Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi hosted Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and an accompanying regional delegation in Baghdad on Saturday, the media office of the Iraqi Prime Minister announced in an official statement.

The executive session focused on practical state administrative files, signaling a concerted push to iron out long-standing friction between the federal government and Erbil.

Border Digitization and Energy Contracts Dominate Agenda

According to the Prime Minister's Office, the talks centered on resolving specific technical and regulatory issues. The two leaders intensively reviewed:

• The joint management and oversight of official border crossings.
• The comprehensive implementation of the Asycuda (Automated System for Customs Data) digital customs network within the Kurdistan Region.
• The legal and operational status of international oil companies (IOCs) currently active in northern Iraq.

The PMO statement noted that both sides emphasized the availability of a "high window of opportunity for coordination and cooperation" to dismantle these bureaucratic hurdles in strict accordance with federal law and the Iraqi Constitution.

Al-Zaidi Pledges Equal Partnership and Citizen-Centric Governance

During the summit, Prime Minister al-Zaidi emphasized his administration's core vision, which prioritizes non-discriminatory public service for all demographics. "Everyone is a partner in this nation," Al-Zaidi stated, reinforcing that his ultimate objective is to forge a sustainable, comprehensive agreement that serves the overarching national interest and secures the welfare of the Iraqi people.

Erbil Formally Backs the Newly Formed Federal Cabinet

For his part, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani renewed his congratulations to al-Zaidi for securing the confidence of the Iraqi Parliament and successfully forming the new federal government. Expressing the KRG's official support for the newly minted ministerial cabinet, Barzani echoed the necessity of moving past temporary fixes, stressing the importance of achieving "radical, root-cause solutions" to all pending technical files under the parameters of the constitution.