Peshawa Hawramani, Spokesperson for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), announced that the Council of Ministers will convene to discuss Erbil-Baghdad issues and latest developments. 

Hawramani said in a statement on Monday that the Council of Ministers will meet on Wednesday to review outstanding files with the federal government. 

He noted that the cabinet session will focus heavily on the latest updates in bilateral oil management, domestic revenue sharing, and the implementation of the ASYCUDA customs system. 

Kurdistan Oil Resumption and Security Guarantees for Companies 

Following high-level talks with a KRG delegation last week, Iraqi PM Ali Faleh al-Zaidi issued a directive ordering international oil firms to immediately resume operations in the Kurdistan Region. 

In tandem, the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources affirmed that the federal government is fully responsible for protecting the region's oil fields. 

Iraqi Ministry of Oil spokesperson Salim Farhoud Hussein told Channel8 earlier that Prime Minister al-Zaidi promised international oil companies that his administration would resolve their outstanding issues during the meeting. 

However, speaking to Channel8, Myles Caggins, spokesperson for the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR), stressed that member companies will not resume operations under any circumstances until comprehensive security guarantees ensure a safe working environment.

Erbil-Baghdad Revenue Sharing and 2026 Oil Export Challenges 

Under the terms of the agreement reached between both governments last year, the revenue sharing operates under a rolling framework; the KRG is mandated to send 120 billion Iraqi dinars, and in return, Baghdad sends the salaries of KRG employees. 

Due to regional shipping crises severely dropping federal oil revenues in 2026, both governments have faced financial strain, with Baghdad agreeing to receive a lesser amount of Kurdistan's non-oil revenues.

KRG Delegation in Baghdad to Address Customs and Audit Disputes 

Meanwhile, a high-level economic delegation from the Kurdistan Region has arrived in the federal capital to participate in today's Iraqi Economic Council meeting.

The session is expected to focus heavily on resolving bilateral disputes surrounding the implementation of the ASYCUDA customs system, including disagreements over customs duties, trademarks, exemptions, domestic product support, and the alignment of the agricultural calendar. 

Additionally, the delegation will address a new federal directive requiring Kurdistan-based companies to secure federal approval for their final financial audit reports too.