Halo Askari, Iraq’s Minister of Environment, revealed that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani discussed the issue of salaries for public employees in the Kurdistan Region during yesterday’s cabinet meeting. Meanwhile, Baghdad has welcomed the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) steps regarding oil handovers, and Iraq’s Oil Minister has been tasked with negotiations with oil companies operating in the region, including those under APIKUR.

Sudani and Kurdistan’s Salary Question

Minister Halo Askari told Channel8 that during the most recent cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Sudani raised the topic of salaries for KRG employees following the completion of the session’s agenda. According to Askari, this indicates that the salary issue remains on Baghdad’s negotiation table and is a priority for the Iraqi Prime Minister.

He added that the cabinet welcomed the KRG’s recent decision on oil, under which 50,000 barrels per day will be allocated for domestic needs, while an additional 80,000–100,000 barrels will be handed over to Iraq’s state oil company SOMO. This step, he noted, signals progress toward better understanding between Erbil and Baghdad on the long-disputed oil file.

Oil Minister Assigned to APIKUR Negotiations

Askari further revealed that Prime Minister Sudani has authorized Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani to engage with APIKUR-operated companies and to oversee agreements related to the Kurdistan Region’s oil exports. This delegation of authority means the Oil Minister now leads negotiations on behalf of Baghdad.

The Minister of Environment clarified that talks between Iraq’s Oil Ministry and APIKUR have been revived to reach a fair and transparent settlement. He stressed that the conditions set by the ministry’s advisory committee must be reflected in any agreement. These efforts aim to resolve the disputes with oil companies in the Kurdistan Region, one of the most pressing and long-standing issues between Erbil and Baghdad.