In addition to considering the issues on the agenda, the Council of Ministers held its thirty-first regular session today, Tuesday, in which the general conditions in the nation were discussed and the fundamental files included in the government program were discussed, so guiding the necessary decisions regarding them.
The issued decisions permitted to sell wheat locally to officially licensed government and commercial mills, provided the selling price is equal to the price of importing wheat of similar specifications, arriving at the port of Umm Qasr.
In the same context, and within the national product protection program, the Council of Ministers approved the installation of a customs tariff on imported flour, gradually and progressively, with the increase in local flour production, reaching a rate of (25%). First stage is thus:
The tariff will be examined following (6) months from the date of decision issuing. (10%) from the date (September 1, 2024 until December 31, 2024) and (25%) from the date (January 1, 2025 until June 30, 2025).
2. Selling local wheat to mills at a price of (450 thousand dinars) per tonne, and producing zero flour from it.
Under new agreements, the Ministry of Trade and its contracting businesses have engaged Iraqi commercial mills to provide zero flour for social assistance recipients.
4. Restining the zero flour supply from nearby mills to the Ministries of Defence, Interior, Trade, Justice, Labour and Social Affairs.
5. Starting on the date (October 1, 2024), imposing a customs charge of (30%) on imported chopped flour (1 kilogramme).
Based on the provisions of the Constitution, the recommendations of the minutes of meeting (37) of the Diwani Order Committee (45 of 2018) were also approved regarding the development of the necessary means, mechanisms and solutions to complete public hospital projects, as well as the approval of the draft law amending the fifth law of the Cancer Council Law in Iraq No. (63), reviewed by the State Council, and referred to the House of Representatives.
Approved in the power sector was the Ministerial Energy Council Recommendation (24067 T) for 2024:
Signing a tripartite agreement between the Ministry of Electricity, Siemens Energy, and the Chinese company CSCES to implement the Baiji Gas Power Plant (2) rehabilitation project and approving the Chinese company (CSCES) as the main contractor, and Siemens as the subcontractor, provided that it is included as an essential part of the contract signed between the Ministry of Electricity and the implementing Chinese company according with the following obligations:
A. Getting government clearances falls to the Ministry of Electricity.
The main contractor is Chinese company CSCES, which is in charge of financing the project and providing and installing auxiliary equipment (BOP) related to the main equipment included (fuel and fire-fighting system, treatment and compressors with pipes and valves in addition to civil works).
Responsible for providing the major equipment (gas turbine, generator, main transformers, substation, and control centres), A. Siemens is managing the project to guarantee the workflow is carried out in line with Siemens’ worldwide standards.
2. Think about moving the described project inside the Chinese Export Agency from the investment account.
Approved the following as the Council of Ministers kept evaluating the file of blocked projects and investigating their causes in order to complete their execution:
1. Establishing a component (complementary works to construct the Social Protection Network Department in Karbala), inside the project (studies, designs, land acquisition, and establishment of the Social Protection Department in Karbala), and thus raising the whole project cost.
Ordering spare components numbers (8) and (9) for the Baghdad-Al-Dulaab-Anbar Water project will help to increase the reserve amount and project overall cost.
Between the Government of the Republic of Iraq and the Republic of Cyprus No. (26) which was developed by the Council of State, the Council of Ministers approved the draft law to cancel the law ratifying the agreement exempting holders of diplomatic and service passports, between the Government of the Republic of Iraq and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus No. (26) based on provisions of the Constitution.
The Council of Ministers decided upon other agenda items after weighing other issues.
First: Approval of the Ministerial Council for Human Development (24015 B), which includes the Ministry of Health joining the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health, indicated that the mentioned ministry does not incur any financial or legal obligations.
Second: Based on the Federal General Budget Law for the fiscal years (2023–2024–2025), authorising the Minister of Finance, or her delegate, to sign the loan agreement financing the fire engine equipment project for the Ministry of Interior with a guarantee from the British Export Credit Agency (UKEF).
Third: Based on directions to help the federal general budget be implemented for the fiscal years (2023–2024–2025), approval of the Basra Oil Company’s donation of (Al-Murbad Water Pump) to the Basra Governorate Water Directorate
