014 and subsequent falling prices of oil.
With reporting from Karwan Faidhi Dri, Salim Ibrahim and Zhelwan Z. Wali
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